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ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU A VIDEO THAT WE PREPARED FOR YOU LOS ANGELES.
AS YOU SAW IN THIS VIDEO, THIS YEAR'S CLASSIC EDITION WILL BE HOSTED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT MEXICO'S TWO MOST FOLLOWED TEAMS. CHIVAS DE GUADALAJARA AND CVA AMERICA WILL FACE EACH OTHER FOR THE CONTINENT'S GREATEST CLASSICO IN THIS CITY.
LAST YEAR'S THE CLASSICO DE MEXICO WAS PLAYED AT A SODA ROSE BOWL STADIUM IN LA IN FRONT OF MORE THAN 86,000 FANS.
WE ARE SURE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ITS FANS WILL BE EXCELLENT HOSTS.
THIS GAME WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13TH.
AS PART OF THE CELEBRATIONS OF THIS GREAT CLASSICO, THERE WILL BE A MASSIVE FAN FEST OUTSIDE THE STADIUM PRIOR TO THE MATCH WITH MEXICAN FOOD LEGENDS FROM BOTH CLUBS, TROPHIES, MASCOTS, LIVE MUSIC, AMONG OTHER SURPRISES.
UH, PARA OF TODOS ZA, JOHN WHITMEYER, ALDE DE LAS HOUSTON.
AND NOW FOR THE OFFICIAL WELCOME.
A FEW WORDS FROM OUR MAYOR, MAYOR OF HOUSTON, JOHN WHITMEYER.
I KNOW WHERE I'M GONNA BE OCTOBER 13TH.
JUST GO AHEAD AND LET MY SCHEDULER KNOW IT.
I WAS ALREADY EXCITED TO BE HERE BEFORE I SAW THE VIDEO, BUT, UH, LET ME JUST SAY IT'S AN EXCITING DAY TO BE A HOUSTONIAN.
IT'S AN EXCITING DAY TO BE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THIS LEVEL OF SOCCER RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
YOU KNOW, I CAN'T BEGIN TO LET YOU KNOW, I KNOW MANY OF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING BECAUSE SOCCER IS IN EVERY ONE OF OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR GREAT CITY, BUT TO FEATURE THIS CHAMPIONSHIP IS GOING TO IGNITE THE ENTIRE CITY AS WE BUILD TOWARD THE WORLD CUP.
SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE WELCOME YOU.
WE'RE GONNA BE A PART OF THE EVENT, THANK YOU TO THE STAKEHOLDERS, THANK YOU TO THE TEAMS, OUR PLAYERS, UH, WHICH I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF MEETING.
SO I'M JUST HERE TO TELL YOU, I COULD BE AT A, AS A MAYOR OF HOUSTON, I COULD BE AT A HUNDRED LOCATIONS RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE CITY.
WE'RE IN A HURRICANE RECOVERY.
WE'VE GOT SO MANY EXCITING THINGS GOING ON, BUT THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO BE, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, MY LEADERSHIP IS A FULL PARTNER TO MAKE SURE THIS IS GONNA BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'LL, UH, HAVE THE CITY'S TRANSLATOR HELP ME HERE,
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I'LL SEE YOU.UH, THANK YOU MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER FOR THOSE KIND WORDS.
UH, BEFORE WE CONTINUE WITH THE PRESS CONFERENCE, UH, PLEASE JOIN US WITH THE OFFICIAL PICTURE AS BOTH CLUBS HAVE A GIFT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THIS GIFT IS AN IMAGE OF THE SEAT OF HOUSTON, MADE UP OF SMALL PHOTOS OF FANS FROM BOTH TEAMS THAT HAVE ATTENDED A CLASSICAL IN THE PAST.
PUT HIS MESSAGE, CHRIS MASSEY, COO, THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY, AND NOW TO CONSIDER.
WE HAVE A FEW WORDS FROM CHRIS MASSEY, UH, COO OF HARRIS COUNTY, HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY.
AS IT WAS ALREADY SAID MULTIPLE TIMES TODAY, WHAT AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
JUST WANTED TO SHARE A FEW WORDS OF THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE CITY, THE COUNTY.
I ECHO THE MAYOR'S SENTIMENTS OF OUR FULL SUPPORT BEHIND WHAT A WONDERFUL EVENT.
