NASL Virginia narrow potential club name down to three

NASL VIRGINIA: ANNOUNCES TEAM NAME FINALISTS

Loudoun-based club narrows field to Cavalry, Dominion, Stallions

Ashburn, VA – January 3, 2013 – After thousands of suggested names poured into VIP Sports & Entertainment and NASL Virginia in just a few weeks, the candidate list has been narrowed for the contest’s final phase, Kick the Vote ’13. Starting today, soccer fans in Northern Virginia and around the globe are encouraged to cast their vote for one of the following three names:

                      CAVALRY               DOMINION               STALLIONS

The North American Soccer League franchise will debut in 2014, playing its home games at the forthcoming ballpark located at One Loudoun, immediately off the interchange of Route 7 and the Loudoun County Parkway in Ashburn, VA.

NASL Virginia culled through a variety of fan-submitted names which reflect Virginia’s rich and storied history, including traditional soccer names as well as numerous unique and fun names. Ultimately, these three finalists were selected for best encapsulating the feel of this developing franchise. To learn more about why these names were selected, go to the NASL Virginia Fan’s Corner Blog at http://www.naslvirginia.com/fanscorner.

VIP Sports & Entertainment and NASL Virginia offer several ways to voice your choice: Visit our website, NASLVirginia.com; post to our Facebook Page at facebook.com/NASLVirginia; send us a tweet with the hashtag #KickTheVote13; or make your pick via the NASL Virginia iPhone app, now available for free in the iTunes store.

The contest will run until Monday, February 4, 2013, and the team name will be announced following a U.S. Men’s Soccer viewing party on February 6 – location to be announced shortly. NASL Virginia’s Name the Team Contest is presented by Edelman Financial Services, Buffalo Wing Factory & Pub, Mountcastle Plastic Surgery and Sonak Family Chiropractic.

“The name the fans pick as they Kick the Vote will set the identity of this organization for years to come,” said Mark Simpson, NASL Virginia’s Director of Soccer Operations.  “All three of these names share a spirit and vitality that reflects the rapidly growing and vibrant community that is Northern Virginia. It is in the fans’ hands now!”

By 2014, the NASL will consist of 11 teams and their split-season format will run from Spring to July 4, then Summer to early November, with the champion determined by the winner of the Spring Championship hosting the winner of the Fall Championship. VIP Sports & Entertainment will host at least 16 regular season home games in its Northern Virginia ballpark.

“It is always amazing to me how responsive and supportive the fans are here in Northern Virginia,” said VIP S&E Chairman and Founder Bob Farren. “Through this contest and the interaction with the growing number of supporters, we are building something special here. I can’t wait to see how the fan’s vote and what name we will announce on February 6th!”

About the NASL: The North American Soccer League (NASL) is sanctioned as America’s Second Division of Professional Soccer by the United States Soccer Federation, just below Major League Soccer. The NASL is a professional men’s soccer league with seven current teams in the United States and Canada.

The league was reestablished in late 2009 and began league play on April 9, 2011 and the Minnesota Stars were the inaugural season’s champions and the Tampa Bay Rowdies recently won this year’s NASL Championship. The league will expand to nine teams with the return of the NY Cosmos in the 2013 Fall Season and up to 12 teams with the introduction of Virginia and Ottawa for 2014.

About VIP Sports & Entertainment: The mission of VIP S&E is to provide the families of Northern Virginia with an unprecedented level of affordable entertainment all year long, for generations to come.  The centerpiece of VIP’s community-focused endeavor is a stunning, innovative, 5,500-general admission ballpark complex in the One Loudoun multi-purpose development near Dulles International Airport.  The state-of-the-art facility will be designed to comfortably host Loudoun Hounds professional baseball, NASL professional soccer, high school and other amateur sports, as well as premium concerts, festivals, fairs and community events.  With a range of unique amenities and distinctive features, VIP’s venue will truly be a place of “Universal Appeal With a Neighborhood Feel™.”