SECAUCUS - Red Bull New York, in conjunction with the Red Bull Academy, announced today that going forward its Academy programs will be free of charge for all participants who are selected into the program.
"Red Bull New York continues to commit its resources to the sport of soccer in the United States," said RBNY Sporting Director Jeff Agoos. "Red Bull is firmly committed to player development and helping support youth soccer organizations within the local community. This will be a significant investment that is in line with our vision of creating a world-class player development system here in the Greater New York area. For our Academy players, this is the first step towards the goal of playing professionally for the New York Red Bulls."
"By making the programs free of charge to all participants who are selected, Red Bull has eliminated the most significant barrier for talented soccer players to participate in a world-class program," said RBNY Academy Director Bob Montgomery. "Top soccer talent will only have to be selected to the program by our world-class coaching staff. Beyond that, all of the participation costs will be handled by Red Bull. We believe by eliminating the cost barrier, top players will be able to develop within our program with a goal of someday playing on the First Team for the New York Red Bulls."
The Red Bulls Academy and its grassroots programs presently operate out of the Red Bull New York corporate offices in Secaucus. Upon completion of the Red Bulls Training Facility in Hanover Township, New Jersey, the program will relocate to the world-class facility scheduled to have six soccer fields and a 45,000 square foot complex.
Tryouts for the 2009 cycle of teams will be held in the Spring of 2008 for the five Academy teams (U20, U18, U16, U15, U14).
For more information on Red Bull Academy, contact Red Bull New York at (201) 583-7025.
The Red Bulls will open their regular season on April 5 against the Columbus Crew at Giants Stadium with kickoff set for 7:30 PM ET. For tickets, please call 1.877.RBSOCCER or log onto www.nyredbulls.com.
About the Red Bull New York: Red Bull New York is one of 14 teams that comprise the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States - Major League Soccer. On the field, the team is led by former Premiership striker Juan Pablo Angel, a finalist for the League's Most Valuable Player award, and former U.S. World Cup captain Claudio Reyna. In addition to Red Bull Park, the team is constructing a permanent, state-of-the-art training facility in Hanover, NJ, slated for completion in December 2008. Red Bull New York is owned by Red Bull GmbH, an Austrian company that produces the world's leading energy drink.
