SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes and local celebrities will commemorate the opening of Avaya Stadium next year with an Olympic torch-style soccer ball relay that ends in the club’s new venue.
The Great Soccer Ball Relay, presented by The Bay Area BMW centers, will travel through 16 different cities across Northern California before delivering the game ball to the home opener at Avaya Stadium next March. The Relay will kickoff in the state's capital in Sacramento on Thursday, Jan. 8. Local celebrities, community members, and Earthquakes representatives will each dribble the length of a soccer field along the route in each city.
Each dribbler that participates in the relay will receive a commemorative Great Soccer Ball Relay ball and shirt, courtesy of adidas.
In addition to the relay, the club will host free soccer clinics for 100 youth at 10 of the locations along the way led by Earthquakes coaches and staff. Each clinic participant will receive a free soccer ball and the opportunity to meet the celebrity dribblers in their hometowns.
Among the list of confirmed local celebrities are:
Marc Acton – KEZR midday host
Brodie Brazil – Comcast SportsNet reporter
Chris Dangerfield – Former Earthquakes player and Comcast SportsNet California soccer analyst
Marquette King – Oakland Raiders punter
Leslie Osborne – former United States Women’s National Team midfielder
Jeff Pope – KEZR morning host
Juan Francisco Ramirez – Telemundo morning show anchor
Gabriel Sotelo – Telemundo sports anchor
Kate Scott – KNBR morning show co-host and Earthquakes sideline reporter
Julie Stevens – KRTY morning show co-host
Rod Streater – Oakland Raiders wide receiver
Gary Scott Thomas – KRTY morning show co-host
The JV Show – WiLD 94.9 morning show crew
The club has also confirmed a number of former Earthquakes players for the relay, including: Ismael “Easy” Perez (1979-82), Mani Hernandez (1974-76), Davie Kemp (1975-78), Kelly Gray (2005, 2008-09) and Ramiro Corrales (1996-97, 2001-04, 2008-13).
More information, visit www.sjearthquakes.com/greatsoccerballrelay. Dates and a final list of locations will be available at a later date.