CARSON, CA, (Wednesday, December 17, 2003) -The Home Depot Center in Carson, California, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer and all U.S. National Teams for both men and women, was voted Best Soccer Stadium in the second annual "Best of U.S. Soccer" awards.
"We set out to create the finest soccer venue in the country and clearly, the soccer world agrees that The Home Depot Center has delivered on everything we promised," said Timothy J. Leiweke, president and CEO of AEG, owner and operator of The Home Depot Center. "From the Galaxy's season to the Women's World Cup Final, and numerous international games and visits from the national and international soccer community, The Home Depot Center has already been a force for soccer in the United States. I congratulate the entire staff of The Home Depot Center, AEG and the LA Galaxy, whose hard work has earned this award."
Developed and operated by AEG, the first-year soccer stadium is the centerpiece of the $150 million Home Depot Center was recently designated an official U.S. Olympic Training Site. Beginning on June 6, 2003, The Los Angeles Galaxy and AEG have brought a host of marquee soccer matches to The Home Depot Center, enhancing the regional, national and international stature of the facility in its inaugural year. The Galaxy's MLS schedule, Guatemala vs. Honduras, Mexico vs. El Salvador, 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup 2003, FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 and other exhibitions introduced more than a half-million soccer fans to The Home Depot Center, exposing the sport and facility to demographics far beyond the already diverse Galaxy fan base.
"To be recognized by the fans as the Best Soccer Stadium in the United States is an honor for The Home Depot Center and the Galaxy. It was the tremendous support that Southern California has shown for our team and the facility that made this distinction possible," said Galaxy Vice-President and General Manager Doug Hamilton. "We will continue to bring compelling soccer programming to
this facility, further establishing it as a premier destination for the sport on all levels."
The L.A. Galaxy finished a historic inaugural season at The Home Depot Center averaging 21,983 fans over 15 regular season games (81.4% occupancy), including three sellout crowds of 27,000 fans (Opening Day, July 4th and Season Finale). In a watershed year for the sport in Southern California, the Galaxy welcomed nearly 350,000 fans through the turnstiles, including team exhibitions (China) and U.S. Open Cup (Fresno).
The stadium clearly outdistanced its competition in the online fan voting conducted over the past month at www.ussoccer.com, garnering nearly 50 percent of the vote, while Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio and RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., both fellow MLS venues, finished second and third, respectively. The Home Depot Center joins Crew Stadium, which won the inaugural award in 2002, as the first two winners in this exclusive category.
In addition, the seven-month old facility was also a factor in two other categories, Best Fans and Best Game Performance by a U.S. National Team. Los Angeles area soccer fans were named the third best in the nation, trailing only those in Chicago, Illinois and Washington, D.C. Additionally, the match between the USA and Canada on October 11 for third place at FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003, played at The Home Depot Center, won third prize in the category for Best Game Performance.
The finalists for each of the ten categories for the second annual year-end awards were introduced across the week of Nov. 3-7 after U.S. head coaches Bruce Arena and April Heinrichs helped pick the seven nominees for each of the unique honors. The voting was done entirely by fans, with more than 25,000 votes being registered from Nov. 10-Dec. 9, with each fan able to vote once a day for one or all of the 10 categories.
Winners were also named in the following other categories: Best Soccer Bar (Ginger's Ale House - Chicago, Ill.); Best Soccer Store (Gotshalk's Soccer - Boston, Mass.); Best Game Promotion (U.S. Men's National Team Retro Jerseys); Best U.S. Soccer Story (Tim Howard signs with Manchester United); Best U.S. Crowd (May 8 vs. Mexico at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas); Best U.S. Goal (Youth National Team - Freddy Adu - June 4); Best U.S. Goal (National Team - Kristine Lilly - September 21) and Best Game Performance (Player - Abby Wambach - Oct. 1).
Los Angeles Galaxy tickets are now on sale for the 2004 season at The Home Depot Center. For more information or to purchase your 2004 Los Angeles Galaxy season tickets, please call toll-free 1-877-3GALAXY or visit www.lagalaxy.com.
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER: The Home Depot Center, located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills is the home of the MLS' Los Angeles Galaxy and the best in amateur, professional and Olympic sports training and competition and outdoor concerts. The complex, developed by AEG at a cost of $150 million - the largest ever private investment in amateur athletics - has been designated an official U.S. Olympic Training Site by the United States Olympic Committee. The Home Depot Center includes a 27,000-seat stadium for soccer and concerts, a 13,000-seat tennis stadium, a 20,000-seat track & facility, The ADT Event Center (a 2,500-seat indoor velodrome currently under construction) and other facilities for softball, baseball and action sports among others. The U.S. Soccer Federation, USA Track & Field, USA Cycling, AVP and the USTA have all chosen to base national training programs at The Home Depot Center. Most notably, the facility hosted the finals of the 2003 Women's World Cup on October 12, 2003.
www.lagalaxy.com
"We set out to create the finest soccer venue in the country and clearly, the soccer world agrees that The Home Depot Center has delivered on everything we promised," said Timothy J. Leiweke, president and CEO of AEG, owner and operator of The Home Depot Center. "From the Galaxy's season to the Women's World Cup Final, and numerous international games and visits from the national and international soccer community, The Home Depot Center has already been a force for soccer in the United States. I congratulate the entire staff of The Home Depot Center, AEG and the LA Galaxy, whose hard work has earned this award."
