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Soccer Fever Taking Hold in Jacksonville

January 24, 2013
Florida attendance record for a stand-alone U.S. WNT friendly match is 12,031

With two major soccer events taking place during two weeks in February, Jacksonville has become a hot bed for the sport.

The first U.S. Women’s National Team (WNT) match of the year, to be held on Feb. 9 against Scotland at EverBank Field, has surpassed 10,000 tickets sold.  Following the women’s match, Major League Soccer will make its debut at EverBank Field on Feb. 15, when the Philadelphia Union take on the Montreal Impact. Tickets for that event are also selling quickly. 
 
The projected attendance on Feb. 9 is approaching a U.S. WNT record for a stand-alone friendly match in Florida, which was set on Feb. 6, 2000 when the USA played Norway in front of 12,031 fans at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.  Last year, Jacksonville set a new attendance record in the Southeast for a U.S. Men’s National Team game in the Southeast, with more than 45,000 in attendance at EverBank Field for the match against Scotland.
 
The ticket sales have already surpassed the attendance record for a U.S. WNT crowd in Jacksonville, which was set during the team’s only previous visit on Feb. 4, 1996, when 8,975 people turned out at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (now EverBank Field). The USA’s 2013 opener will take place almost 17 years to the day of the 1996 match.
 
“More than sales figures, these numbers gauge the excitement and support of our community,” said Mayor Alvin Brown. “It’s an honor to serve as host and have the opportunity to create a fan experience that will help thousands of people connect with the sport. I encourage anyone who hasn’t already bought tickets to make the investment and plan to spend the evening with friends and family enjoying these two great matchups.”
 
The USA-Scotland contest, which will be the first under new head coach Tom Sermanni, will kick off at 5 p.m. ET. The match will be streamed live on ussoccer.com.
 
Tickets start at $22 and are on sale through ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout the Jacksonville area (including many Walmart stores). Groups of 20 or more can obtain an order form at ussoccer.com or call 312-528-1290. Ultimate Fan Tickets – special VIP packages that include a premium ticket, a custom-made, official U.S. national team jersey, VIP access to the field before and after the game, and other unique benefits – are also available exclusively through ussoccer.com.
 
Tickets for the MLS match start at $15 and are available through Ticketmaster.com and the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena box office.  Groups of 10 or more can get special group pricing by calling 904-630-3600 and asking for group sales.  There are a limited number of field seats on sale for $150 each.