PANAMA CITY, FL (Friday, April 4, 2008)—The Panama City Pirates have announced that they will begin their run-up to the 2008 inaugural season with an exhibition match against the United Soccer Leagues First Division club Puerto Rico Islanders. The match will usher in the age of the Panama City Pirates with the highest level of opposition that the USL can offer. This expo game will mark the first time a USL Division One club has appeared in the Bay County Area, and is an indicator of the Pirates’ continued commitment to bringing world-class competitive soccer to the Emerald Coast. This match will set the tone for potential future partnerships with other USL clubs and with teams in the MLS (Major League Soccer). The exposure that this match potentially lends the Pirates on both a local and regional level is tremendous. General Manager Carey Turner said, “Having teams and games of this caliber is one of the main reasons we have brought a USL franchise to the Panhandle. The Panama City Pirates will give Bay County families and local soccer fans a team they can call their own as well as a portal into some of the most competitive soccer and soccer players in the nation.”

The Puerto Rico Islanders, led by former FC Dallas coach Colin Clarke, reached the semifinals of last year’s USL Division One playoffs, before losing by penalty kicks to the national champion Seattle Sounders. Since the foundation of the Islanders, Puerto Rico has risen exponentially in skill, now having passed with ease through the first stage of World Cup 2010 qualification and now facing a “David-and-Goliath” battle against Honduras, currently ranked third in CONCACAF, behind the United States and Mexico.

In addition to the numerous advantages for the Pirates, the Islanders stand much to gain from the friendly match, according to Islanders coach Colin Clarke: “We’ve had a lot of changes this year, so we’re rebuilding the team a little bit. Considering we’ve got a lot of new faces, it’s a good chance for us to get away and bond the team together.” The Islanders will provide a tough test for the Panama City Pirates, who are the USL’s newest PDL club for the ’08 season. Facing competition of such a high level in the preseason will be greatly beneficial for the PDL expansion side, as four of the Pirate’s first five regular season match-ups are qualifying games for the 2008 Lamar Hunt U. S. Open Cup. The Pirates will be led by University of West Florida head coach Bill Elliott, who has a 112-64-15 record with the Argonauts and has led them to two Gulf South Conference Championships.

Game time and location is April 13th at 2:00pm (CST), located at Pete Edwards Stadium in Panama City Beach. Tickets are currently on sale at Renegade Sports Center or you can buy them at the gate on gameday! Cost is $8 for general admission or $5 if you wear your team’s soccer jersey or uniform; children under 6 get in free. There will be pre-game and half-time festivities so don’t miss the fun! For more information please visit our website at www.panamacitypirates.com or call us at 850-248-HOOK (4665).

Contact Information

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Noel Perkins, Sharlet Brennan
YPB&R, 407-875-1111
Noel_Perkins@ypbr.com
Sharlet_Brennan@ypbr.com

Jayna M. Leach
Panama City Beach CVB
850-233-5070 ext. 226
jleach@800pcbeach.com