WE'RE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN AMAZING COMMUNITY OF BOTH PEOPLE, CULTURE, CELEBRATION, AND COMMUNITY THAT COMES TOGETHER AROUND THESE FANTASTIC EVENTS.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO CONTINUE
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THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WITH PRIMETIME.THEIR CREW IS SO AMAZING TO WORK WITH.
PHENOMENAL AT PUTTING TOGETHER NOT ONLY GREAT MATCHUPS, BUT PREMIER EVENTS THAT CREATE AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LASTING MEMORIES OUR COMMUNITY CAN CREATE THROUGH SPORTS.
AS WE CONTINUE TO FIND AMAZING WAYS TO, TO BRING SOCCER TO THE CENTER OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE LEAD UP TO THE WORLD CUP.
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER AMAZING EVENT THAT TAKES CENTER FOCUS.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH THE WORLD CUP MAY BE OUT ON THE HORIZON, YOU'D BE MISTAKEN IF YOU DIDN'T LOOK AT THIS AS ONE OF THE MARQUES MATCHUPS COMING TO OUR COMMUNITY THIS YEAR.
AND SO, AGAIN, I WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY AT PRIMETIME FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO HOST THESE FANTASTIC EVENTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON MATCH DAY.
AND NOW WE HAVE A FEW REMARKS FROM DAVID FLETCHER, GENERAL MANAGER OF LONE STAR SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT, S DAVID FLETCHER, HER ALDE, LONE STAR SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENTS.
WELL, AGAIN, WHAT THEY SAID, UH, AND REALLY AND TRUTHFULLY, UM, IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE SUMMER OF SOCCER HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON.
UH, MAJOR MATCHES ALL THE TIME OVER HERE AT NRG STADIUM, AT SHELL ENERGY STADIUM AS WELL THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AT THE YOUTH LEVEL.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE, THIS SPORT CAN BRING OUT OF, UM, FROM A PASSION PERSPECTIVE, IT DOES NOT GET ANY BETTER THAN RIVALS LIKE AMERICA AND CHIVAS.
AND WE ARE SO THRILLED, UH, HERE AT LONE STAR SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT, THE HOUSTON TEXANS ORGANIZATION TO BRING THESE TYPE OF EVENTS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
IT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IS, IS IMPORTANT FOR, UH, A VARIETY OF REASONS.
UM, YOU'VE HEARD THE STAKEHOLDERS TODAY TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT I WANNA SPEAK TO ONE MORE THAT I THINK IS REALLY KEY.
AND THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE ASPECT OF CELEBRATION.
UM, THIS EVENT WILL CULMINATE, UH, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
UH, THIS EVENT WILL BRING TOGETHER THE TWO GIANTS OF LEAGUE MX SOCCER AND IN ONE OF THE MOST, UM, MOST IMPORTANT HISPANIC MARKETS IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, IT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE ALL ARE, ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE.
SO ON BEHALF OF, UH, THE MCNAIR FAMILY, GREG GRISSOM, OUR, OUR PRESIDENT, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A BIG SHOWDOWN BETWEEN THESE TWO ON OCTOBER 13TH.
THANK YOU DAVID FLETCHER, TO WELCOME BOTH CLUBS.
WE NOW HAVE SOME WORDS FROM JUAN PABLO CORTEZ, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CONSULATE OF MEXICO T AMERICA, HOUSTON, HOUSTON VARGA, FERNANDO.IN QUERO
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FOR, BUT NOW, UH, WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME BOTH CLUBS.WE HAVE SOME WORDS FROM, UM, UH, ALEJANDRO, WHO'S REPRESENTED CVA AMERICA TODAY.
ALEJANDRO, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR AMERICA TO PLAY A CLASSICAL, THE MEXICO IN THE UNITED STATES? UH, YOU GUYS, HELLO EVERYONE.
YOU GUYS WANNA DO ENGLISH OR SPANISH? YEAH, ENGLISH FIRST AND THEN WE SPANISH ENGLISH.
UH, WE'VE BEEN HERE A COUPLE TIMES.
WE'VE BEEN PLAYING AGAINST BIG TEAMS OVER HERE, SO JUST AN HONOR TO, FOR YOU GUYS TO HAVE US HERE.
