MLS Timbers Owner Merritt Paulson, MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Portland Mayor Charlie Hales yesterday announced that the ‘14 MLS All-Star Game “will be played at Jeld-Wen Field,” according to Geoffrey Arnold of the Portland OREGONIAN. Paulson said, "This is going to be the first major all-star game in the history of Portland." The selection of Portland “wasn't a major surprise,” but the official announcement “has the town buzzing a year in advance.” The game will “provide a unique opportunity to place Portland on the global stage.” No announcement was made “about the opponent, partly because the European teams' regular season schedule runs from August to May.” adidas serves as a “major sponsor” of MLS and its North American HQs are based in Portland, thus making it “probably a good bet that the company will help in bringing a big-name team as the opponent for the game.” Garber said that the “exact date of the game hasn't been decided.” Fans attending the game “will likely experience a bigger and longer all-star event than in the past.” The league is “elevating the profile of the game by scheduling more and more events during the days leading up to the game, similar to what the NBA does with its All-Star weekend and the NFL does during the week leading up to the Super Bowl.” Paulson said, "We're thinking about some new things that we can do, things that MLS has never done in an all-star game” (Portland OREGONIAN, 7/11).
