SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC is encouraging fans to arrive early to Wednesday’s match vs. the Chicago Fire, as the long-awaited “Fabric of Sounders FC” design project led by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei is set to be unveiled during pre-match ceremonies on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. The banner unveiling marks the culmination of a four-month project that unites community, art and sport between Delta Air Lines, Seattle Sounders FC and Frei, as well as various community engagement initiatives involving fans throughout the season. Additionally, Wednesday marks Sounders FC’s Childhood Cancer Awareness match, with the club welcoming honorary captain Zach Cezar as part of the Austen Everett Foundation to join the Rave Green during the pre-match walkout and coin toss. The club is also hosting a Blood & Bone Marrow Drive at The NINETY in the hours leading-up to kickoff against Chicago.
“It’s really cool to finally see this on such a grand scale, and for all those small parts we did out in the community come alive,” said Frei. “It’s been a long process that started early on in the season with a blank canvas, and now we have this huge project that everyone chipped in on. It’s really cool to see come together.”
Over the past four months, Delta Air Lines, Seattle Sounders FC and Frei have worked together to design a community art collaboration called "The Fabric of Sounders FC." Frei is the commissioned artist for the piece, which was created in different pieces over four months that involved the Seattle community and Sounders FC fans. The final banner is 200’ x 65’ – the longest-ever display on the Xbox Pitch – and will be unveiled on the pitch during a pre-match ceremony with the help of 150 people, including Delta employees, community partners – including The Boys & Girls Club, Lifelong End AIDS Walk, Seattle Children’s Hospital, USO and YMCA – and art students from Voyager Middle School. Complete information on this season-long project can be found via SoundersFC.com/FabricOfSFC.
“From the airport to the pitch, collaborating with the communities we serve is part of the fabric of Delta,” said Mike Medeiros, Delta’s Vice President – Seattle. “This project is one of our best collaborations yet. We’re humbled to share in this experience and want to thank Sounders FC fans for helping us tap into the fabric of this team.”
MEDIA ALERT: Media interested in covering Wednesday’s unveil of the “Fabric of Sounders FC” or the Blood & Bone Marrow Drive – including still photography and b-roll opportunities – should contact a member of Sounders FC Communications.
More of Frei’s artistic talent is set to be on display surrounding Wednesday’s match, as this week’s Posters by the People selection was designed by the Sounders FC goalkeeper. This is the second-consecutive year that Frei has designed a matchday poster, following last year’s submission surrounding a home match against Sporting Kansas City on June 20. Complete information on the Posters by the People program can be found via the following link: http://sndrs.com/pbtp.
Additionally, Wednesday’s match is Childhood Cancer Awareness match, as part of Sounders FC’s efforts throughout September to #KickChildhoodCancer. The club is pleased to welcome Zach Cezar as an Honorary Team Captain, joining Sounders FC's captain to participate in the coin toss, as well as other pre-match ceremonies with the team. For more information on Honorary Team Captains as part of The Austen Everett Foundation, visit the following link: http://sndrs.com/v7hy.
Prior to Wednesday’s match, Sounders FC is teaming-up with Bloodworks Northwest and Be The Match to host a Blood & Bone Marrow Drive at The NINETY, Sounders FC's clubhouse space at its Pioneer Square headquarters. Each year, Bloodworks Northwest helps over 55,000 patients receive life-saving blood transfusions in the Pacific Northwest. Blood donations are used daily by patients undergoing surgery, cancer treatment, organ transplants, and trauma injuries and burns. A patient with a childhood cancer typically receives at least two blood products during treatment.
Appointments for the Blood & Bone Marrow Drive are completely full, but Be The Match is set to be on-site at The NINETY and Soccer Celebration on Wednesday to encourage Sounders FC fans to join the donor registry. Their mission is to provide a matching donor for every patient in need and eliminate barriers to transplant. Be The Match, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program, connects patients with blood diseases to their life-saving marrow or stem cell transplant. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 44 who is in good health and committed to donating to a patient in need is encouraged to join the donor registry. More information on how to become a bone marrow donor can be found via the following link: http://sndrs.com/35fr.
Following a 4-2 road win over the LA Galaxy over the weekend and now just three points behind the red line in the race for the 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, Sounders FC turns its attention to two pivotal matches this week, beginning with a home date against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday, September 28 (7:30 p.m. PT / JOEtv, ROOT SPORTS, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM). Wednesday's match is Seattle's last against Eastern Conference opposition this year, with the Rave Green heading to Vancouver on Sunday, October 2 for a key nationally-televised clash against Vancouver in a contest that carries massive postseason implications (5:00 p.m. PT / FOX Sports 1, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
