SEATTLE, WASH. - Seattle Sounders FC is encouraging fans to arrive early for today's match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field (7:00 p.m. PT / Q13 FOX, Univision-Seattle, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM). In addition to the increased seating capacity due to the club opening up the full stadium for the first time this season, Sounders FC is inviting fans to take part in a number of special pre-match activities ahead of Saturday's Cascadia clash.
Prior to the match, fans can join the "Water, Wealth and Health" partners in a Water Carry initiative to raise awareness for the difficulties of acquiring clean water for families in Tanzania. In partnership with the Washington Global Health Alliance, PATH, the University of Washington, Washington State University Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health and World Vision, fans can take part in an event to carry bottles of water on their head along the March to the Match route. Purchasing tickets for today's match using the code "WGHA2015" will result in Sounders FC donating a portion of proceeds to support the "Water, Wealth and Health" partnership, and can be done here.
Coca-Cola is donating 42 cases of Dasani water to be distributed to fans for the Water Carry. Complete information on the event can be found here.
Presenting matchday partner HomeStreet Bank is giving away Sounders FC sunglasses to the first 25,000 fans upon arrival. They will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis after the gates open at 5:30 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field.
Saturday's March to the Match festivities include a performance by Seattle-based indie rock band Deep Sea Diver at 5:15 p.m. PT in Occidental Park. Jessica Dobson, the band's frontwoman, has toured as a guitarist for Beck and The Shins in addition to stints with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Spoon and Divine Fits.
Following Saturday's match, Sounders FC is celebrating Seafair Weekend on Sunday, August 2 at Genesee Park. The theme of the day's festivities is "Seattle Sports," so fans are encouraged to wear their Rave Green and stop by with a chance to win a signed Sounders FC jersey. As a reminder to fans traveling across Lake Washington, the mainline and express lanes of I-90 will be closed between I-5 and the Island Crest Way exit from 11:50 a.m. PT and 2:40 p.m. PT on Saturday and Sunday.
The Rave Green have the chance to capture its first piece of hardware of the 2015 campaign on Saturday, as a win over Vancouver would bring the Cascadia Cup back to Seattle for the first time since 2011. Kickoff against second-place Whitecaps FC is set for 7:00 p.m. PT and is being broadcast on Q13 FOX and Univision-Seattle. For complete information on Saturday's match and the surrounding activities, please click here.
