PORTLAND, Ore. – Starting today, fans can vote to send Portland Timbers players to the 2013 AT&T MLS All-Star Game on July 31 at Sporting Park. The MLS All-Stars will face AS Roma at 6 p.m. (Pacific) live on ESPN2 and UniMás.
A panel of media members nominated a total of 115 players to the fan ballot. Fans may vote online at www.MLSsoccer.com through July 2. Fans can also vote by sending a player’s last name via text message to 22442. Twitter voting will occur June 20-21; details on Twitter voting will be released in the coming days.
Timbers players included on the ballot are goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, defender Michael Harrington, midfielders Diego Chara, Diego Valeri and Will Johnson and midfielder/forward Darlington Nagbe.
The 10 players with the highest combined votes from these three voting methods will be named to the All-Star Fan XI.
The 11th player – a forward – on the Fan XI will be decided after the general voting window closes on July 2, as part of the AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Challenge. Among remaining forwards on the ballot, the player with whom fans score the most goals in EA SPORTS™ FIFA Soccer 13 Ultimate Team from July 3-July 10 will be named to the Fan XI.
All-Star head coach Peter Vermes of Sporting Kansas City will choose the game day roster and the starting lineup against AS Roma. 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 2013 AT&T MLS All-Stars will be selected in four phases:
1) Ballot creation: A select media panel determined the field of players – six players per team – who are most deserving of consideration for this year’s All-Star Game. Those players are eligible for fan voting.
2) Fan voting: From June 10 through July 2 at 3 p.m. ET, fans will select the “Fan XI” All-Stars. Fans can vote via any of three digital platforms:
a. At MLSsoccer.com: Vote for your starting lineup of 11 players, beginning June 10.
b. Via text message (SMS): Text an MLS player’s last name to 22442.
§ Each vote will count equally with those submitted online in determining the Fan XI.
§ Message and data rates may apply.
c. Via Twitter: From June 20-21; full details of Twitter voting will be released on MLSsoccer.com in the near future.
AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Challenge: From July 3 at 12 p.m. ET through July 10 at 3 p.m. ET
d. The top two forwards who have received the most votes after voting closes are removed from the eligible forward list. Voting for the AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Forward will then take place using FIFA Soccer 13 Ultimate Team. Fans will be invited to play the game and score as many goals as possible with their favorite player among the remaining eligible forwards. Each goal scored will count as one vote. The player who tallies the most goals will be named to the final spot on the Fan XI.
The first 10 players voted to the Fan XI will be announced on Sunday, July 7, on ESPN during halftime of the Chicago Fire-Sporting Kansas City regular season game that begins at 3 p.m. ET. The AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Forward will be unveiled on July 11.
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 on Monday, July 15.
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 (4 goalkeepers, 8 defenders, 13 midfielders and 7 forwards) will be announced on MLSsoccer.com on July 31.
2013 AT&T All-Star Game Voting Timeline
June 10: Fan voting begins
June 20-21: Fan voting Twitter window
July 2: Initial fan voting window closes
July 3: AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Challenge begins
July 7: Fan XI announced during halftime of CHI-SKC on ESPN at 3 p.m. ET
July 10: AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Challenge ends
July 11: AT&T MLS All-Star ‘In the Game’ Forward unveiled
July 15: Commissioner selections and game day roster announced
July 31: MLS All Stars vs. AS Roma at Sporting Park at 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2, UniMas, TSN, RDS)
