SECAUCUS, NJ- The New York Red Bulls are one of four MLS teams that will compete in the inaugural Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic on Feb. 25 and 27 in at the ESPN Wide World of Sport Complex outside of Orlando, FL. The Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic, which will also feature the Houston Dynamo, FC Dallas and Toronto FC, kicks off the re-launch of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and is part of the 2010 ESPN The Weekend presented by Dick's Sporting Goods.
The Red Bulls take on the Dynamo on Feb. 25 at 6:00 PM ET and FC Dallas and Toronto FC will tangle later that evening. Two days later, the losers of the two matches will face off at 6:00 PM, while the winners play at 8:30 PM in the championship game. New York will spent the week before training at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL.
"Bringing four Major League Soccer teams to Central Florida to play in the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic is very exciting and a big win for all of our local soccer players, fans, parents and spectators," said Disney Sports Area Manager Patrick Dicks. "ESPN The Weekend is serving as a major platform for these teams to prepare for the upcoming season and we are proud to have them be a part of this re-branding weekend."
Disney Sports plays host to some of the top youth soccer tournaments worldwide. Disney's Soccer Showcase is one of the largest and most elite recruiting tournaments in the country, pulling in over 500 boys and girls youth soccer teams that compete for both medals and collegiate scholarships. The Disney Cup International is one of the premier international youth soccer tournaments in the world and since 1999 has brought in teams from more than 20 countries.
Opened in 1997, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a premier multi-sport venue for amateur and professional sports in the United States and has recently undergone changes to incorporate signature ESPN elements, ultimately taking the sports experience to the next level. High-definition video cameras, along with high-definition video screens and two Jumbotrons, have been added throughout the complex. Game highlights and action will be broadcast across the complex, in all Walt Disney World Resort rooms and will also feed into a new state-of-the-art digital center with a direct uplink to ESPN in Bristol, CT.
Daily tickets to the Disney Pro Soccer Classic will include admission to the complex for both games and entrance to ESPN The Weekend events that are taking place at the complex. Tickets can be bought on-site at the complex box office or through ticketmaster. For a full list of ESPN The Weekend events and ticket packages, visit www.disneysports.com and www.espntheweekend.com.
The Red Bulls kick off their 2010 MLS Regular Season at Red Bull Arena on March 27, when they host the Chicago Fire at 7:00 PM ET (TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes). Full Season Ticket Plans for the New York Red Bulls' first season at Red Bull Arena, in Harrison, NJ, are on sale now. Midfield seats in the 100-Level are already sold out, but good seats are still available. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 1.877.RBSOCCER or log onto www.newyorkredbulls.com.
