"It's going to be a huge summer in Southern California for soccer with the opening of The Home Depot Center, the L.A. Galaxy's new soccer specific stadium, the Manchester United vs. Club America match at the L.A. Coliseum and Soccer Nation which will celebrate and accelerate soccer for three days straight", said Bill Hodson, organizer of the event. "We'll have areas where soccer fans will have a chance to participate in clinics, meet soccer celebrities and get some tips from top-level coaches."

This year's event is being held in conjunction with the United States Futsal Federation's 18^th National Championship and will bring live soccer action all three days with the games to be played on six full-sized regulation Futsal courts adjacent to the trade show area with ample seating provided.

Soccer Nation will bring together manufacturers, retailers, buyers, coaches, players and fans from all over the world. More than 100 exhibitors will be presenting booths showing the latest in soccer equipment, apparel, camps, clinics and soccer academies. Among the exhibitors are Nike, teaming up with local retailer, Sportspage Soccer Warehouse in Fountain Valley; adidas, represented locally by Soccer Town stores from La Habra and the City of Orange; Xara Equipment, Lake Forest; Mitre USA, Skokie, Illinois; Brine Equipment, Milford, Massachusetts, and Sports Hardwear, Petaluma. The L.A. Galaxy will sponsor a non-stop action "Fun Zone" that will feature soccer contests, challenges and games for people of all ages. Many up and coming soccer companies will be debuting at Soccer Nation. They include Full 90 Head Gear, San Diego; TK Sports Training Equipment, Oakland; Digital Scout Statistical Software, Columbus, Ohio and others. Turf suppliers will be a major category for exhibitors and so far, some of them include SRI Sports from Leander, Texas, and Laurentin Industries, Ontario, Canada, and Turf Technologies, San Diego.

Soccer Nation 2-2-2

LiveWire Sports Group will set up "The Pitch," a third of an actual soccer field to allow manufacturers and retailers to demonstrate products and promotions, special programs on camps, clinics, fashion shows, and training programs. Here coaches from around the country will oversee contests for youngsters and young adults with participating manufacturers donating prizes throughout the three days. Soccer professionals will also drop by to perform demonstrations on the "The Pitch."

For information contact Bill Hodson at 714-777-7850.