SAN JOSE, Calif. – Major League Soccer launched fan voting and unveiled the ballots for the 2013 AT&T MLS All-Star Game Monday morning. The six representatives up for selection from San Jose include: Chris Wondolowski, Victor Bernardez, Justin Morrow, Sam Cronin, Adam Jahn and Jon Busch.
Fans can vote by visiting www.mlssoccer.com or texting a player’s last name to 22442. Twitter voting will occur June 20-21. The 10 players with the highest combined votes from these three voting methods will be named to the All-Star Fan XI.
Wondolowski, Morrow and Busch were 2012 All-Star selections. Wondolowski scored the first of Major League Soccer’s three goals while Justin Morrow started and played 56 minutes in a 3-2 win against Chelsea at PPL Park on July 25.
Wondolowski leads the Earthquakes and is tied for No. 7 in MLS with five goals. The versatile striker and reigning Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player also has three assists, second-most among the top-10 goal scorers in the league. Wondolowski is also second in MLS with 22 shots on goal.
Morrow and Bernardez have been key components for the Earthquakes’ back line in 2013. Both defenders have started 13 games so far this season with Morrow also contributing on the offensive side with a game-tying goal against the Columbus Crew on March 16 at Crew Stadium.
Cronin has been a crucial contributor in the club’s midfield, regularly winning challenges in the defensive third. He also has one goal and two assists this season.
Jahn leads all rookies with four goals. The Stanford product has put together some of the Earthquakes’ most exciting moments of 2013. Each of his four goals has helped rally the club to a draw or win, including a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer against the Portland Timbers on April 21.
Busch rounds out San Jose’s list of nominations. The veteran goalkeeper has 42 saves and one shutout so far this season.
The 11th player – a forward – on the Fan XI will be decided after the general voting window closes on July 2, as part of the AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Challenge. Among remaining forwards on the ballot, the player with whom fans score the most goals in EA SPORTS™ FIFA Soccer 13 Ultimate Team from July 3-July 10 will be named to the Fan XI.
All-Star Head Coach Peter Vermes of Sporting Kansas City will choose the game day roster and the starting lineup against AS Roma on July 31. The first marquee MLS event to be held at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas, will be broadcast live on ESPN2, UniMas, and in Canada on TSN and RDS, starting at 6 p.m. PT.
A panel of media members nominated a total of 115 players to the fan ballot. A total of 32 All-Stars are named each year, per the collective bargaining agreement. Media, fans, players, the All-Star coach and MLS Commissioner Don Garber all contribute in the All-Star selection process.
The 32 players named 2013 AT&T MLS All-Stars will be selected in four phases:
1) Ballot creation: A select media panel determined the field of players – six players per team – who are most deserving of consideration for this year’s All-Star Game. Those players are eligible for fan voting.
2) Fan voting: From June 10 through July 2 at 12 p.m. PT, fans will select the “Fan XI” All-Stars. Fans can vote via any of three digital platforms:
a. At MLSsoccer.com: Vote for your starting lineup of 11 players, beginning June 10.
b. Via text message (SMS): Text an MLS player’s last name to 22442.
-Each vote will count equally with those submitted online in determining the Fan XI.
-Message and data rates may apply.
c. Via Twitter: From June 20-21; full details of Twitter voting will be released on MLSsoccer.com in the near future.
AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Challenge: From July 3 at 9 a.m. PT through July 10 at 12 p.m. PT
d. The top two forwards who have received the most votes after voting closes are removed from the eligible forward list. Voting for the AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Forward will then take place using FIFA Soccer 13 Ultimate Team. Fans will be invited to play the game and score as many goals as possible with their favorite player among the remaining eligible forwards. Each goal scored will count as one vote. The player who tallies the most goals will be named to the final spot on the Fan XI.
The first 10 players voted to the Fan XI will be announced on Sunday, July 7, on ESPN during halftime of the Chicago Fire-Sporting Kansas City regular season game that begins at 12 p.m. PT. The AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Forward will be unveiled on July 11.
3) Team selection: The MLS All-Star head coach will select the game day roster from the pool of eligible players, consisting of the Fan XI, MLS Commissioner Don Garber’s two selections and players who received votes from at least two players.
The Commissioner selections and game day roster will be announced on Monday, July 15.
4) Player selections: MLS players will determine the remainder of the 32 All-Stars named annually per the CBA (known as the “inactive roster”).
The final list of 32 All-Stars (4 goalkeepers, 8 defenders, 13 midfielders and 7 forwards) will be announced on MLSsoccer.com on July 31.
2013 AT&T All-Star Game Voting Timeline
June 10: Fan voting begins
June 20-21: Fan voting Twitter window
July 2: Initial fan voting window closes
July 3: AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Challenge begins
July 7: Fan XI announced during halftime of CHI-SKC on ESPN at 12 p.m. PT
July 10: AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Challenge ends
July 11: AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Forward unveiled
July 15: Commissioner selections and game day roster announced
July 31: MLS All Stars vs. AS Roma at Sporting Park at 6 p.m. PT (ESPN2, UniMas, TSN, RDS)
