We'll be posting lots of info about the Red Bulls opening day, but this news was just announced:
RED BULL NEW YORK ANNOUNCES “TRIBUTE TO NEW YORK SOCCER” AT OPENING DAY
Soccer legend Pele to be part of the day’s festivities
SECAUCUS, NJ (Thursday, March 30, 2006) – Red Bull New York announced today the specifics of their “Tribute to New York Soccer” which will take place before their home opener on April 8 against the New England Revolution. Members of the New York Cosmos- including the legendary Pele- along with past MetroStars greats will be in attendance.
“You can't move forward without respecting the past, and so we're going to celebrate the rich soccer tradition that is such a vital part of the New York metropolitan area,” said Red Bull New York President and General Manager Alexi Lalas.
As part of a ceremony that will take place before kickoff, the Cosmos and MetroStars will be honored in an on-field presentation and video tribute on the stadium’s Daktronic Board. Pele and Franz Beckenbauer will then take the honorary “first-kick.”
The New York Cosmos were part of the North American Soccer League and called the tri-state area home from 1971-1985. The list of former Cosmos players who will be in attendance for the Red Bulls home opener includes:
Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Shep Messing, Giorgio Chinaglia, Carlos Alberto Torres, Hubert Birkenmeier, Andranik Eskandarian, Vladislav Bogicevic, Werner Roth, Freddy Grgurev, Erhardt Kapp, Wim Rijsbergen, Julio Cesar Romero, Boris Bandov, Jorge Siega, and Nelsi Morais
Former MetroStars confirmed include:
Roberto Donadoni, Giovanni Savarese, Peter Vermes, Mark Semioli, Rhett Harty, Miles Joseph, Brian Kelly, and Jimmy Rooney
In addition to the pregame ceremony, the Cosmos and MetroStars will be on-hand at the Red Bull Energy Station- a unique, two-story structure that serves as an oasis for season ticket holders to mingle.