Chelsea Plays USA All-Star Game
Chelsea Football Club will play the All-Star team of the United States Major League Soccer in August 2006. The match is the most high profile fixture of the MLS season and will take place in Chicago on August 5. The match will also be a key part of Chelsea's pre-season preparation for the 2006/7 season.
Chelsea first team coach and manager José Mourinho said: "I am very happy to be coming back to the United States again. This will be our third year preparing for the new Premiership season in America and it is ideal preparation.
"This time we will have a very tough game against the best players in the MLS. Last year we played DC United and I was very impressed with the standard of American players then.
"We have several in England and, of course, the US national team has qualified for the World Cup again.
" It will also be great to come to Chicago for the first time. The American fans are very welcoming and knowledgeable about English and European soccer, and in Europe we all know about Chicago's famous sporting history, with the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan."
The match will take place in a brand new purpose-built soccer stadium at Bridgeview, Illinois in the suburbs of Chicago, home of the Chicago Fire, and several US-based stars known to the British soccer public could take part. These include former French international Youri Djorkaeff, now at Red Bull New York, American youngster Freddy Adu, who starred against Chelsea last year for DC United, and US internationals Landon Donovan and Cobi Jones.
Chelsea Business Affairs Director Paul Smith commented:
"It is an honour to be invited to play in the MLS All-Star Game, and in the new home of the Chicago Fire. Our participation confirms Chelsea's long-term commitment to soccer in the United States as no other global team is prepared to invest in US soccer from top to bottom.
"As well as playing in showcase matches like this against the best US players we will also seek, through MLS and other partners such as AEG to develop a programme of activity that will also cover the huge interest in soccer at youth level, as well as the professional game.
"By building the profile and interest in Chelsea in this way we are confident we can expand our business and build a platform for increasing our fan base, merchandising and sponsorship opportunities as well as help develop US soccer."
The match is part of Chelsea's overall strategy to develop itself in the US, one of the club's three key target markets.
Chelsea recently announced a major strategic alliance with AEG, one of the leading forces in US soccer and operator of four teams, including the Chicago Fire, and various stadiums such as the one in Bridgeview.
This long-term alliance will not only help promote Chelsea and the Premier League in the US but is also designed to encourage the development of grass roots and top-flight soccer in the US.
Chelsea first team coach and manager José Mourinho said: "I am very happy to be coming back to the United States again. This will be our third year preparing for the new Premiership season in America and it is ideal preparation.
"This time we will have a very tough game against the best players in the MLS. Last year we played DC United and I was very impressed with the standard of American players then.
"We have several in England and, of course, the US national team has qualified for the World Cup again.
" It will also be great to come to Chicago for the first time. The American fans are very welcoming and knowledgeable about English and European soccer, and in Europe we all know about Chicago's famous sporting history, with the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan."
The match will take place in a brand new purpose-built soccer stadium at Bridgeview, Illinois in the suburbs of Chicago, home of the Chicago Fire, and several US-based stars known to the British soccer public could take part. These include former French international Youri Djorkaeff, now at Red Bull New York, American youngster Freddy Adu, who starred against Chelsea last year for DC United, and US internationals Landon Donovan and Cobi Jones.
Chelsea Business Affairs Director Paul Smith commented:
"It is an honour to be invited to play in the MLS All-Star Game, and in the new home of the Chicago Fire. Our participation confirms Chelsea's long-term commitment to soccer in the United States as no other global team is prepared to invest in US soccer from top to bottom.
"As well as playing in showcase matches like this against the best US players we will also seek, through MLS and other partners such as AEG to develop a programme of activity that will also cover the huge interest in soccer at youth level, as well as the professional game.
"By building the profile and interest in Chelsea in this way we are confident we can expand our business and build a platform for increasing our fan base, merchandising and sponsorship opportunities as well as help develop US soccer."
The match is part of Chelsea's overall strategy to develop itself in the US, one of the club's three key target markets.
Chelsea recently announced a major strategic alliance with AEG, one of the leading forces in US soccer and operator of four teams, including the Chicago Fire, and various stadiums such as the one in Bridgeview.
This long-term alliance will not only help promote Chelsea and the Premier League in the US but is also designed to encourage the development of grass roots and top-flight soccer in the US.
posted by Robert Halter at 2:27 PM
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