Sounders FC Announces Match to Benefit Local Charities

Open Cup Champion Seattle to Meet MLS Cup Champion Colorado on March 9.

RENTON, Wash. - The Seattle Sounders FC announced plans for the club's second annual "Community Shield" match which will take place on Wednesday, March 9 at 7 p.m. on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. The reigning U.S. Open Cup champion Sounders FC will face the MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids for the pre-season match.

General Admission tickets for the event will go on sale Monday, February 14. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (6-17). Children under the age of six are free. Tickets will be available on the tickets page, by calling 877-MLS-GOAL, all Ticketmaster outlets and the Qwest Field Box office.

Proceeds from the match will benefit the team's five community partners: America SCORES Seattle, Boys & Girls Clubs (King Co. & Bellevue), Special Olympics Washington, Washington Global Health and Washington Youth Soccer. Sounders FC fans helped raise over $80,000 from the 2010 Community Shield match which was allocated to the team's charity partners.

"The success of last year's Community Shield exceeded our expectations," said Sounders FC owner Joe Roth. "The match provides our fans an opportunity to see the team in action prior to MLS First Kick and make a substantial contribution to our community partners."

The model for the event is based upon the "Charity or Community Shield" matches in England, where they are a long standing tradition featuring the champions of the FA Premier League against the winners of the FA Cup with all proceeds going to charity.

The regular season opens on March 15 with MLS First Kick 2011. Sounders FC hosts the L.A. Galaxy, holders of the Supporters' Shield, on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field in a match televised nationally by ESPN. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. PT. MLS First Kick 2011 is presented by Dick's Sporting Goods.