SANDY, Utah (Thursday, May 28, 2015) – On Wednesday, Major League Soccer launched fan voting for the 2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Game at www.MLSsoccer.com. Eight players from Real Salt Lake have made the ballot.
In addition to perennial All-Star selections goalkeeper Nick Rimando and midfielder Kyle Beckerman, RSL’s representatives on the ballot include defenders Tony Beltran and Jamison Olave, midfielders Luke Mulholland, Luis Gil and Javier Morales, and forward Alvaro Saborio.
Beckerman has been named an All-Star in nine straight seasons, but did not play in last year’s match due to injury. Rimando, too, has a lengthy streak with five straight All-Star selections. Morales, Olave and Beltran all also have been named to the squad in previous years.
Media members nominated a total of 160 players to the fan ballot, eight from each of the 20 teams in MLS. Fans may vote online and via social media (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) through July 3 at 1 p.m. MT. Eleven players - one goalkeeper, three defenders, four midfielders and three forwards - with the highest combined votes will be named to the All-Star Fan XI.
The 11th player - a forward - will be determined by the AT&T/EA SPORTS™ "More Than a Vote" Challenge. Fans have the opportunity to vote one forward into the 2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Game by scoring goals in EA SPORTS FIFA 15 on the Xbox One, PlayStation®4, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The forward with the most votes - one goal equals one vote - on July 3 will occupy the final forward spot on the All-Star Fan XI.
"AT&T is thrilled to continue our partnership with EA SPORTS to provide a unique gaming experience surrounding the 2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Game. Through this engaging opportunity, we're empowering fans to participate on a deeper level, bringing ‘Soccer Everywhere’ to life and connecting fans to the beautiful game," said Bill Moseley, Director Sponsorships, AT&T.
All-Star head coach Pablo Mastroeni of the Colorado Rapids will choose the game day roster and the starting lineup to face Tottenham Hotspur on July 29 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The annual showcase will be broadcast live across North America on FOX Sports 1, UniMas, and in Canada on TSN and RDS, starting at 7 p.m. MT. The 2015 AT&T All-Star Game will also air around the globe, reaching more than 100 countries via the League's international broadcast partners, Sky Sports in the UK, pan-European broadcaster Eurosport, Globosat in Brazil and Abu Dhabi Media Company.
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 2015 AT&T MLS All-Stars will be selected in four phases:
1) Ballot creation: Media members determined the field of players - eight players per team - who are most deserving of consideration for this year's AT&T MLS All-Star Game. Those players are eligible for fan voting.
2) Fan voting: From May 27 through July 3, fans will select the "Fan XI" All-Stars. Fans can vote via any of three platforms:
a. At MLSsoccer.com: vote for your starting lineup of 11 players, beginning May 27
b. Via social media: Vote using Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. An eligible vote consists of the hashtag #MLSAllStar.
i. AND the player's full name (first and last required) with or without a space (Example: Kyle Beckerman, or Kyle Beckerman);
ii. OR their twitter/Instagram @handle (Example: @KyleBeckerman)
c. Via the AT&T / EA SPORTS "More than a Vote" Challenge: fans will score as many goals as possible with their favorite MLS All-Star forward candidate in FIFA 15, with one goal equaling one vote. The forward with the most votes will occupy one of the forward spots on the All-Star Fan XI.
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 at a later date.
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 (four goalkeepers, eight defenders, 13 midfielders and seven forwards) will be announced on MLSsoccer.com on July 29.
2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Game Voting Timeline
May 27: Fan voting begins
July 3: Fan voting closes
July 13: Fan XI unveiled at halftime of the Panama vs. United States CONCACAF Gold Cup match on FOX Sports 1, UDN
*The game day roster and Commissioner's picks will be announced at a later date
July 29: MLS All-Stars vs. Tottenham Hotspur at Dick's Sporting Goods Park at 9 p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1, UniMas, TSN, RDS)
