SECAUCUS, N.J. - Sixteen of the best amateur soccer teams from New York will battle it out for $5,000 in prize money this August and September in the 2004 Copa Budweiser Tournament.
"We're very excited to deliver a first class community tournament that will allow the best local amateur soccer players to compete at Giants Stadium on Budweiser Hispanic Heritage Night," said Zulema Wiscovitch, manager of geographic marketing & community outreach, Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
Copa Budweiser is an invitational six-on-six tournament consisting of a New York qualifying tournament from noon to 8 p.m. on Aug. 7 at the famed Metropolitan Oval in Maspeth, Queens. The top four finalists from New York will advance to face the top four qualifying teams from New Jersey and compete for the Copa Budweiser Metro Championship at approximately 8 p.m. on Sept. 11 at Giants Stadium following the MetroStars' 6 p.m. game against the New England Revolution. A pre-game concert and festival celebrating Budweiser Hispanic Heritage Night start at 3 p.m. that day.
The Copa Budweiser event will also feature the Budweiser Shootout to find New York's most highly skilled players. Using the old Major League Soccer shootout format, Budweiser wants to identify New York's best amateur striker and goalkeeper in a one-on-one individual challenge with $750 in prize money up for grabs. The New York Budweiser Shootout Champion will then advance to face the New Jersey Budweiser Shootout Champion - decided during a competition on September 11 - at Giants Stadium during halftime of the MetroStars' match.
The event in Maspeth will feature appearances by MetroStars Amado Guevara, Sergio Galvan Rey and Joselito Vaca, the Metro Mobile and the Bud Light Hummer, complete with interactive games and giveaways. There will also be a soccer festival featuring DJ's, food and live radio broadcasts with Latino Mix and WADO-AM 1280.
The 16 New York qualifying teams that will be competing are, NY AYESME, NY Sport League, Liga Sudamericana de Futbol, Canario Express, Liga Independiente Peruana, Mexican-American Soccer League of NY, Asociacion Paraguaya de Futbol, NY Ecuador, Corinto F.C., Bronx Liga Mexicana de Futbol, Juventus, United Force, Terribles Club, Queens Sport, United Force B and C.D. Yonkers. Budweiser is the "Official Beer" sponsor of Major League Soccer and its 10 teams.
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc. is the leading U.S. brewer and holds a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer. In a survey of 10,000 business leaders and securities analysts, Anheuser-Busch ranked first overall in quality of products and services among nearly 600 companies researched in FORTUNE magazine's 2004 "America's Most Admired Companies" listing. The company also is one of the largest theme park operators in the United States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and is the world's largest recycler of aluminum beverage containers. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.
