Weekly notes: Arlo White new Voice of Sounders FC

After weeks of speculation Seattle Sounders FC will bring new voice Arlo White to George and the Dragon Pub in Fremont on Wednesday at 11:30 AM to introduce the English announcer to fans. See and hear Arlo in action in a 2009 Sounders FC match against Houston.

It is a good move for the club, and one which I completely support. While Kevin Calabro was a nice first-year touch as a way to reach out to casual soccer or general sports fans, the Sounders have discovered their core audience is much more soccer-sophisticated and hungry for insight and as-it-happens analysis from someone who has grown up with the sport. Word is that White will fly solo on match broadcasts doing both radio and tv in simulcast without any color commentator at his side. Jose Romero has more on White here.

White told Jose Romero of the Seattle Times: "When I came to Seattle for the first time for opening night, it blew me away. Absolutely blew me away, and that was only reinforced by the second trip in July."

Kevin Calabro told Don Ruiz: “I did not give them the quality of the work that this project and the fans deserve. I’ve never heard Arlo, but I know that he has an extensive soccer background. So, without having heard him ever before, I would have to say they probably have made the right hire.”

Welcome to Seattle, Arlo White!

Weekly Notes from Sounders FC Media Department:

Pace Picks Up as Sounders FC Begins Preseason Play
The pace of training has accelerated in Arizona this week as the Seattle Sounders FC approaches its first competition of the preseason. The Sounders FC will wrap-up its nine-day camp at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz., by facing the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at 10:30 a.m. PT on Thursday.
 
Seattle players and staff will return home later that day and be off until departing for La Manga, Spain on Monday, February 15.
 
From February 16 through February 26, Seattle will train and compete in La Manga, Spain. Sounders FC will face Norwegian champion Rosenborg BK in the opening Group A match at the La Manga Cup on February 18. Sounders FC will face either Denmark’s FC Norsjalland or Norway’s Stabak on February 21. The tournament concludes with crossover matches to determine final placement on February 25 and 26.
The MLS regular season begins March 25 with Sounders FC hosting Philadelphia Union in the MLS First Kick 2010. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
 
Upcoming Training Schedule, February 10-15 (subject to change):
Wednesday, February 10 – Training at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, 10 a.m.Friday, February 12 – No Training
Saturday, February 13 – No Training
Sunday, February 14 – No Training
Monday, February 15 – Travel to La Manga, Spain
 
Upcoming Competition Schedule (All times Pacific)

Thursday, February 11, 10:30 a.m. — Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Grande Sports World, Casa Grande, Ariz.
Thursday, February 18, 7:30 a.m. — Rosenborg BK, La Manga, Spain (La Manga Cup II)
Sunday, February 21, TBD — FC Norsjalland/Stabak, La Manga, Spain (La Manga Cup II)
Thursday/Friday, February 25/26, TBD — Opponent TBD, La Manga, Spain (La Manga Cup II)
Thursday, March 11, 6 p.m. — Portland Timbers, Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field, Seattle
Friday, March 19, 6 p.m. — at Colorado Rapids, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colo.
 
Sounders FC Schedule Unveiled
Major League Soccer announced the complete 30-game schedule for Seattle Sounders FC last week, with 10 matches selected to be televised nationally.
 
Sounders FC will play three of its first four games on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field, beginning with the MLS 2010 First Kick March 25 against Philadelphia Union in high definition on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes at 6:30 p.m. (PT).
 
Seattle will appear six other times on the ESPN networks, including three at home: D.C. United on June 10, Real Salt Lake on September 9 and Chivas USA on October 15. Road matches at FC Dallas on April 22, Philadelphia on June 27 (the grand opening of Union’s venue in Chester, Pa.) and D.C. United on July 15 will also be on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
 
Two games will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel and one by TeleFutura. All Sounders FC league games not aired nationally on ESPN or FSC will be carried live on KING 5 or KONG 6/16. All games can also be heard on the radio home of Sounders FC, News Talk 97.3 KIRO FM. All Sounders FC Spanish language broadcasts will be aired on Ke Buena 1210 AM, except nationally aired broadcasts. Select Sounders FC Spanish language TV matches will be aired on KOMO2 TV, Comcast channel 114, a Univision sister station.
 
Seattle will not play more than two consecutive MLS games at home or away. The first road game is on April 10 at defending MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake.
 
Sounders FC visits the new Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., on May 15. The final regular season game is on October 23 at Houston.
 
In the spring, the team will announce three additional games to be included in the season ticket package. Season tickets can be purchased by visiting www.SoundersFC.com or phoning 877/MLS-GOAL.
 
Sounders FC Announces Preseason Match to Benefit Local Charities
The Sounders FC have announced details for the club’s inaugural “Community Shield” match, which will take place on Thursday, March 11 at 6 p.m. on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. The Sounders FC will face the Portland Timbers of the USL in the pre-season training match.
 
