Taylor Graham, the Sounders’ vice president of business operations, stood inside a semi-circle of reporters on Friday afternoon and offered an unequivocal apology.



Tensions with a certain segment of the fan base have been inflamed for weeks, ever since the organization warned supporters against flying the Iron Front flag inside CenturyLink Field, as they’d done during the rivalry match against Portland late last month.



Proponents say the symbol, which dates back to a group in pre-World-War II Germany that stood against the Nazis, simply reiterates an anti-fascist message the club has allowed fans to express with its backing for years. Others — and the Sounders cited complaints from season-ticket holders as well as Major League Soccer’s code of conduct — say the symbol has been co-opted more recently by groups whose stances are more controversial.



“It’s so nuanced,” as Graham diplomatically described...