NEW YORK (Thursday, July 22, 2004) - On Friday, July 30, on the eve of the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Doubleheader at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., thousands of area youth will have the opportunity to enjoy some one-on-one time with the heroes of Major League Soccer's Past, Present and Future via the Sierra Mist "Youth Soccer Shocker" tour.
Sierra Mist and MLS are giving fans a shockingly refreshing twist to the traditional youth soccer clinic by taking the current MLS All-Stars and former MLS and World Cup '94 alumni on a tour around D.C. While traveling on the Sierra Mist Shocker Bus, the athletes will make surprise appearances at stationary clinics planned for three (3) organized youth festivals in prominent locations throughout the D.C. metro area. The three (3) event locations were secured with assistance from the U.S. Soccer Foundation and are very representative of the Washington, D.C. soccer community. Three (3) D.C. United players will act as "hosts" at each stationary festival location. Shortly after the youth participants have arrived and the activities have begun, the Sierra Mist Shocker Bus will arrive and kick up the excitement as the additional MLS All-Star celebrities on board rush the fields for a blitz of player clinics, autograph sessions and picture opportunities. Each festival will also run Sierra Mist MLS Dribble Pass and Score competitions and MLS Futbolito 4v4 games. More than 150 youth are expected at each clinic and each participant will receive a Sierra Mist MLS All-Star goody bag.
Aboard the Sierra Mist Shocker Bus will be celebrities from Major League Soccer's Past, Present and Future as well as MLS and Sierra Mist executives, members of the media, and emcee, Fernando Fiore of Univision. Celebrities for the Tour will be pulled from the pool of MLS Stars including Carlos Valderrama, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Marcelo Balboa, Paul Caligiuri, John Harkes, Raul Diaz Arce, Marco Etcheverry, Alexi Lalas, Eddie Pope, Pablo Mastroeni, and Eddie Pope. All of the stars will participate in the two Saturday Contests: the MLS Celebration Game and the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game. Confirmed appearances will be communicated closer to the event.</p>
Times and locations for the Friday, July 30 events, with anticipated clinic participants, are:
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.: Gunston Community Center, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington, VA; Marco Etcheverry Ben Olsen, Nick Rimando and others
3:00 - 4:30 p.m.: Jellef Boys and Girls Club, 3265 S. Street, NW (Georgetown); Ryan Nelsen, Alecko Eskandarian, Josh Gros and others
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.: RFK Auxiliary Practice Fields, RFK Stadium; Freddy Adu, Jaime Moreno, Chris Albright and others
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 are on sale now. Group Sales information is available by calling D.C. United at (202) 587-5000; or visiting www.dcunited.com online and RFK Stadium advance sales during all D.C. United home games. 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.
During the live telecast of the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game on ABC, Sierra Mist will award one lucky viewer a spot as a contestant in the Pepsi "Play For A Billion" Sweepstakes. The winning Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game code will be announced live during the live broadcast and the person with the winning number will travel to Los Angeles, CA in September to appear on the televised one-hour prime-time special and compete for a chance to win the $1 billion prize. One of the "Play For A Billion" contestants is guaranteed to win $1 million. Log onto www.BillionSweeps.com to receive your game code or visit MLSnet.com for more details.
The 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Weekend is an extravaganza of soccer-themed events and programs, all of which aim to pay tribute to the past, present and future of American soccer. Through clinics, on-field presentations, pre-game and halftime ceremonies, "Soccer Celebration" events for families and youth, player autograph sessions and more, MLS and Sierra Mist will recognize the importance of youth participation as the future of our sport.
In addition to the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game, which will be televised at 2:00 p.m. ET on ABC Sports live from Washington, D.C.'s RFK Stadium, MLS on Friday unveiled the rosters for the MLS USA Legends and MLS World Legends that will play in the Celebration Game. MLS honors the tradition, history and pioneers of modern professional soccer in the United States by hosting the 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 legends game will kick off at 12:30 p.m. ET, with two 25-minute halves divided by a 10-minute halftime.
