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MLS Announces 2003 Schedule

January 7, 2003 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release

NEW YORK (Tuesday, January 7, 2003) - Dates and matchups for Major League Soccer's eighth season were announced today by MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Kicking off on Saturday, April 5 and ending on Sunday, October 26, the 2003 schedule places an all-time high 89 percent of the League's matches on weekends or holidays (July 4). The 30-week regular season also allows for mid-week U.S. Open Cup match dates as well as various international exhibition games featuring MLS teams.

Each of the League's 10 clubs will play a total of 30 games in 2003, after competing in 28 League regular-season contests during the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Four games (two home, two away) against each Intra-Conference opponent as well as a home-and-home match-up against clubs outside its Conference comprise 26 of the 30 regular-season contests. The remaining four games (two home, two away), are determined based on competitive seeding, according to 2002 regular-season performances.

As announced last month, the 2003 MLS campaign begins with one game on Saturday, April 5, as the League's two trophy-winners from 2002 - the MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Champion Columbus Crew - face off live on ABC Sports at 4:00 pm ET from Crew Stadium. The League returns to a single-game opening day for the first time since the 1996 and 1997 seasons. The remainder of the League's 2003 National Television Schedule and kickoff times for all 150 regular-season games will be announced in the near future.

Eight of the remaining nine MLS teams will stage their home opener in either of the following two weekends, April 12-19. Due to the June 7 opening of The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., defending MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles begins the season with a League-record eight-game road streak, surpassing the seven consecutive away contests the Columbus Crew played in 1999 prior to the opening of Columbus Crew Stadium.

The Galaxy's new home, a state-of-the-art jewel on the campus of Cal State - Dominguez Hills, will also host Major League Soccer's two marquee events: the 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game (date TBD) and MLS Cup 2003. The eighth MLS title game will be played on Sunday, November 23, at 3:30 p.m. ET and televised live on ABC Sports.

The Galaxy and the Colorado Rapids are the lone teams to host games on Friday, July 4, continuing the enormously successful Independence Day traditions their organizations have built during the first seven MLS seasons. D.C. United, Columbus and San Jose each host games during the holiday weekend, on Saturday, July 5. Defender Eddie Pope and forward Jaime Moreno return to RFK Stadium wearing MetroStars colors in a contest sure to provide fireworks.

Other schedule highlights include Polish midfielder Peter Nowak's return to Chicago as he leads the New England Revolution into Cardinal Stadium on Sunday, April 13; defender Mike Petke's return to the Meadowlands on Saturday, May 10, as D.C. United faces the MetroStars in the first of four Atlantic Cup battles; MetroStars Head Coach Bob Bradley's first visit to Chicago on June 28 against his former Fire team; and San Jose Earthquakes icon Landon Donovan's only appearance in New York on Wednesday, July 2.

The first of three MLS Cup 2002 rematches occurs on Saturday, May 10, at Gillette Stadium, when Carlos Ruiz and the defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy challenge the New England Revolution and forward Taylor Twellman, who later make two return trips to Southern California: Friday, July 4 in one of two Independence Day contests, and Saturday, August 23.

By scheduling an all-time high 79 percent of the league's matches on Saturdays, MLS schedule-makers were able to capitalize on supporters' desire to attend games on that specific day. In all, MLS will play 89% of its regular season games on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or a holiday (July 4).

A breakdown of MLS scheduling for each of the league's eight seasons follows:

YearÂ Â Â FridayÂ Sat./HolidayÂ Â Â SundayÂ Weekend / HolidayÂ Â Â Â Â Â Weekday GamesÂ Â Total GamesÂ Â Â Â # of WeeksÂ Â Â Â Â
2003Â Â Â 2Â Â Â Â Â Â 120 (80%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 11Â Â Â Â Â 133 (89%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 17 (11%)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 150Â Â Â Â 30Â Â Â Â Â
2002Â Â Â 0Â Â Â Â Â Â 112 (80%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 7Â Â Â Â Â Â 119 (85%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 21 (15%)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 140Â Â Â Â 26Â Â Â Â Â
*2001Â Â 1Â Â Â Â Â Â 128 (76%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 4Â Â Â Â Â Â 133 (79%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 35 (21%)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 168Â Â Â Â 24Â Â Â Â Â
*2000Â Â 6Â Â Â Â Â Â 132 (69%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 6Â Â Â Â Â Â 144 (75%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 48 (25%)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 192Â Â Â Â 26Â Â Â Â Â
*1999Â Â 11Â Â Â Â Â 107 (56%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 39Â Â Â Â Â 157 (82%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 35 (18%)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 192Â Â Â Â 28Â Â Â Â Â
*1998Â Â 7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 94Â (49%)Â Â Â Â Â 35Â Â Â Â Â 136 (71%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 56 (29%)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 192Â Â Â Â 28Â Â Â Â Â
1997Â Â Â 29Â Â Â Â Â Â 60Â (38%)Â Â Â Â Â 52Â Â Â Â Â 141 (88%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 19 (12%)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 160Â Â Â Â 27Â Â Â Â Â
1996Â Â Â 3Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 50Â (31%)Â Â Â Â Â 47Â Â Â Â Â 100 (63%)Â Â Â Â Â Â 60 (38%)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 160Â Â Â Â 25Â Â Â Â Â
Â *12 teams comprised MLS in these seasons

