CARSON, CA (Friday, July 09, 2004) - Tickets to MLS Cup 2004, to be held on Sunday, November 14 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California, will go sale to the general public at The Home Depot Center and STAPLES Center box offices and all TicketMaster outlets tomorrow morning at 10:00 am, Los Angeles Galaxy and Major League Soccer officials announced today. Previously only available to Galaxy season ticket holders seeking additional tickets, MLS Cup tickets will now be offered to all fans beginning on Saturday.
"We are pleased to announce that tickets for MLS Cup 2004 will now be available to the general public," said Galaxy President and General Manager Doug Hamilton. "On the heels of last year's thrilling sold out MLS Cup championship at the world class The Home Depot Center, we are again anticipating a huge response from soccer fans throughout Southern California to experience the magic of the league's premier game."
Single-game prices for the Cup range from $23 to $55, across five pricing levels. Groups of 20 or more in each seating level range from $20 to $40. For more information, call the Galaxy toll-free at 1-877-3GALAXY.
MLS Cup 2004 marks the third time that Major League Soccer's champion will be crowned in Southern California, as the Chicago Fire captured the Cup at the conclusion of their inaugural 1998 season and the San Jose Earthquakes captured their second Cup in three seasons with a thrilling 4-2 victory over the Fire at The Home Depot Center last year.
A true "cathedral" for American soccer, The Home Depot Center opened on June 7, 2003, as the home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, who defeated the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, before a capacity crowd of 27,000 fans, the first of three regular-season sellouts for the MLS Cup 2002 champions in their new home. Los Angeles led MLS in average attendance in 2003, with crowds of 20,000+ for 11 of 15 home games. The Home Depot Center was again sold out on August 3 for the 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game, which saw a team of MLS All-Stars defeat fabled Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara, 3-1. The Home Depot Center also hosted six contests during the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup USA, including the Third Place and Championship Games, and served as the cornerstone venue of Soccer United Marketing's eight-team, five-city Mexican club tournament, InterLiga, in January 2004.
The Home Depot Center is a 125-acre development in Carson, California, featuring state-of-the-art stadiums and facilities for soccer, tennis, track & field, cycling, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball and other sports. Designated as an "Official U.S. Olympic Training Site," The Home Depot Center is the nation's most complete training facility for Olympic, amateur and professional athletes, including various U.S. Men's and Women's National Soccer Teams.
Created around a 27,000-seat soccer stadium, 13,000-seat tennis stadium, 20,000-seat track & field facility and a 3,500-seat indoor velodrome -The ADT Event Center, the complex is located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills. The development, which is also the home of the nationally recognized Athletes Performance training center for elite and professional athletes, has additionally been designated "official" training sites for USA Cycling, United States Track & Field, the AVP, the USTA, as home of the USA Tennis High Performance National Training Center and is the summer training camp site for the San Diego Chargers (NFL).
Developed and operated by AEG, the $150 million Home Depot Center represents the largest investment in amateur athletics ever made. Whether competing or training, athletes will have the use of world-class amenities including a 3,000 square foot weight room, complete training and locker room facilities as well as dining, housing and other hospitality services.
The Home Depot Center's commitment to athletics and training also extends to the surrounding communities. Tennis courts, soccer training fields and a three-mile jogging trail with twelve fitness stations around the perimeter of the development is available to local residents as well as other facilities and amenities. Through foundations established by AEG operated entities such as the Galaxy, the Los Angeles Kings and STAPLES Center, more that $5 million has been pledged to community organizations in the last six years with new donations targeting this local community already being established. The Home Depot Center is southern California's legacy to sports, 'building character through competition.'
MLS Cup 2004 will feature two MLS teams vying for the league's ninth championship and possession of the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy. Each of the two regular-season MLS Conference Champions will advance to the MLS Cup Playoffs and will earn the top seed, with the remaining six MLS Cup Playoff teams seeded 2-4 in each Conference. The Conference Semifinal series feature a home-and-home, aggregate goal format, with the Conference Championships a one-game, winner-take-all contest for the right to compete in MLS Cup 2004.
The Los Angeles Galaxy will conclude their two-game homestand against a Western Conference rival, the Colorado Rapids on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Korean Heritage Night, presented by Korean Air, at The Home Depot Center. In addition to Korean Heritage Night festivities, the first 10,000 fans through the gates on Saturday night will receive a shoe bag, courtesy of Wells Fargo. For more information or to purchase tickets to the match, call the Galaxy toll-free at 1-877-3GALAXY.
