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DENVER (Tuesday, October 17, 1995) -- Major League Soccer (MLS) and league investor-operator, Anschutz Soccer Inc., today announced the arrival of Colorado's newest premier sports league and team. The Colorado Rapids, playing at Mile-High stadium, will compete in the Western Conference of MLS's two conference, ten-team league. Western conference opponents include Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles and San Jose. Eastern conference opponents include Boston, Columbus, New York/New Jersey, Tampa Bay and Washington DC. Regular season play, consisting of 32 games, will begin April 6,1996 and end in late September.
Bob Sanderman, president of the Colorado Rapids, also announced the appointment of Richard A. Levine as general manager and chief operating officer of the team. In addition, MLS has announced the signing of 1994 World Cup star, Roy Wegerle, as Colorado's first player. Ticket plans and sponsorship contracts with Budweiser and PUMA were also disclosed.
The Colorado Rapids will bring the excitement of world class soccer to Denver through play in the country's only Division 1 professional soccer league. MLS has been recognized by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), soccer's international governing body, as a Division 1 league that offers the highest level of world class soccer competition.
To assure the highest level of play, MLS has signed top national and international players. Roy Wegerle, one of the top U.S. strikers, was born in South Africa but made Tampa, Florida his home while attending the University of South Florida, where he was a two-time All-American with a total of forty goals. Wegerle entered the professional scene in 1984 as the leading scorer for the Tampa Bay. Rowdies of the North American Soccer League and in late 1984, moved to the Tacoma Stars of the Major Indoor Soccer League where he scored 36 goals in two years.
Wegerle then moved to England where he has played for the last ten years on English Premier League teams including Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers, Queens Park Rangers and most recently, Coventry City during the 1994-95 season. In 1990-91, while with Queens Park Rangers, Wegerle was third in the league in scoring with 19 goals - a tremendous accomplishment in one of the most respected leagues in the world. Wegerle joined the U.S. National Team in May 1992 and appeared in all four of the USA's 1994 World Cup games. In his career with the National Team, Wegerle has played in a total of 26 games and scored 3 goals.
"I'm thrilled to be coming back to the United States once again to play professionally at the highest level," said Wegerle. "I look forward to using my experience with the Colorado Rapids as a platform to prepare for the 1998 World Cup. I am certain that the other players also have this same dream in mind as they come home to Major League Soccer."
The Colorado Rapids will be directed by General Manager Richard Levine, former General Manager and General Counsel for World Cup '94 Marketing. Levine, who has a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, will manage all aspects of the organization, including sponsorship, marketing, licensing and ticket sales.
"Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region's enthusiasm for soccer runs deep and wide," said Levine. "Colorado has one of the most committed and successful organized youth soccer programs in the country and fan support for the U.S. National Team, with over 40,000 fans at the last Denver game in 1992, has been extraordinary. With one of the healthiest economies in the country, over 60,000 registered players across the state and a tremendous history of fan support, our objective is to make soccer one of the top professional sports in the Colorado market."
MLS has already secured three year broadcast agreements with ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC for national television coverage of 36 games. In addition to Budweiser and PUMA, top-notch sponsors including Kellogg's, adidas, Mitre, Nike, Reebok, TSI Soccer and Umbro have come forward to endorse the league financially and through marketing promotions. MLS will operate with more than $75 million in funding committed by top investors including National Football League team owners and national investment groups, including the Denver-based Anschutz Corporation.
Season tickets go on sale today, with prices ranging from $10-20.00 per game. A $25.00 non-refundable deposit per seat will guarantee season ticket seating and priority. Two additional installments will be billed by the Colorado Rapids in January and March of 1996. Ticket information can be obtained by calling 303/299-1599.
Through the end of the year, the Colorado Rapids will continue to announce team plans including the appointment of coaching staff, new players, local tryouts and a future "name the mascot" contest.
Major League Soccer (MLS) is the United States' only Division 1 outdoor professional soccer league. The league is dedicated to the promotion and growth of soccer in the United States.