Cup Returns to Southern California for Third Time; Galaxy's State-of-the-Art Home to Host League's Ninth Championship on Nov. 14, 2004

NEW YORK (Thursday, June 24, 2004) - Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced today that the 2004 edition of the League's premier event, MLS Cup, returns to The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., for the second consecutive season.  Home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, The Home Depot Center will host the League's ninth championship game, MLS Cup 2004, on Sunday, November 14, 2004 at 3:30 p.m. ET.  The championship match will be broadcast live on ABC Sports.

MLS Cup 2004 tickets are included in the Galaxy's Full Season plan; the exclusive opportunity for additional purchase will be made available to Los Angeles Galaxy season-ticket holders beginning today and continuing through Friday, July 9 - prior to going on sale to the general public on Saturday, July 10. Owners of season-ticket plans for the League's other nine teams will also have the opportunity to purchase advance-sale MLS Cup 2004 tickets from Monday, June 28 through Friday, July 9, prior to the public sale date.

Single-game prices for the Cup range from $23 to $55, across five pricing levels. Groups of 20 or more in each seating level range from $20 to $40. Tickets go on sale at The Home Depot Center, STAPLES Center and all TicketMaster outlets Saturday morning, July 10, at 10:00 a.m. For more information, call the Galaxy toll-free at 1-877-3GALAXY.

MLS Cup 2004 marks the third time that Major League Soccer's champion will be crowned in Southern California, as the Chicago Fire captured the Cup at the conclusion of their inaugural 1998 season and the San Jose Earthquakes captured their second Cup in three seasons with a thrilling 4-2 victory over the Fire at The Home Depot Center last year.

A true \"cathedral\" for American soccer, The Home Depot Center opened on June 7, 2003, as the home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, who defeated the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, before a capacity crowd of 27,000 fans, the first of three regular-season sellouts for the MLS Cup 2002 champions in their new home. Los Angeles led MLS in average attendance in 2003, with crowds of 20,000+ for 11 of 15 home games. The Home Depot Center was again sold out on August 3 for the 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game, which saw a team of MLS All-Stars defeat fabled Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara, 3-1. The Home Depot Center also hosted six contests during the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup USA, including the Third Place and Championship Games, and served as the cornerstone venue of Soccer United Marketing's eight-team, five-city Mexican club tournament, InterLiga, in January 2004.

The Home Depot Center is a 125-acre development in Carson, California, featuring state-of-the-art stadiums and facilities for soccer, tennis, track & field, cycling, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball and other sports.  Designated as an \"Official U.S. Olympic Training Site,\" The Home Depot Center is the nation's most complete training facility for Olympic, amateur and professional athletes, including various U.S. Men's and Women's National Soccer Teams.

Created around a 27,000-seat soccer stadium, 13,000-seat tennis stadium, 20,000-seat track & field facility and a 3,500-seat indoor velodrome -The ADT Event Center, the complex is located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills.  The development, which is also the home of the nationally recognized Athletes Performance training center for elite and professional athletes, has additionally been designated \"official\" training sites for USA Cycling, United States Track & Field, the AVP, the USTA, as home of the USA Tennis High Performance National Training Center and is the summer training camp site for the San Diego Chargers (NFL).

Developed and operated by AEG, the $150 million Home Depot Center represents the largest investment in amateur athletics ever made.  Whether competing or training, athletes will have the use of world-class amenities including a 3,000 square foot weight room, complete training and locker room facilities as well as dining, housing and other hospitality services. 

The Home Depot Center's commitment to athletics and training also extends to the surrounding communities.  Tennis courts, soccer training fields and a three-mile jogging trail with twelve fitness stations around the perimeter of the development is available to local residents as well as other facilities and amenities.  Through foundations established by AEG operated entities such as the Galaxy, the Los Angeles Kings and STAPLES Center, more that $5 million has been pledged to community organizations in the last six years with new donations targeting this local community already being established.  The Home Depot Center is southern California's legacy to sports, 'building character through competition.'

MLS Cup 2004 will feature two MLS teams vying for the league's ninth championship and possession of the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy.  Each of the two regular-season MLS Conference Champions will advance to the MLS Cup Playoffs and will earn the top seed, with the remaining six MLS Cup Playoff teams seeded 2-4 in each Conference. The Conference Semifinal series feature a home-and-home, aggregate goal format, with the Conference Championships a one-game, winner-take-all contest for the right to compete in MLS Cup 2004.

All-Time MLS Cup History follows:

MLS CUP HISTORY - 1996-2003

MLS Cup 2003    The Home Depot Center, Carson, CA       Attendance: 27,000
November 23     Chicago Fire    2
        San Jose Earthquakes    4
MVP: Landon Donovan, Earthquakes

MLS Cup 2002    Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA        Attendance: 61,316
October 20      Los Angeles Galaxy      1
        New England Revolution  0 (OT)
MVP: Carlos Ruiz, Galaxy

MLS Cup 2001    Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, OH     Attendance: 21,626
October 21      San Jose Earthquakes    2
        Los Angeles Galaxy      1 (OT)
MVP: Dwayne DeRosario, Earthquakes

MLS Cup 2000    RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.   Attendance: 39,159
October 15      Chicago Fire    0
        Kansas City Wizards     1
MVP: Tony Meola, Wizards

MLS Cup '99     Foxboro Stadium, Foxboro, MA    Attendance: 44,910
November 21     Los Angeles Galaxy      0
        D.C. United     2
MVP: Ben Olsen, United

MLS Cup '98     Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA         Attendance: 51,530
October 25      D.C. United     0
        Chicago Fire    2
MVP: Peter Nowak, Fire

MLS Cup '97     RFK Stadium, Washington D.C.    Attendance: 57,431
October 26      Colorado Rapids 1
        D.C. United     2
MVP: Jaime Moreno, United

MLS Cup '96     Foxboro Stadium, Foxboro, MA    Attendance: 34,643
October 23      D.C. United     3
        Los Angeles Galaxy      2
MVP: Marco Etcheverry, United

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Trey Fitz-Gerald
Senior Director, Communications
Major League Soccer / Soccer United Marketing
(212) 450-1225
(646) 831-8813 (cell)
tfitz-gerald@mlsnet.com