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The following is a look at additional noteworthy points that detail the 2003 MLS schedule:

The 2003 MLS regular season kicks off April 5 and ends October 26, making the league's eighth season four weeks longer than the 2001 campaign (30 weeks compared to 26 weeks).

On opening day, April 5, ABC Sports presents a rematch of the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, kicking off the season with the defending MLS Champion Los Angeles Galaxy traveling to Columbus to face the Crew, who defeated Los Angeles 1-0 in last year's Open Cup Championship Game.

The first MLS Cup 2002 rematch takes place on Saturday, May 10, when the New England Revolution host the Galaxy in the first of three contests between the two teams.

The Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles Galaxy will host games on Friday, July 4, a holiday that is fast becoming an MLS tradition, drawing record crowds throughout the league.

The schedule was designed with the fans' interest in mind, as 89 percent of the league's games in 2003 will take place on weekends and holidays. This total is the highest ever, as the 1997 campaign contained 88% weekend dates.

Mid-week fixture dates for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will be announced by U.S. Soccer this spring.

EASTERN CONFERENCE Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â (all-time record)
Chicago FireÂ Â Â 82-54-15 (.593)
D.C. UnitedÂ Â Â Â 109-92-13 (.540)
Columbus CrewÂ Â 99-99-16 (.500)
MetroStarsÂ Â Â Â Â 91-115-8 (.450)
New England RevolutionÂ 85-116-14 (.428)

WESTERN CONFERENCEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â (all-time record)
Los Angeles GalaxyÂ Â Â Â Â 123-75-16 (.612)
Dallas BurnÂ Â Â Â 103-95-16 (.519)
Kansas City WizardsÂ Â Â Â 94-100-21 (.486)
San Jose EarthquakesÂ Â Â 93-104-17 (.474)
Colorado Rapids 92-106-16 (.467)

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The 2003 League and team schedules are available online at www.MLSnet.com or via the MLS Fax-on Demand system at (201) 585-5411.Â Following is the master schedule for the 2003 Major League Soccer regular season, along with team-by-team slates (home games in bold):

2003 MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â
01/07/03Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
schedule subject to change

Saturday, April 5th
1 Â Â Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at Columbus

Saturday, April 12th
2 Â Â Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at MetroStars
3 Â Â Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at Dallas
4 Â Â Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at Kansas City
5 Â Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at Colorado

Sunday, April 13th
6 Â Â Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at Chicago

Saturday, April 19th
7 Â Â Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at MetroStars
8 Â Â Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at New England
9 Â Â Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at D.C. United
10 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at San Jose

Saturday, April 26th
11 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at Columbus
12 Â Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at Dallas
13 Â Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas City
14 Â Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at Colorado
15 Â Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at San Jose

Saturday, May 3rd
16 Â Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at MetroStars
17 Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at New England
18 Â Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at D.C. United
19 Â Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas City

Saturday, May 10th
20 Â Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at MetroStars
21 Â Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at New England
22 Â Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at Columbus
23 Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at Chicago
24 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at Dallas

Wednesday, May 14th
25 Â Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at Kansas City

Saturday, May 17th
26 Â Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at New England
27 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at D.C. United
28 Â Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at Dallas
29 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at Colorado
30 Â Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at San Jose

Saturday, May 24th
31 Â Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at MetroStars
32 Â Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at Columbus
33 Â Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at Kansas City

Sunday, May 25th
34 Â Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at Chicago

Saturday, May 31st
35 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at New England
36 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at Columbus
37 Â Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at Dallas
38 Â Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at Colorado
39 Â Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at San Jose

