Iconic trophy arrives in Southern California hoisted by former MLS Cup champions and Los Angeles soccer legends Alexi Lalas and Mauricio Cienfuegos via police-escorted convertibles
LOS ANGELES(Monday, Nov. 7, 2011) – MLS Cup 2011 activities kick-off in Southern California this Wednesday, November 9, at 11 a.m. PT when the Philip F. Anschutz championship trophy, which will be presented to the winner of MLS Cup 2011, makes its official arrival into the greater Los Angeles area.
The trophy will arrive with a police escort at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier accompanied by former MLS Cup winners and Los Angeles soccer legends Alexi Lalas and Mauricio Cienfuegos, riding in style atop a 2012 Volkswagen Eos convertible with Continental Tires.
Created by Tiffany & Co, the sterling-silver trophy and its entourage will be joined upon arrival by local soccer fans who will welcome the famed hardware to Southern California. Fans are invited to be part of the celebration at Pacific Park and take photos with the trophy and players.
The Trophy Arrival Celebration kicks off ten days of public activities and special events leading up to MLS Cup 2011, which will be played on Sunday, November 20 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA at 6 p.m. PT. The final, featuring the LA Galaxy vs. the Houston Dynamo, will be televised live on ESPN and Galavision in the United States, TSN2 in Canada, and more than 150 other countries around the world.
This year marks the fifth time MLS Cup will be played in Southern California (The Home Depot Center 2003, 2004, 2008 & 2011; Rose Bowl 1998).
WHAT:
Official arrival of Major League Soccer’s Philip F. Anschutz Trophy to greater Los Angeles to kick-off MLS Cup 2011 festivities
WHO:
Alexi Lalas –MLS Legend and former MLS Cup winner
Mauricio Cienfuegos – MLS Legend and former MLS Cup winner
WHEN:
Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. PT
11 a.m. – MLS Cup trophy arrives to Santa Monica Pier via police escort
11:10 a.m. – Remarks by participants
WHERE:
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier (behind the Ferris wheel)
380 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401
About the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy:
The MLS Cup trophy is named for soccer visionary Philip F. Anschutz. The trophy reflects the traditions of the game, while providing a dynamic and forward-looking design. Since 1996, the MLS Cup championship trophy has been presented as a symbol of the highest achievement in North America’s top-flight professional soccer league.
The sterling silver trophy, created by Tiffany & Co., is 24” tall with an additional seamless base of 4 5/8”. The trophy features fluid and dynamic handles that include 11 facets on the front and back, symbolizing the 22 players that participate in a soccer match. The gold star represents the championship club, which often incorporates a star into its team crest for each MLS Cup title it wins.
First introduced in 2008, the trophy inherits select design elements from the previous two trophies, thereby honoring the League’s history while moving forward.
