Sounders FC is back in league action this Saturday, June 29 as the team takes on Cascadia rival Vancouver at CenturyLink Field (7:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM), and the matchday features a variety of special activities of which fans and media should be aware.
Prior to kickoff, the Rave Green are honoring the career of defender Chad Marshall, who announced his retirement form professional soccer last month, with a special pre-match ceremony. Marshall hangs up his cleats as the only player in league history to be named MLS Defender of the Year three times. He ranks fourth overall and second among field players in league history with 409 appearances, 404 starts and 35,843 minutes played. He served an integral role in securing Sounders FC’s 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, 2014 Supporters’ Shield and 2016 MLS Cup titles. Fans should plan to be in their seats by 6:45 p.m. PT to secure their opportunity to celebrate Marshall’s contributions to Sounders FC and Major League Soccer.
To help send Marshall off, the first 10,000 guests will receive an exclusive Marshall face cutout giveaway, courtesy of Starbucks. The giveaway celebrates Marshall’s well-known and loved place as a lighthearted force in the locker room and is a must-have collectible for any Sounders fan as they wish Marshall the best.
Starting at 6:00 p.m. PT in the North Plaza, Seattle-based pop-punk band Tacocat is performing at theSummer Music Stage presented by Zulily. Tacocat played to a sold-out crowd at Showbox Market earlier this month and belongs to Seattle’s Sub Pop label.
While enjoying the free concert, fans over the age of 21 can also taste Dominance, the newly announced beer collaboration between Sounders FC and Elysian Brewing. The hoppy American Pale Ale is making its on-tap debut at CenturyLink Field and Elysian locations starting July 14, but Saturday marks an early chance for tasting and an opportunity to vote for one of four different label designs. The winning design will become the official design used for Dominance. Fans can also vote via SoundersFC.com/Elysian from June 29 through July 13.
Saturday’s match also marks Sounders FC’s fifth annual Pride Day match presented by Starbucks, which finds the club celebrating the LGBTQ community, equality and inclusiveness in a variety of ways.
Outside the main box office, the team’s SEATTLE letters are being dressed up for Pride and available for a unique photo opportunity.
Courtesy of Starbucks, fans can stop by one of four FanBrush stations to have rainbows painted on skin or clothing to show #SoundersPride. Stations are located in the North Plaza, The NINETY, the Forever Green Kids Club (northwest concourse) and Membership Central (southwest concourse). Following the game, Starbucks and Sounders FC are giving away 20,000 FanBrushes as guests exit, so fans can show even more colorful support at Sunday’s Seattle Pride Parade.
The match’s game presentation is set to feature Pride flags, team Pride logo banners and various other graphics and elements of on-field presentation.
On the pitch Saturday night, Sounders FC’s captain is set to wear a Pride armband, and the team’sjerseys will feature rainbow numbers, an element that debuted at last year’s Pride Day match. The teams will also wear specially designed Pride-themed training tops for the opening procession.
At the CenturyLink Field Sounders FC Pro Shop, fans will find a wide variety of Sounders Pride items, from blankets and mugs to the annual Pride-themed scarves. Fans can also get jerseys pressed with the aforementioned exclusive Pride-themed numbers or purchase a Pride training top to match their favorite team in showing support for equality and inclusiveness. The Pro Shop is also providing 200 free Pride patches for embellishing New Era brand hats. Fans wishing to add a Pride patch to their New Era hat can come to the Pro Shop on matchday and receive their patch while supplies last.
The club’s Dream Team for the evening is comprised of transgender and gender nonconforming youth and their siblings from local nonprofit Gender Diversity. These youth and their families are also attending a special Sounders FC soccer experience earlier in the week, including a visit to watch the team train, meeting Head Coach Brian Schmetzer and players, a kick-around on the pitch and a discussion about sport and gender identity.
Additionally, Sounders FC’s 2019 GSBA Scholar, Elmer Coria-Islas, is to be recognized at halftime with a GSBA Scholarship check presentation. Last year, Sounders FC committed to providing $10,000 per year from 2018 to 2020 to a selected GSBA Scholar as part of the club’s strong, continuing commitment to supporting the LGBTQ and allied community in the Puget Sound region. Coria-Islas is the second recipient of the Sounders FC GSBA Scholarship, with the inaugural award presented to Fredrick Anex-Schnauss in 2018.
New for Saturday’s match and continuing through summer matches, Sounders FC is offering a Bike Share valet in addition to its usual bike valet program, allowing fans to travel to the game via Lime or JUMP Bike. The bike share docking station will be located off the northwest corner of CenturyLink Field, adjacent to the normal bike valet. Bike share riders can drop off their ride and pick up another at this location before and after the game.
Traffic flow to the west of CenturyLink Field on Dearborn Street – between Alaskan Way and First Avenue – is being impacted due to Viaduct demolition. Fans are encouraged to consider alternate routes as they attend the match.
