SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC today announced that its 2016 regular season finale against Real Salt Lake on Sunday, October 23 is incorporating a celebration surrounding the career of veteran defender and longtime Sounder Zach Scott, while also showcasing the team’s Gears of War 4 kits, which were first unveiled last month for Seattle’s road victory over the LA Galaxy. Now on-sale exclusively for Xbox One and Windows 10 PC, Gears of War 4 is the beginning of an epic new saga for one of the most celebrated video game franchises that helped redefine its genre.
Scott first announced his intention to retire at the conclusion of the 2016 MLS season in mid-September. A stalwart presence in Rave Green, Scott has played in 349 games for the Sounders across all competitions in USL and MLS since 2002. To honor his service, the organization is encouraging fans to arrive early on matchday for a special pre-match tribute ceremony.
Additionally, the first 20,000 fans to arrive at CenturyLink Field are set to receive Zach Scott bobbleheads – courtesy of Xbox – and all are encouraged to use the hashtag #XboxPhotoContest to spread the excitement surrounding the jersey and giveaway.
MEDIA RESOURCES
PHOTOS AND VIDEO – SOUNDERS PLAYERS IN GEARS OF WAR 4-THEMED JERSEYS: http://sndrs.com/Gears4
PHOTOS – ZACH SCOTT BOBBLEHEAD: http://sndrs.com/u95l
ZACH SCOTT BIO:http://sndrs.com/vf94
PHOTOS FOR EDITORIAL USE – SCOTT ISO SHOTS:http://sndrs.com/9tal
DOWNLOADABLE VIDEO – SCOTT ON HIS RETIREMENT:http://sndrs.com/cmmr
PHOTOS – SCOTT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS:http://sndrs.com/chqs
"We’re thrilled to celebrate what will be a particularly special day for Zach with various distinctive elements,” said Sounders FC Owner Adrian Hanauer. “Along with honoring his 15 dedicated years with the Sounders before the match, we know fans will love the one-of-a-kind bobbleheads that Xbox is providing.”
Hanauer continues, “Continuing our collaboration with Xbox to close the regular season wearing Gears-themed jerseys adds a special flair to the game. We certainly hope for a similar result as what came from the premier of the jerseys against the LA Galaxy a few weeks ago.”
Xbox and Gears of War 4 are helping Sounders FC to #NeverFightAlone as the club continues its late-season positioning for the 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. With Decision Day looming, Seattle sits in fifth place in the Western Conference and plays fourth-place Real Salt Lake with postseason qualification and home-field opportunities on the line. The jersey initiative marks the second-consecutive season that Sounders FC has altered its shirt mid-season after it became the first club in league history to do so last year with its Halo 5: Guardians-themed jerseys. The new Gears of War 4 jerseys utilize Sounders FC’s Pacific Blue third kits that were unveiled at the beginning of the 2016 season. In the unveiling of the Gears jerseys against the LA Galaxy, Sounders FC came away with a 4-2 victory that catapulted the squad back into playoff contention.
Those looking to sport the new look can enter a special sweepstakes at Soundersfc.com/Gears4 while also viewing special behind-the-scenes team photos. Fans can also bring in their Pacific Blue jerseys to The Pro Shop at CenturyLink Field on Sunday to have it embellished with the Gears 4 mark. This special service is only available on October 23 and takes place while supplies last. The cost is $30 for adults and $24 for youth. There are also a limited number of authentic Pacific Blue Gears 4-themed jerseys available for purchase on-site.
In addition to securing a Scott bobblehead and updating their jerseys, fans in attendance at the regular-season finale can look forward to several other unique elements on the day, such as the chance to partake in on-site gaming, with six Gears of War 4 kiosks available for play at CenturyLink Field and extended photo opportunities with Gears 4 characters. Sharing photos on Twitter and Instagram using the tag #XboxPhotoContest also automatically enters fans into a drawing to win an Xbox One S Gears of War 4 bundle and a limited-edition Gears 4-themed Sounders FC jersey.
Following a 2-1 loss at FC Dallas on Sunday, Sounders FC (13-14-6, 45 points) takes on Real Salt Lake (12-11-10, 46 points) in a nationally-televised full-stadium matchup on Sunday, October 23 at CenturyLink Field (1:00 p.m. PT / ESPN, ESPN Deportes, 107.7 The End, El Rey 1360 AM). The regular-season finale is part of Decision Day, with all clubs in the league playing matches simultaneously and jockeying for final playoff positioning.
Currently Sounders FC sits in fifth place in the Western Conference ahead of next Sunday's pivotal Decision Day clash, where the Rave Green need a win in their season finale to control their own destiny for a berth in the 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Seattle can also clinch a spot in the postseason if the Portland Timbers or Sporting Kansas City lose or draw to Vancouver and San Jose, respectively, on Decision Day, as the Rave Green would hold the total-wins tiebreaker over both sides.
ABOUT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
Winner of the 2014 MLS Supporters' Shield and four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championships (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014), Sounders FC is Seattle's Major League Soccer franchise. With an ownership group led by Seattle-based entrepreneur Adrian Hanauer, Hollywood executive Joe Roth, Seattle Seahawks Chairman Paul G. Allen and entertainer Drew Carey, the club received an MLS charter on November 13, 2007 and has reached the MLS Cup Playoffs in every year of its existence. Since the club's debut MLS season in 2009, Sounders FC has set the standard for soccer support in North America by leading the league in attendance each year, culminating in the top six single-season attendance totals in league history and an active streak of 142 consecutive MLS sellouts. Prior to joining MLS, the Seattle Sounders organization has been a part of the greater Seattle community and U.S. Soccer professional scene since 1974.
ABOUT GEARS OF WAR 4
Launched exclusively on Xbox and Windows 10 on Oct. 11, Gears of War 4 returns the franchise to the essence of the original classic with brutal, intense action, a heart-pounding campaign, genre-defining multiplayer, innovative co-op gameplay, and stunning visuals powered by Unreal Engine 4. With cross-play coop on Xbox One and Windows 10 enabled across all modes (campaign, Horde and Co-op Versus), 60 FPS versus multiplayer powered by dedicated servers, and split-screen co-op on Xbox One, Gears of War 4 is the ultimate game to play with your friends.
ABOUT XBOX
Xbox is Microsoft's premier gaming and entertainment brand. In living rooms or on the go, Xbox is home to the best and broadest games, as well as one of the world's largest libraries of movies, TV, music and sports. Your favorite games, TV and entertainment come to life in new ways through the power of Kinect, Xbox SmartGlass and Xbox Live, the world's premier social entertainment network. More information about Xbox can be found online at http://www.xbox.com.
