NEW YORK - Major League Soccer today announces the return of one of the League's most successful grassroots initiatives, MLS Futbolito, the League's official 4-v-4 soccer tournament co-presented by Burger King, Panasonic and Sierra Mist. MLS Futbolito, celebrating its fifth anniversary, begins its 14-event tour on Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Miami, Fla.
MLS Futbolito is a series of all-day events targeting the League's growing multicultural fan base and represents the largest touring Hispanic event hosted by a U.S. professional sports league.
"MLS Futbolito truly represents and supports MLS' overarching goal to provide soccer playing opportunities for the masses," said David Wright, Major League Soccer's Senior Director of Partnership Marketing. "Celebrating its fifth year, Futbolito has become a staple in each community it visits, and a must-attend event for soccer enthusiasts and their families."
In 2006, MLS Futbolito continued its astounding growth. More than 1,625 teams registered for the 14-event tour, representing a 36 percent increase from 2005. In total MLS Futbolito played host to more than 38,000 people and saw the participation of approximately 11,000 players. Many markets set records for participation including New York City, which featured 180 teams and 5,000 spectators.
To celebrate its fifth anniversary, two-time World Cup player Wilmer Cabrera will serve as the program's first official spokesperson. After nine years with the Colombian national team and 18 seasons as a professional soccer player in Colombia, Argentina and Costa Rica, the now-retired Cabrera recently joined Major League Soccer in an administrative role, contributing to the growth of the sport through his new position as Manager of Fan Development. In anticipation of this year's edition of MLS Futbolito, Cabrera said: "Soccer in the United States, especially amongst the Hispanic community, begins at the grassroots level and I am thrilled to be part of MLS Futbolito in 2007 as it continues to grow."
MLS legends Mauricio Cienfuegos (El Salvador), Marco Etcheverry (Bolivia) and Martin Zuñiga (Mexico) will serve as official Futbolito Ambassadors and will be featured at MLS Futbolito events as well as be available to sign autographs and interact with participants. Cienfuegos, formerly of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Etcheverry of D.C. United and Zuñiga of Chivas USA are former MLS stars who now contribute in full-time capacities with their former clubs and participate in different events at the league and team levels.
Competition Format and Registration Information
The 4-v-4 tournament is open to players of all ages, abilities and affiliations. Team rosters can consist of up to seven players (four field players and three substitutes) and each team will play a minimum of three games in round-robin action, with the possibility of advancing to the single-elimination championship playoff.
Teams registered for the competition will be divided according to age groups and competitive levels. Winners of each division will receive prizes with the first and second place teams in the Premier Division competing for $3000 in cash prizes. In addition to the games, each registered player will receive a ticket to an MLS game, a Futbolito t-shirt, and the chance to win prizes from the presenting sponsors as well as associate sponsors: adidas, Chase, Fox Sports en Español, Glidden, Honda and VISA.
More information on the competitions and events in both English and Spanish can be found on the official web site for MLS Futbolito: www.MLSFutbolito.com. Teams can register for competitions, obtain complete lists of all rules and regulations and learn about the competition dates and locations. Additionally, interested participants with questions can call toll-free at +1-877-553-7294. The entrance fee is $150 per team for those competing in the Adult Premier Division and $120 per team for all other participants.
2007 MLS Futbolito Schedule
Sunday, April 29 - Miami, FL
Three Lakes Park
13375 SW 136 St.
Miami, FL 33186
Saturday, May 12 - Los Angeles, CA (hosted by Chivas USA)
Blast Soccer Complex
3496 Little League Drive
San Bernardino, CA 92407
Saturday, May 19 - Phoenix, AZ
Rose Mofford Sports Complex
9833 N. 25th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85021
Saturday, May 26 - San Antonio, TX
Alamo SportsPlex
7440 FM 1560
San Antonio, TX 78254
Saturday, June 9 - Houston, TX (hosted by Houston Dynamo)
Bear Creek Park & Soccer Complex
3535 War Memorial Dr.
Houston, TX 77084
Saturday, June 16 - Dallas, TX (hosted by FC Dallas)
Richland College
12800 Abrams Road
Dallas, TX 75243
Saturday, June 23 - Washington D.C. (hosted by D.C. United)
High Point High School
3601 Powder Mill Rd
Beltsville, MD 20705
Saturday, June 30 - Philadelphia, PA
Agusta Fields
10402 Decatur Rd.
Philadelphia, PA 19154
Saturday, July 7 - New York, NY (hosted by NY Red Bulls)
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
58th Road & College Point Blvd
Flushing, NY 11368
Saturday, July 14 - Denver, CO (hosted by Colorado Rapids) - Venue to be announced
Saturday, July 28 - Chicago, IL (hosted by Chicago Fire) - Venue to be announced
Saturday, August 4 - Salt Lake City, UT (hosted by Real Salt Lake) - Venue to be announced
Saturday, August 11 - San Jose, CA - Venue to be announced
Saturday, August 18 - Los Angeles, CA (hosted by Los Angeles Galaxy) - Venue to be announced
About MLS Futbolito
MLS Futbolito, Major League Soccer's most successful grassroots initiative, is the a series of all-day events that takes place in various U.S. markets which targets MLS' growing multicultural fan base and represents the largest touring Hispanic event hosted by a U.S. professional sports league. The 4-v-4 tournament is open to players of all ages, abilities and affiliations. Team rosters can consist of up to seven players (four field players and three substitutes) and each team will play a minimum of three games in round-robin action, with the possibility of advancing to the single-elimination championship playoff. Winners of each division will receive prizes with the first and second place teams in the Premier Division competing for $3,000 in cash prizes. For more information about MLS Futbolito, log on to the official Web site at www.MLSFutbolito.com.