WE KNOW HOW BIG, UH, THE STADIUM CAN GET FULL.
THE FANS THAT COME HERE, THEY GET NICE AND ROWDY.
SO IT'S, UH, IT'S EXCITING TIME, ESPECIALLY FOR, FOR A GAME LIKE THIS.
WE KNOW HOW INTENSE IT IS DOWN THERE IN MEXICO, SO TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT OVER HERE TO THE STATES FOR THE, FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON, IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD TIME.
WHAT DOES THIS GAME MEAN TO YOU AS A PLAYER? AS A PLAYER? I GUESS YOU COULD SAY MIXED EMOTIONS.
'CAUSE I USED TO PLAY AT BOTH CLUBS, BUT NAH, IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD TIME, UH, HAPPY 'CAUSE I GET TO SEE OLD TEAMMATES, UM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S JUST A FRIENDLY, WE'RE GONNA PLAY, UH, PLAY HOW, HOW USUALLY PLAY A
SO IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD TIME.
RO THANKS SO MUCH TO BOTH PLAYERS, ALEJANDRO, FOR BEING HERE PART OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH QUESTIONS FOR OUR GUESTS, WE'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE AND REMIND YOU THAT STARTING TODAY, ALL FANS WILL BE ABLE TO REGISTER FOR THE PRESALE@CLASSICODEMEXICO.COM.
THE PRESALE WILL TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21ST, FOLLOWED BY GENERAL SALES ON AUGUST, UH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 22ND IN HOUSTON.
WE'LL NOW OPEN UP TO QUESTIONS.
WE KINDLY ASK THAT YOU LIMIT ALL QUESTIONS TO THE CONTEXT OF EL CLASSICO IN HOUSTON.
UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR MEDIUM AND GO ON WITH THE QUESTIONS.
THERE SHOULD BE A MIC BEFORE WE AND MORNING EVERYONE.
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FOOTBALL.HI, MY NAME IS CHRIS FERNANDEZ, EL NEWS ELRA MAGAZINE.
UH, THIS QUESTION IS FOR DAVID, MR. FLETCHER.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE FORECAST MAY BE SUPER HIGH AT THIS POINT.
UH, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT IT WILL BE THE 86 PLUS OR AS MUCH AS NRG CAN HOLD? WHAT ARE YOUR PROJECTIONS AT THIS TIME? I KNOW IT'S KIND OF EARLY, BUT I KNOW THEY HAVE TO BE SUPER POSITIVE.
WELL, I, I, I SAW CHRIS CONNET IN HERE.
I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING READY FOR THE WORLD CUP AND DOING SOME MODIFICATIONS BUILDING.
I, I DON'T THINK WE CAN GET QUITE TO 86 YET, BUT GREG, MAYBE WE CAN WORK ON SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE HERE.
UH, LOOK, NRG HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GREAT SOCCER DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD, UH, FOR, FOR OVER TWO DECADES NOW.
UH, THIS EVENT CERTAINLY WORTHY OF, UH, THE TYPE OF RIVALRY THAT WE'LL HAVE HERE.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT CROWD.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE SAW THAT ALREADY THIS SUMMER WITH THE THREE COPA MA AMERICA MATCHES HERE, UH, WITH LAST WEEK'S TIGRESS, INNER MIAMI MATCH, NRG STADIUM AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONTINUE TO BE, UH, A SIGNIFICANT DESTINATION IN THE SPORT.
AND, UM, I OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS TO WELCOME THESE TWO TEAMS BACK.
WE EXPECT A GREAT CROWD AND A GREAT ATMOSPHERE.
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RIGHT HERE IN THE SECOND ROW, ALEJANDRO, ALEJANDRO HAS AMERICA.ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, WELL, UM, THIS IS THE END OF THE CONFERENCE.
UH, THANKS, UH, EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
JUST REMEMBER THAT, UH, AUGUST 21ST WILL BE THE DAY TO PRE-REGISTER FOR THE PRESALE ON CLASSICO DE MEXICO.COM.
GENERAL SALES GO ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 22ND, THE PRIME SPORTS LONE STAR SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.
AND THIS OFFICIALLY THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
WE INVITE YOU TO ENJOY SOME FREE LUNCH.