Rapids to compete against teams from Japan , Korea , and Australia in preseason tournamentCOMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Wednesday, July 6, 2011) – The Colorado Rapids announced today that the team will participate in the first annual Hawaiian Islands Invitational (HII), a four-team international tournament taking place in February. The competition will be presented by ESPN Regional Television , an ESPN subsidiary, in cooperation with the Hawai’i Tourism Authority and Major League Soccer, and is scheduled for Thursday and Saturday, February 23 and 25, 2012, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
Yokohama FC ( Japan ), Incheon United FC ( Korea ), and Melbourne Heart FC ( Australia ) will join the 2010 MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids at the event.
“We are pleased to announce the four teams participating on the Hawaiian Islands Invitational,” Clint Overby, ESPN Senior Director of Events. “The event will be carried on ESPN3.com and a number of ESPN International networks. This is a great beginning to help get this event off the ground, and our efforts to cultivate it into an annual soccer tournament where people from around the world can share and enjoy.”
The invitational will be carried on ESPN3.com and on a number of ESPN International networks, and will take place at Aloha Stadium, the largest outdoor arena in the state of Hawai’i . The stadium will feature a new synthetic playing surface and is home to the University of Hawaii 's Warrior football team and hosts a multitude of other events, including the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl and the NFL Pro Bowl.
The family-friendly tournament and year-round great weather resort destination of Honolulu , Hawai’i , will host the teams for a week of training camps, local soccer clinics and other cultural events surrounding the Invitational. Additional information can be found on the Hawaiian Islands Invitational Web site at www.hawaiianislandsinvitational.com or at www.espnplus.com.
Fans can purchase individual game tickets online beginning August 1, 2011, at www.eTicketHawaii.com and print them on their home computer. They can also visit the Stan Sheriff Center Box Office (Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. PT) or call 944-2697 during the same hours.
