PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers U-23s announced today additional details for the 2010 USL Premier Development League Championship, starting Friday at PGE Park, including ticket information as well as kickoff times for the semifinal matches on Friday.
Tickets for the two-day tournament are $10 per day and will allow entry into both scheduled matches on Friday or Saturday. Fans can purchase a two-day package, which will allow entry to all four games, for $15. Tickets go on sale to the public Wednesday at 10 a.m. through the PGE Park box office, area Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Timbers U-23s 2010 season passes will not grant entry into playoff contests.
Season-ticket holders for the Timbers’ inaugural Major League Soccer season in 2011 will receive four complimentary tickets per day for the championship tournament; details regarding tickets will be sent via email from the Timbers ticket department. Timbers MLS season tickets are available for purchase through the Timbers ticket office at (503) 553-5555. For additional details or to view the new-look PGE Park, visit www.PortlandMLS2011.com.
The PDL Championship kicks off Friday at 5 p.m. with the first of two semifinal matchups. The Baton Rouge Capitals will take on the Thunder Bay Chill in the opening game of the doubleheader at PGE Park and will be followed by the top-seeded Timbers U-23s against Reading United AC at 7:30 p.m.; gates will open at 4:30 p.m.
The semifinal winners will square off for the 2010 PDL title at PGE Park on Saturday at 4 p.m. live on Fox Soccer Channel. The third-place game will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday; gates open at 12:30 p.m.
The Timbers U-23s claimed the PDL Western Conference championship with a 2-1 win over the Kitsap Pumas on Sunday. The Timbers U-23s posted a perfect 16-0-0 record during the regular season, becoming the first team in the PDL to achieve the feat since 1998. Portland heads into the championship weekend trying to become the first team in the PDL’s 15-year history to finish as undefeated champions.
2010 USL PDL Championship Schedule:
Friday, Aug. 6 - Semifinals at PGE Park
No. 3 Baton Rouge vs. No. 2 Thunder Bay - 5 p.m.
No. 1 Timbers U-23s vs. No. 4 Reading United - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 7 - Finals at PGE Park
Third-place game - 1 p.m.
Championship match - 4 p.m on Fox Soccer Channel
About USL Premier Development League
The top U-23 men’s league in North America, the USL Premier Development League (PDL) features 67 teams within four conferences across the United States and Canada. The PDL season consists of 16 regular-season matches for each team, eight home and eight away, and provides elite collegiate players the opportunity to experience a higher level of competition while maintaining their eligibility. In addition to league play, PDL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various exhibitions. The USL Premier Development League has proved to be an important stepping stone for top professionals now playing throughout the world.
