Fire, Morelia Ink Partnership

CHICAGO (Wednesday, October 30, 2002) -- The Chicago Fire announced an innovative partnership with Mexican First Division club Monarcas Morelia at a press conference today at the Mexican Cultural and Educational Center in downtown Chicago. Among the attendees were Fire GM Peter Wilt, assistant coach Denis Hamlett, defender C.J. Brown and Morelia's VP of Finance Fernando Cabrera, GM Mario Ordiales, and starting goalkeeper Moises Munoz. Other attendees included Chicago's Michoacanos Federation, and the Consulate General of Mexico Carlos Sada Solana.

The partnership marks the first time a Major League Soccer (MLS) club teams up with a Federacion Mexicana de Futbol (FMF) team in a cooperative effort. Partnership benefits will allow the Fire and Monarcas to consult with one another in an effort to jointly develop a program to help facilitate player development through the exchange of respective players and coaches and the creation and implementation of youth soccer programs in Mexico and the United States.

"This is an important relationship, because of the opportunities it provides and the people involved," said Fire GM Peter Wilt. "The representatives of Monarcas are honorable people who have our clubs' mutual growth in mind. I am excited to partner the Fire with the club that represents so many Michoacans in Chicagoland."

One of the major benefits within the partnership include the opportunity to exchange players and coaches from each team's youth development programs to help improve talent at an early stage. The teams will also benefit from business opportunities in Mexico and in the U.S., such as marketing jerseys on each other's websites.

"We're ecstatic about our new partnership with the Chicago Fire," said Monarcas GM Mario Ordiales. "This partnership opens up the door for a Mexican team and an American team to come together and create many wonderful opportunities that will benefit the soccer community at large. The teams will enjoy mutual benefits, both technically and operationally, and we're eager to get started."

Most of the partnership benefits target the Hispanic soccer leagues and Mexican community organizations in the states of Illinois and Michoacan.

The Chicago Fire was founded on October 8, 1997 as a Major League Soccer expansion team. The Fire captured the MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup in the team's inaugural season in 1998. The Fire also won the 2000 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and 2000 and 2001 MLS Central Division titles.