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Atlanta to Host WUSA Founders Cup II

April 3, 2002 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) News Release


ATLANTA (Wednesday, April 3, 2002) - The Women's United Soccer Association announced today that Herndon Stadium, the new home to the Atlanta Beat, will host Founders Cup II on Saturday, August 24 at 4:00 p.m. ET. The WUSA Championship match will be broadcast live nationally on PAX TV to more than 90 million households in the United States and several other countries worldwide.

All eight WUSA clubs will look to unseat the defending champion San Jose CyberRays and bring home the Founders Cup in 2002. The top four teams in the WUSA will advance to the 2002 playoffs for a chance to be crowned WUSA Champion.

"We're pleased to bring the WUSA's premier event to the city of Atlanta," said WUSA President and CEO Lynn Morgan. "Soccer fans in the Southeast showed their strong support of the WUSA in 2001, and we're excited to have the league's championship game in an intimate soccer venue."

Founders Cup II is the latest in a long line of championship sporting events awarded to Atlanta. The Empire of the South is best known for hosting the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Other recent championships held in Atlanta include the highly successful 2002 NCAA men's Final Four and Super Bowl XXXIV. In addition, the Atlanta Braves played host to the World Series on a regular basis during the last decade and the Atlanta Hawks will host the 2003 NBA All-Star Game.

"Atlanta has hosted many of the world's greatest sporting events, and we're thrilled to bring the best in women's soccer to our great city," said Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. "The city looks forward to welcoming the soccer community during Founders Cup weekend."

Atlanta is no stranger to large-scale soccer events. The second game of the 1968 North American Soccer League Championship was held in Atlanta at Fulton County Stadium on Sept. 28, 1968, as 14,994 fans were on hand to see the Atlanta Chiefs defeat the San Diego Toros 3-0 to claim the NASL crown. Two months prior to winning the 1999 Women's World Cup, the United States made a stop at Atlanta's Dekalb Memorial Stadium on May 2, 1999. In front of a crowd of 14,652, Mia Hamm and company defeated Japan 7-0 with all seven goals scored by current WUSA players.

The brand-new home to the Atlanta Beat, Herndon Stadium is a 15,011-seat venue that was converted to natural grass before the start of the 2002 WUSA season. The venue is the third largest facility in the WUSA behind San Jose's Spartan Stadium and Washington's RFK Stadium. Built in 1948, Herndon Stadium underwent a $21 million renovation prior to the 1996 Olympic Games, serving as a field hockey venue for the games in Atlanta.

WUSA Founders Cup tickets are currently on sale as part of the Atlanta Beat's season ticket and group ticket packages. The 2002 Beat season ticket packages are the only way for soccer fans to secure the same seats for the Beat regular season and the Founders Cup. Individual tickets to the WUSA Founders Cup will be priced at $45, $30 and $15. Individual tickets will not go on sale until this summer. To order Atlanta Beat season tickets or for more information, call (404) 269-6400.

Foxboro Stadium in New England was host to the inaugural Founders Cup on August 25, 2001. The Bay Area CyberRays became the first team in league history to hoist the Founders Cup after defeating the Atlanta Beat 4-2 on penalty kicks following a 3-3 tie in regulation.

WUSA FOUNDERS CUP II OVERVIEW

WHAT: WUSA Founders Cup II Championship Match

WHEN: Saturday, August 24
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET

WHERE: Herndon Stadium
643 MLK JR. Dr. NW
Atlanta, GA 30314

TV: Founders Cup II will be broadcast live nationally on PAX TV and to several other countries worldwide.

TICKETS: Tickets are currently available as part of the Atlanta Beat season ticket package. To order season tickets or for more information, call the Beat at (404) 269-6400.

NOTE: Individual tickets for the WUSA Founders Cup II will go on sale this summer.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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