General Admission tickets for the event will go on sale Wednesday, February 10, at 10 a.m.  Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (6-17). Children under the age of six are free. Tickets will be available at www.SoundersFC.com, by calling 800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster outlets and the Qwest Field Box office.
 
Proceeds from the match will benefit the team’s four community partners: Boys and Girls Club of Washington State, Save the Children, Seattle SCORES and Washington Youth Soccer.  Following the match the teams will sign autographs from the field.
 
“The ‘Community Shield’ match will be a great opportunity for our fans to watch the team and give back to the community before the regular season begins on March 25,” said Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer.
 
Following in the steps of other MLS teams, the model for the event is based upon the “Charity or Community Shield” matches in England, where they are a long standing tradition featuring the champions of the FA Premier League against the winners of the FA Cup with all proceeds going to charity.
 
As previously announced, Seattle opens preseason play on Wednesday in Casa Grande, Ariz. against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Sounders FC will play three matches during the La Manga Cup II in Spain, from February 18 through February 26. The final preseason game is on March 19 at the Colorado Rapids.
 
Seattle hosts Philadelphia Union to open the MLS season March 25 before a national television audience on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
 
Brad Evans Called In to U.S. National Team
The U.S. National Team has called in midfielder Brad Evans for the February 24 friendly with El Salvador in Tampa.
 
The U.S. players will gather in Los Angeles beginning on Tuesday and train at the Home Depot Center through February 20. The team travels to Florida on February 21. The USA-El Salvador game starts at 4 p.m. PT and will be aired live on ESPN Classic and TeleFutura.
 
Evans, 24, will join the national team following the Sounders FC training game with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Wednesday in Casa Grande, Ariz.
 
Evans, who has three international caps, was last called in by the USMNT for the January 23 friendly with Honduras. He did not play. Each of Evans’ three appearances came during the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
 
Now entering his fourth MLS season, Evans scored three goals and added two assists for the Sounders FC in 2009. He started 25 matches and was a substitute in two others.
 
Sounders FC Youth Academy Teams to Join U.S. Soccer Development
Sounders FC announced its Youth Academy teams will begin play in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) this summer.
 
Washington Premier Football Club’s (WPFC) membership in the USSDA is being transferred to the Sounders FC for the 2010-11 Academy season. WPFC will operate the current WPFC Academy teams until the end of the 2009-10 Academy season in July. Sounders FC Youth Academy will operate two boys teams, the U15/16 and U17/18 age groups.
 
“Our current working relationship with WPFC has been great,” said Darren Sawatzky, Sounders FC Director of Youth Development. “We currently run the South Regional Training Center (RTC) at the Washington Premier complex.  The president, directors, and coaching staff have been tremendous with a shared goal to further develop soccer players in Washington State.”
 
Current WPFC Academy players will be invited into the Sounders FC Youth Academy tryout process. Open tryouts begin on March 10.
 
“WPFC strives to help its players compete at the highest levels of youth soccer, and our relationship with the Sounders FC is a natural extension of that practice,” said Charlie Dent, WPFC President. “We appreciate the substantial investment of Sounders FC in youth soccer in our community, and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.”
For more information on tryouts for the Sounders FC Youth Academy, visit
http://www.soundersfc.com/Youth/Academy-Teams/Tryouts.aspx
 
The U.S. Soccer Development Academy is a partnership between U.S. Soccer and the top youth clubs around the country to provide the best youth players in the U.S. with an every day environment designed to produce the next generation of National Team players.
http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/Development-Academy/Academy-Overview.aspx
 
For questions or further information, please contact Darren Sawatzky, Sounders FC Director of Youth Development at (206) 267-7425 or darrens@soundersfc.com.
 
Preseason Training List
The following players have trained with Sounders FC in Arizona this week: Goalkeepers (4): Terry Boss, Chris Eylander, Kasey Keller, Derby Carillo*; Defenders (12): Taylor Graham, Leo Gonzalez, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni, Tyrone Marshall, Lamar Neagle*, James Riley, Zach Scott, Nathan Sturgis, Tyson Wahl, Jamel Wallace#, Eric Winblad*; Midfielders (11): Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Michael Fucito*, Josh Gardner*, Stephen King, Gao Leilei*, Freddie Ljungberg, Yakir Lusky*, Sanna Nyassi, Peter Vagenas; Forwards (7): David Estrada#, Nate Jaqua, Eddie Johnson*, Roger Levesque, Fredy Montero, Jarrod Smith*, Steve Zakuani.
 
#SuperDraft selection
*invitee
 
Throw-ins
Fans are invited to meet the new “Voice of Sounders FC” on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at the George & Dragon Pub in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood…General Manager Adrian Hanauer and Technical Director Chris Henderson will arrive back from South America later this week, in time to join the club for its trip to Spain…Steve Zakuani celebrates his 22nd birthday on Tuesday, February 9…Tyson Wahl and Brad Evans prevailed as winners of the team’s soccer tennis tournament…Evans, a native of Phoenix, invited the entire travel party to his family’s home for dinner on Monday evening.