Major League Soccer on Thursday unveiled the official commemorative painting of the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game, to be featured on All-Star collateral materials including the cover of the official All-Star Game program, a limited series of posters and the official event ticket packets. "Legacy", a painting commissioned by MLS and created by artist Gary Kelley, features players in the official adidas All-Star jerseys carrying the logo of title sponsor Sierra Mist as MLS carries sponsor marks on jersey fronts for the first time in league history. The 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Weekend is an extravaganza of soccer-themed events and programs, including a Reunion Game between the MLS USA and MLS World Legends, all of which aim to pay tribute to the past, present and future of American soccer.
"This is a great opportunity for the Sierra Mist brand," said Doug Quinn, President of Soccer United Marketing Enterprises. "The placement of the brand logos on the front of the MLS All-Star jerseys reinforces Sierra Mist as the title sponsor of the League's summer showcase as we continue to look for new and innovative ways to enhance our partners' brand value in the American sports marketplace."
A product of pastels on reeves canvas, "Legacy" represents a snapshot of the 2004 Sierra Mist All-Star Game, which will be played on Saturday, July 31 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. and televised live on ABC Sports (2:00 p.m. ET). Capturing the energy, passion and athletic grace of the sport of soccer against the backdrop of the Nation's Capitol, the composition represents the legacy of the 1994 World Cup on the 10th anniversary since the landmark event was first held in the United States: a professional soccer league now in its ninth season with unprecedented corporate support represented by the advertising on the front of the jersey in the League's first ever foray in what is an accepted and long-standing international soccer tradition.
The commemorative event painting was created by Kelley, a University of Northern Iowa graduate. Since 1986, Kelley has been a freelance illustrator, whose work has earned major national and international acclaim, winning awards in New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Bologna, and Paris. Kelley's extensive client list includes RCA Records, the NBA, the NFL (Super Bowls XXIV and XXX), Simon & Schuster, Harper Collins, the U.S. Postal Service, Time, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Essence, The Atlantic Monthly, and The New Yorker, among others. The official artist of the 2002 Kentucky Derby, Kelley is a frequent speaker at schools and seminars nationwide and his work has been placed on exhibit in art galleries around the world.
The East vs. West All-Star Game matchup at RFK Stadium will be preceded by a Celebration Game between the MLS USA Legends and MLS World Legends beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET, a match which will be streamed live and exclusively on the League's official website at www.MLSnet.com. MLS honors the tradition, history and pioneers of modern professional soccer in the United States by hosting the reunion match, which will largely feature U.S. and international players who participated in the 1994 World Cup and then went on to play in MLS.
The 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game featuring MLS All-Stars, as well as the MLS Celebration Game honoring the legacy of the 1994 World Cup offers six levels of ticket pricing, ranging from $25 to $60 for individuals, and $16 to $40 for groups of varying sizes. Tickets can be purchased by calling D.C. United at (202) 587-5000 or by visiting www.dcunited.com online. Individual tickets can be obtained through TicketMaster - (202) 432 - SEAT (metro D.C.); (410) 481 - SEAT (Baltimore & MD); (703) 573 - SEAT (Virginia) or online at www.ticketmaster.com and at all TicketMaster outlets including HECHT's, Tower Records and at RFK Stadium.</p>
