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The Footballers' Clubhaus Presented by Volkswagen and MLS Hits the Road to Visit More Than 46 Youth Soccer Tournaments

HERNDON, Va., June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Volkswagen of America, the official automotive partner of Major League Soccer, today kicked off The Footballers' Clubhaus presented by Volkswagen and MLS, a 19-city mobile marketing tour that will showcase Volkswagen's product family at local youth soccer tournaments across the U.S. The Footballers' Clubhaus presented by Volkswagen and MLS, which will also feature a host of games and activities for the entire family, builds upon the company's global commitment to the sport. The Footballers' Clubhaus presented by Volkswagen and MLS hits the road today and will run through November when the brand joins the MLS Cup championship game in Seattle on Nov. 22.

"Globally, Volkswagen has been a long-time supporter of soccer. In the U.S. we've been increasing our commitment to the sport and are delighted to expand our presence at a grass-roots level throughout local communities," said Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing for Volkswagen of America, Inc. "The youth soccer tour is testament to Volkswagen's strategy of engaging families and multicultural audiences with our brand in a fun, authentic way."

The Footballers' Clubhaus presented by Volkswagen and MLS tour aims to reach families of the more than 3.2 million participants currently registered in youth soccer nationwide. As part of the tour, Volkswagen will take its fleet of cars on the road to approximately 46 youth soccer tournaments over 74 days that will include several fun-filled ride-and-drive opportunities for consumers. Thirteen of these markets are part of MLS Futbolito, Major League Soccer's official 4-v-4 tournament and one of the nation's most successful grassroots soccer initiatives.

"One of MLS' highest priorities is to give back to our sport at the grassroots level," said Kathy Carter, executive vice president of Soccer United Marketing, MLS' marketing arm. "We're pleased that Volkswagen will be working with us to do just that. We look forward to partnering with VW on this exciting new initiative as we engage our fans from coast to coast."

Volkswagen's lineup of Routans, Jetta Sportwagens, Tiguans, Passat Wagons and CCs will prominently be showcased at the youth soccer events, with Volkswagen dealers on hand to answer questions and provide additional information on Volkswagen's product family. As part of the events, families can participate in a host of fun and interactive activities including soccer-tennis, autograph sessions with MLS players and the chance to receive a $25 gift card incentive for test driving a VW at their favorite local dealership. Kids will even enjoy a day of "Carefree Maintenance" where they can get their shoes and shoelaces repaired in between soccer matches, courtesy of Volkswagen.

For more information on Volkswagen, visit media.vw.com.

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, GLI, Eos, Passat, Passat wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg 2 and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2009 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com or media.vw.com to learn more.

About Major League Soccer

Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer is the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. MLS features many stars from the U.S., Canada, and around the world. MLS kicked off its 14th season on March 19, and will feature 15 teams each playing 30 regular season matches. They include Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Chivas USA, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, New England Revolution, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Toronto FC and, in its inaugural season, Seattle Sounders FC. The Philadelphia Union will debut in 2010, while expansion teams in Vancouver and Portland will debut in 2011. For more information about MLS, log on to the League's official website at www.MLSnet.com.