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MLS Presents the Most Prolific Summer of Soccer Ever

June 17, 2009 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


NEW YORK (Wednesday, June 17, 2009) - Soccer fans are salivating because beginning June 20, an unprecedented number of top-flight matches will take place in the United States and Canada this summer. Most of the 101 games in the 51-day period dubbed "The Summer of Soccer" involve Major League Soccer, whose clubs will take on heralded European and Mexican clubs such as FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Chelsea FC, Club America and Real Madrid, and whose marketing arm -- Soccer United Marketing -- helps stage international tournaments such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup and SuperLiga and tours by Mexico's national team and famed Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara. Nearly 2 million soccer fans are expected to attend "The Summer of Soccer" in 26 cities.

Less than a year before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in South Africa, fans across North America have opportunities to see, in person, some of the sport's biggest names, including David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry (FC Barcelona), and recent Real Madrid acquisitions Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo. Fans can also enjoy games with cultural flair and high intensity as clubs and national teams vie for supremacy in this region of the world.

"The Summer of Soccer" encompasses Major League Soccer's involvement in the top professional league in the United States and Canada, as well as international soccer events that are taking place in both countries. Included in the 51-day span are 48 MLS League games, 15 games of the 2009 SuperLiga tournament, all 25 games of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, two games of the Mexican National Team's annual tour of the United States, two CONCACAF Champions League matches, eight international exhibition games involving FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Chelsea FC, Chivas de Guadalajara, Club America and Real Madrid, and the MLS All-Star Game featuring Everton FC on July 29.

"The Summer of Soccer" begins Saturday, June 20 with the third annual SuperLiga tournament that features MLS clubs against their Mexican counterparts, and concludes Sunday, Aug. 9 when D.C. United hosts Real Madrid in an international exhibition match at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.

"The Summer of Soccer" will provide an important boost to many local economies during tough times. Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., will host 10 games during this span, while The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., will host eight games. Nearly 30 venues will host major soccer events during "The Summer of Soccer", making access possible for millions of Americans. An estimated 7,000 hotel rooms will be booked by participating teams for all soccer events and more than 21,000 people will staff the events.

The collective volume of sponsorship, broadcast agreements, advertising and fan support behind these soccer events -- along with new investors and teams joining MLS -- illustrate the vibrancy of the world's game in North America.

MLS' newest team, Seattle Sounders FC, is enjoying arguably the most successful U.S. professional sports team launch in recent memory. The first-year club is well on its way toward setting an all-time MLS attendance record, averaging nearly 30,000 fans per game. Next spring, Philadelphia Union will take the field as the 16th team in MLS, and in 2011, Portland and Vancouver join to bring the total to 18 teams. The League is the linchpin of the game's growth in the United States and hosts events like those in "The Summer of Soccer" to bring the game to the diverse audiences across North America and to increase the profile of MLS clubs.

Having just enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in European club history -- where they captured the UEFA Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey titles -- FC Barcelona will conduct their third tour in conjunction with Soccer United Marketing, and will play against the LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders FC, and Mexican powerhouse Chivas de Guadalajara.

Other notable highlights of "The Summer of Soccer" are the long-awaited opening of the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which will host its first sporting event on July 19 -- a CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal doubleheader. In addition, major international soccer will be held for the first time at two venues - Atlanta's Georgia Dome and Florida International University (FIU) Stadium in Miami. The Georgia Dome will host the Mexican National Team versus Venezuela on June 24 as part of the Mexican National Team tour of the United States, while FIU Stadium will host group play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on July 10.

Major League Soccer's annual All-Star game versus 2009 FA Cup runners up Everton FC on Wednesday, July 29 in Sandy, Utah's Rio Tinto Stadium will highlight the MLS schedule during the 51-day "Summer of Soccer."

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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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