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The Seattle Sounders hope to tap into the social networking craze to help build fan support leading into the Major League Soccer expansion team’s inaugural season in the spring.

More after the jump…

The Sounders are launching a new breed of fan clubs with actual powers over key team decisions, plus an interactive website that allows like-minded fans to get seats together at the stadium. Included, of course, will be Facebook-like web features to allow tech-savvy soccer fans to follow team updates in real time, as well as blog, chat and upload their own fan photos.

The Sounders recently signed up Digiteria a San Diego-based marketing and technology firm, to execute the digital strategy. And the team also is working with Seattle website developer Cypress Consulting Inc. to build in social networking tools to sell tickets online, allowing fans to match up at the stadium.

“It’s kind of like a matchmaker,” said Cypress CEO Nate Thompson, who has worked on new website projects with several other sports teams, including the Seahawks.