CARSON, Calif. (Thursday, June 7, 2012) – Major League Soccer announced today that fan voting for the 2012 AT&T All-Star Game will open on Friday, June 8 at 9 a.m. PT. A panel of media members nominated a total of 114 players – the top six per team – to the fan ballot, which can be found online at www.mlssoccer.com. Votes can also be cast by sending a player’s first and last name via text message to 22442. Twitter voting will occur June 21-22.
The players with the highest combined votes from these three voting methods will become the first 11 All-Stars – known as the All-Star First XI. The player who receives the most text votes by 2 p.m. PT on Monday, July 2 will automatically earn a spot among the All-Star First XI.
The six Galaxy players represented on the All-Star ballot are…
Goalkeeper – Josh Saunders
Defender – Todd Dunivant
Midfielders – David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Juninho
Forward – Robbie Keane
All-Star Head Coach Peter Nowak of the Philadelphia Union will choose the gameday roster and the starting lineup against Chelsea FC on July 25. The first marquee MLS event ever to be held at PPL Park in Chester, Pa., will be broadcast live on ESPN2, TeleFutura, and in Canada on TSN and RDS starting at 5:30 p.m. PT.
A total of 32 All-Stars are named each year, per the collective bargaining agreement. Media, fans, players, the All-Star coach and MLS Commissioner Don Garber all contribute in the All-Star selection process.
The 32 players named 2012 AT&T MLS All-Stars will be selected in four phases:
- Ballot creation: A select media panel determined the field of players – six players per team – who are most deserving of consideration for this year’s All-Star Game. Those 114 players are eligible for fan voting.
- Fan voting: From June 8 at 9 a.m. PT through July 2 at 2 p.m. PT, fans will select the “First XI” All-Stars. Fans can vote via any of three digital platforms:
- At MLSsoccer.com: Vote for your starting lineup of 11 players, beginning June 8. VOTE NOW
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Via text message (SMS): Text an MLS player’s first and last name to 22442.
- Each vote will count equally with those submitted online in determining the First XI.
- The player who receives the most text votes will automatically earn a spot among the First XI.
- Message and data rates may apply.
- Twitter: From June 21-22; full details of Twitter voting will be released on MLSsoccer.com in the near future.
The First XI will be announced on Sunday, July 8, on ESPN during halftime of the Chicago Fire-LA Galaxy game that begins at 12 p.m. PT.
- Team selection: The MLS All-Star head coach will select the gameday roster from the pool of eligible players, consisting of the First XI as determined by the fans, MLS Commissioner Don Garber’s two selections and players who received votes from at least two players.
The Commissioner selections and gameday roster will be announced on Sunday, July 15 on ESPN during halftime of the New York Red Bulls vs. Seattle Sounders FC game that begins at 1 p.m. PT.
- Player selections: MLS players will determine the remainder of the 32 All-Stars named annually per the CBA (known as the “inactive roster”).
The final list of 32 All-Stars (4 goalkeepers, 8 defenders, 13 midfielders and 7 forwards) will be announced on MLSsoccer.com on July 25.
The Galaxy are back in action at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 17 when they host the Portland Timbers at The Home Depot Center in a game that is presented by adidas. Tickets for this game are on sale now through a special Father’s Day Pack which includes two tickets, two tickets to the San Diego Zoo and passes for a postgame autograph session with a Galaxy player, all for just $50. For more information about this offer or to purchase tickets for any Galaxy home game, please visit lagalaxy.com/tickets or call 877-342-5299.
