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Sounders FC and RAVE Foundation Announce Seattle's NewHolly Neighborhood as Next RAVE Field Site

September 12, 2019 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Seattle Sounders FC News Release

SEATTLE, WASH. - Seattle Sounders FC today announced that the club and its charitable arm, RAVE Foundation, have selected South Seattle's NewHolly - a Seattle Housing Authority neighborhood located between Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley - as the location for the next RAVE Field. Funding and efforts supporting the construction of the NewHolly field are being championed by Grammy Award-winning artist Ciara and her husband, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, both of whom are part owners of Sounders FC.

Sounders FC midfielder Alex Roldan helps teach soccer skills at a youth clinic at NewHolly earlier this year. With support from Ciara, Russell Wilson and the rest of the Sounders FC Ownership Group, NewHolly has been selected as the next RAVE Field site to provide a safe environment for free play (Charis Wilson / Sounders FC Communications).

"Following our club's 'Family' event at Yesler Terrace last month, Russell and I were inspired to become directly involved with RAVE Foundation's mission to build free spaces for play throughout our city," said Sounders FC Owner Ciara. "We are so proud to support the NewHolly project and the benefits it will have on that entire neighborhood and the south end overall."

Ciara and Russell Wilson at last month's "Family" community event at Yesler Terrace Park, the site of RAVE Foundation's flagship RAVE Field. The couple is leading the way in support for the newest field site at NewHolly (Lindsey Wasson / Sounders FC Communications).

The commitment to NewHolly's space is intended to include not one, but two fields for free play, free soccer training, equipment, and access RAVE Foundation's impactful programming like GOALS for Art and Science of Soccer, among others. Support for the project is being spearheaded by Ciara and Wilson, along with the rest of Sounders FC's Ownership Group.

"In our search for the next RAVE Field location, we discovered that NewHolly is a perfect place, as it's a very passionate community and one that needs more space for open play," said RAVE Foundation Executive Director Ashley Fosberg. "The kids in NewHolly love soccer and want to play, and the community has taken it upon itself to find places for that - from surrounding neighborhoods to patches of grass or even streets and sidewalks. In partnership with Seattle Housing Authority and with the generous support and leadership of Ciara and Russell Wilson, we're thrilled to today announce RAVE Foundation's commitment to bring a soccer play space to NewHolly."

RAVE Foundation's RAVE Fields initiative exists to build both small soccer fields and futsal courts throughout the region, removing barriers for participation by providing places for kids to play freely, be physically active and safe, and to be inclusive stakeholders in their communities. The spaces opened by RAVE Foundation are unrentable by groups or teams, ensuring they remain open at all times for the communities that they serve.

RAVE Foundation opened its flagship small field at Yesler Terrace Park in the heart of Seattle in 2018 - as well as two mini-pitch futsal courts in 2019 - and will open the NewHolly location next year. Additional mini pitches and small fields are planned for 2020 and beyond.

In addition to the NewHolly field selection, Sounders FC has also developed a new program that allows Season Members to support RAVE Foundation's mission of building small fields for free play and using soccer as a vehicle to inspire youth and strengthen communities. Fans now have multiple opportunities to donate their time, talent or treasure to RAVE, including becoming a member of the RAVE Foundation Club - RAVE's Donor Group - or volunteering for RAVE events. Interested parties can find more information about both opportunities at RaveFoundation.org.

Beginning in 2020, Season Members who are unable to attend a match have the option to donate their unused tickets to RAVE Foundation, which will then use the tickets to provide families from RAVE communities like Yesler Terrace and NewHolly with special matchday experiences.

At the end of the season, Season Members who helped support RAVE will be invited to an exclusive Family Affair event to thank them for their generosity and to celebrate the collective impact being made in the rich and unique communities in the Puget Sound region.

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