Philadelphia Independence Announces Packed Preseason Schedule

WPS Team to Host Two Preseason Exhibition Games and Player Autograph Sessions at Its United Sports Training Home Starting in March

PHILADELPHIA, PA (February 25, 2010) – The Philadelphia Independence is gearing up for its first season of play in the WPS, and the team’s preseason schedule of events leading up to opening day is packed with exciting opportunities for fans to watch team practices and interact with players. The preseason pool of 28 players begins arriving in market on March 1, excluding the handful of National team players that are competing with their respective countries at the Algarve Cup International Tournament. These players arrive in camp a week later. To officially welcome the team to the area, the Independence has scheduled a media day and autograph session at United Sports in Downingtown on March 11th for Club Affiliate members, business partners, and fans.

For those who can’t make the 11th, there are a few other opportunities scheduled during preseason for fans to interact with the players. Additional Meet-and-Greet fan and media sessions are scheduled from 3:30-5:00pm on March 18th and 25th and April 8th. Each of these Thursday afternoon dates corresponds with important milestones in the Independence preseason; the 18th is shortly after the first preseason cuts are made, reducing the roster to 24 players, March 25th follows the first preseason match, and April 8th is just three days prior to the Home Opener against Atlanta. All the fan sessions will be held after team practices at United Sports in Downingtown, and will give Independence supporters a chance to get to know their team off the field.

“One of the major things that sets this league apart from other professional sports organizations is how accessible these athletes are to the fans and how connected the whole organization is to the city” says Owner David Halstead. “These players are not only superior athletes, but are role models that kids can relate to, and they want to be involved with the youth that look up to them. Over the course of the preseason and season, we want to continue to connect with the area’s soccer club affiliates and other supporters in the community, which is why we’ve opened up our United Sports home to the fans.”

More good news for soccer fanatics is the announcement of two home preseason exhibition matches in addition to the 24 regular season games. The Independence will host two exhibition games at United Sports against top college programs to help prepare for the season and will also travel to play a friendly match with fellow WPS team, Washington Freedom. The Independence will first take the field together on Saturday March 20th at 3pm against women’s college soccer powerhouse University of North Carolina. A week later the Independence will travel to Washington to compete against the Freedom, who were strong contenders in last year’s WPS playoff race. The final preseason game will be played at United Sports on Thursday April 1st at 7:30pm against the Penn State Nittany Lions and will be the last opportunity for the Independence to compete together before the season kickoff.

Preseason game tickets are just $10 and available on the Independence ticketing website, but the presale will be limited to 1000 fans. Additionally, all fans who have purchased season tickets prior to March 20th are rewarded with two bonus matches, as season ticket holders will be admitted free of charge to both preseason games. Season ticket holders must present valid ID at gate for admission.

Independence Preseason Schedule Highlights

During the six week preseason, the Independence will be training long hours nearly every day, but will also have some fun in the process! On March 22nd the Independence players will get a real taste of Philadelphia in a team bus tour around the city, stopping at all the hotspots to experience everything the city has to offer. The rigors of training camp will also be broken up with team and media orientations, team and sponsor receptions, photos and publicity sessions, and even a spa visit for the players.

Independence preseason is an important time for the team to prepare for the rapidly approaching season, get acclimated to the area, and begin forming connections in the community. There will be several great opportunities for fans to get involved with the Independence, meet the players, and begin supporting the Independence as the team gears up for its inaugural season!

Visit www.independencetix.com to capitalize on a great opportunity to see the team compete before the season begins! Stay connected for more information on upcoming Independence events, player signings during preseason, and a full season game schedule at www.wpsphillyindependence.com.

About Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)
Headquartered in San Francisco, Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is the world’s premier soccer league for women with eight teams across the United States featuring the best players from around the world. WPS completed its inaugural season in August 2009 as Sky Blue FC of New Jersey became the first-ever WPS Champions. In 2010, eight teams will each play 24-game schedules from April 10-September 12 including six original WPS teams – Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride (Bay Area), Saint Louis Athletica, Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY) and Washington Freedom – and two expansion teams Atlanta Beat and Philadelphia Independence. For more information visit the WPS official website at www.womensprosoccer.com.

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