FRISCO, TX - Major League Soccer today announced that its championship game, MLS Cup 2006, will be held at the state-of-the-art Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas on Sunday, November 12 (live on ABC Sports at 3:30 pm ET). The announcement was made during a press conference at Pizza Hut Park featuring MLS Commissioner Don Garber, FC Dallas Investor/Operator Lamar Hunt, Frisco Mayor Mike Simpson and FC Dallas General Manager Michael Hitchcock.
MLS Cup returns to Pizza Hut Park for the second consecutive year. In the 2005 championship, the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the New England Revolution, 1-0, in front of an overflow crowd of 21,193 at the new stadium. The 2005 championship game was the first of many world-class soccer events for Pizza Hut Park. The venue hosted the annual InterLiga Mexican professional club tournament in early January and will later host two major international matches. The United States plays Guatemala on February 19 and Mexico takes on Ghana on March 1 at Pizza Hut Park.</p>
"Pizza Hut Park is clearly becoming a major destination for marquee soccer events in the United States, and we're pleased to host MLS Cup 2006 at one of America's great soccer facilities," said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. "The tremendous support by the entire soccer community in North Texas for MLS Cup 2005 makes Pizza Hut Park - one of the premier soccer complexes in the world - the perfect choice."</p>
Called a "dream facility" by ESPN.com, Pizza Hut Park opened on August 6, 2005. Combining a world-class stadium with an extensive sports park, Pizza Hut Park is one of the best and most unique soccer facilities in the world. The complex includes the 20,500-seat stadium, and 17 championship-quality soccer fields located just north of the stadium. The 145-acre site is used more than 300 days a year, hosting MLS matches, U.S. Men's and Women's National Team soccer matches, major concerts, international soccer matches and high school sports.
"Speaking for the Hunt Sports Group and FC Dallas, we are most appreciative that Major League Soccer has chosen Frisco and Pizza Hut Park as the location for the 11th MLS Cup," FC Dallas Investor/Operator Lamar Hunt said. "The 2005 event was an unqualified success with exceptional weather and a standing-room only crowd for the Los Angeles Galaxy - New England Revolution game. The entire Hunt family is very proud to once again help bring this national professional championship event to the Metroplex."
Previous title games were held in California, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and Ohio. North Texas Soccer is the largest joint youth and adult soccer association in the United States, representing 145,000 youth players, 24,000 adult players, 40,000 indoor players, 25,000 coaches, 6,600 referees, and more than 1,300 administrators. The North Texas Soccer family is estimated to include at least 500,000 people.
"We're looking forward to bringing MLS Cup back to the great city of Frisco and our beautiful home, Pizza Hut Park," FC Dallas President and General Manager Michael Hitchcock said. "The decision by MLS to bring the Cup back to Pizza Hut Park is a credit to the great soccer fans in North Texas who filled the stadium for MLS Cup 2005 and the great Texas hospitality that everyone in Frisco and the entire Metroplex provided our guests from around the world. This is another showcase soccer event for Pizza Hut Park and Frisco, and on November 12th; FC Dallas and Major League Soccer will host one of the best MLS Cups in League history."
Ticket prices will range from $35 to $150. In early summer all FC Dallas season ticket holders will have first priority on the purchase of MLS Cup 2006 tickets to be followed by a private corporate sale and then a public registration for a Random Computerized Drawing, which will assure fans on a nationwide basis that they will have access to 10 percent of the seating capacity of Pizza Hut Park. The Public-On-Sale-Date will then take place in the early fall for all remaining tickets. More information on MLS Cup 2006 tickets is available by calling 1-888-FCD-GOAL or visiting www.fcdallas.net.
MLS CUP SITES
MLS Cup 2006 - Pizza Hut Park (Frisco, TX): Sunday, November 12 (live on ABC Sports at 3:30 pm ET)
MLS Cup 2005 - Pizza Hut Park (Frisco, TX)
MLS Cup 2004 - The Home Depot Center (Carson, CA)
MLS Cup 2003 - The Home Depot Center (Carson, CA)
MLS Cup 2002 - Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, MA)
MLS Cup 2001 - Columbus Crew Stadium (Columbus, OH)
MLS Cup 2000 - RFK Stadium (Washington, D.C.)
MLS Cup 1999 - Foxboro Stadium (Foxboro, MA)
MLS Cup 1998 - Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA)
MLS Cup 1997 - RFK Stadium (Washington, D.C.)
MLS Cup 1996 - Foxboro Stadium (Foxboro, MA)
