GLENDALE : Events to Coincide With World Cup
Civic boosters hope to kick Glendale into the spotlight with a myriad marketing and sports activities planned around World Cup soccer finals in Pasadena in June.
The World Cup provides an opportunity for Glendale’s business and entertainment venues to capture the attention of thousands who will visit Southern California to attend the event, city administrators said.
Among activities scheduled to coincide with the games is a dribbling contest entitled “I Get My Kicks in Glendale.” The June 11 event will feature 300 to 600 people kicking a soccer ball around an 18-mile course, said Nello Iacono, director of parks, recreation and community services.
Each participant will be required to kick the ball up to two-tenths of a mile around the course--set to start in Kenneth Village and culminate in a food fair at Verdugo Park. Fees for the event are $7.50 for youths and $10 for adults.
The city has been chosen by Legacy Tour to host soccer skills competitions April 9 at Verdugo Park. The event, which is open to the public, will challenge soccer enthusiasts to dribble, pass and shoot the ball, Iacono said.
Officials are also developing a proposal for two evening festivities, centered around a Harley-Davidson/surfing theme and a country-Western barbecue.
These events, scheduled to brought before the City Council for approval in April, will be held during soccer finals in June, said Robert McFall, assistant city manager.
These activities are designed not only to promote Glendale, but to capitalize on soccer’s increasing popularity.
“Soccer is as large as baseball at our parks at both the organized and unorganized level,” Iacono said.
The City Council voted this week to appropriate $7,500 to hire the public relations firm Roland & Associates to develop an agenda for World Cup activities in Glendale.
The Redevelopment Agency is also being asked to allocate $7,500 in promotional monies.
The firm will coordinate activities with World Cup USA, design promotional materials and implement a “full-service” media campaign, McFall said.