Saturday, June 7th
40 Â Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at D.C. United
41 Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at Columbus
42 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at Kansas City
43 Â Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Sunday, June 8th
44 Â Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at New England

Wednesday, June 11th
45 Â Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at Colorado

Saturday, June 14th
46 Â Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at MetroStars
47 Â Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at D.C. United
48 Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at Dallas
49 Â Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at Colorado
50 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Wednesday, June 18th
51 Â Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Chicago
52 Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Saturday, June 21st
53 Â Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at MetroStars
54 Â Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at D.C. United
55 Â Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas City
56Â Â Â Â Â Â ColoradoÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â at Dallas
57 Â Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at San Jose

Wednesday, June 25th
58Â Â Â Â Â Â Los AngelesÂ Â Â Â at Colorado

Saturday, June 28th
59 Â Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at New England
60 Â Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at Columbus
61 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at Chicago
62 Â Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Los Angeles
63 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at San Jose

Wednesday, July 2nd
64 Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at MetroStars
65 Â Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at Dallas

Friday, July 4th
66 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at Colorado
67 Â Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Saturday, July 5th
68 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at D.C. United
69 Â Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Columbus
70 Â Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at San Jose

Wednesday, July 9th
71 Â Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Saturday, July 12th
72 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at New England
73 Â Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at Chicago
74 Â Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas City
75Â Â Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at San Jose

Saturday, July 19th
76 Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at D.C. United
77 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at Columbus
78 Â Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at Chicago
79 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at Dallas

Wednesday, July 23rd
80 Â Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at Columbus

Wednesday, July 30th
81 Â Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at New England
82 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at Chicago
83 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at Colorado
84 Â Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at San Jose

Friday, August 8th
85 Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas City

Saturday, August 9th
86 Â Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at D.C. United
87 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at Chicago
88 Â Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Colorado
89 Â Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Wednesday, August 13th
90 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at MetroStars
91 Â Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at D.C. United
92 Â Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Columbus
93 Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at Dallas

Saturday, August 16th
94 Â Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at New England
95 Â Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at Chicago
96 Â Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at Dallas
97 Â Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at Colorado
98 Â Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Wednesday, August 20th
99Â Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at Chicago

Friday, August 22nd
100 Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas City

Saturday, August 23rd
101 Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at Dallas
102 Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Sunday, August 24th
103 Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at MetroStars
104 Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at San Jose

Saturday, August 30th
105 Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at New England
106 Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at Columbus
107 Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Los Angeles
108 Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at San Jose

Wednesday, September 3rd
109Â Â Â Â Â ColumbusÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Saturday, September 6th
110 Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at D.C. United
111 Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at Kansas City
112 Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Colorado
113 Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at San Jose
Sunday, September 7th
114 Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at Chicago

Saturday, September 13th
115Â Â Â Â Â San JoseÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â at D.C. United
116 Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at MetroStars
117 Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Columbus
118 Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at Colorado
119 Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Thursday, September 18th
120 Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at New England

Saturday, September 20th
121 Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at MetroStars
122 Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Dallas
123 Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas City
124 Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Thursday, September 25th
125Â Â Â Â Â D.C. UnitedÂ Â Â Â at MetroStars

Saturday, September 27th
126 Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at New England
127 Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Colorado
128 Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at Los Angeles
129 Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at San Jose

Sunday, September 28th
130 Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at D.C. United

Saturday, October 4th
131 Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at Columbus
132 Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at Chicago
133 Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at Dallas
134 Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas City

Sunday, October 5th
135 Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at San Jose

Saturday, October 11th
136 Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at MetroStars
137 Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at Kansas City
138 Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at Colorado
139Â Â Â Â Â ColumbusÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â at Chicago

Sunday, October 12th
140 Â Â Â Â D.C. United Â Â Â at New England

Saturday, October 18th
141 Â Â Â Â New England Â Â Â at MetroStars
142 Â Â Â Â Columbus Â Â Â Â Â Â at D.C. United
143 Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at Chicago
144 Â Â Â Â Dallas Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas City

Sunday, October 19th
145 Â Â Â Â San Jose Â Â Â Â Â Â at Los Angeles

Saturday, October 25th
146 Â Â Â Â MetroStars Â Â Â Â at New England
147 Â Â Â Â Kansas City Â Â Â at D.C. United
148 Â Â Â Â Colorado Â Â Â Â Â Â at Dallas
149 Â Â Â Â Los Angeles Â Â Â at San Jose

Sunday, October 26th
150 Â Â Â Â Chicago Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Columbus

END REGULAR SEASON
2003 MLS Playoffs to follow/Dates, Sites and Times TBA

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