Developed and operated by AEG, the first-year soccer stadium is the centerpiece of the $150 million Home Depot Center was recently designated an official U.S. Olympic Training Site. Beginning on June 6, 2003, The Los Angeles Galaxy and AEG have brought a host of marquee soccer matches to The Home Depot Center, enhancing the regional, national and international stature of the facility in its inaugural year. The Galaxy's MLS schedule, Guatemala vs. Honduras, Mexico vs. El Salvador, 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup 2003, FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 and other exhibitions introduced more than a half-million soccer fans to The Home Depot Center, exposing the sport and facility to demographics far beyond the already diverse Galaxy fan base.
"To be recognized by the fans as the Best Soccer Stadium in the United States is an honor for The Home Depot Center and the Galaxy. It was the tremendous support that Southern California has shown for our team and the facility that made this distinction possible," said Galaxy Vice-President and General Manager Doug Hamilton. "We will continue to bring compelling soccer programming to
this facility, further establishing it as a premier destination for the sport on all levels."
The L.A. Galaxy finished a historic inaugural season at The Home Depot Center averaging 21,983 fans over 15 regular season games (81.4% occupancy), including three sellout crowds of 27,000 fans (Opening Day, July 4th and Season Finale). In a watershed year for the sport in Southern California, the Galaxy welcomed nearly 350,000 fans through the turnstiles, including team exhibitions (China) and U.S. Open Cup (Fresno).
The stadium clearly outdistanced its competition in the online fan voting conducted over the past month at www.ussoccer.com, garnering nearly 50 percent of the vote, while Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio and RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., both fellow MLS venues, finished second and third, respectively. The Home Depot Center joins Crew Stadium, which won the inaugural award in 2002, as the first two winners in this exclusive category.
In addition, the seven-month old facility was also a factor in two other categories, Best Fans and Best Game Performance by a U.S. National Team. Los Angeles area soccer fans were named the third best in the nation, trailing only those in Chicago, Illinois and Washington, D.C. Additionally, the match between the USA and Canada on October 11 for third place at FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003, played at The Home Depot Center, won third prize in the category for Best Game Performance.
The finalists for each of the ten categories for the second annual year-end awards were introduced across the week of Nov. 3-7 after U.S. head coaches Bruce Arena and April Heinrichs helped pick the seven nominees for each of the unique honors. The voting was done entirely by fans, with more than 25,000 votes being registered from Nov. 10-Dec. 9, with each fan able to vote once a day for one or all of the 10 categories.
Winners were also named in the following other categories: Best Soccer Bar (Ginger's Ale House - Chicago, Ill.); Best Soccer Store (Gotshalk's Soccer - Boston, Mass.); Best Game Promotion (U.S. Men's National Team Retro Jerseys); Best U.S. Soccer Story (Tim Howard signs with Manchester United); Best U.S. Crowd (May 8 vs. Mexico at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas); Best U.S. Goal (Youth National Team - Freddy Adu - June 4); Best U.S. Goal (National Team - Kristine Lilly - September 21) and Best Game Performance (Player - Abby Wambach - Oct. 1).
Los Angeles Galaxy tickets are now on sale for the 2004 season at The Home Depot Center. For more information or to purchase your 2004 Los Angeles Galaxy season tickets, please call toll-free 1-877-3GALAXY or visit www.lagalaxy.com.
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER: The Home Depot Center, located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills is the home of the MLS' Los Angeles Galaxy and the best in amateur, professional and Olympic sports training and competition and outdoor concerts. The complex, developed by AEG at a cost of $150 million - the largest ever private investment in amateur athletics - has been designated an official U.S. Olympic Training Site by the United States Olympic Committee. The Home Depot Center includes a 27,000-seat stadium for soccer and concerts, a 13,000-seat tennis stadium, a 20,000-seat track & facility, The ADT Event Center (a 2,500-seat indoor velodrome currently under construction) and other facilities for softball, baseball and action sports among others. The U.S. Soccer Federation, USA Track & Field, USA Cycling, AVP and the USTA have all chosen to base national training programs at The Home Depot Center. Most notably, the facility hosted the finals of the 2003 Women's World Cup on October 12, 2003.
www.lagalaxy.com
