D.C. United, in conjunction with MLS W.O.R.K.S, today announced that the club will participate in Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with the team incorporating pink into its match against the Chicago Fire tonight (8 p.m. ET; NBC Sports Network).
The game will be played with a commemorative pink adidas Prime 2013 Official Match ball accompanied by pink corner flags, pink goal nets and pink Soccer Kicks Cancer field boards. The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) match officials will join MLS players in wearing MLS W.O.R.K.S pink ribbon patches on their jerseys in addition to pink adidas sweat bands and shoe laces. The starting eleven players for both teams will don MLS W.O.R.K.S pink ribbon t-shirts during the processional and national anthem while goalkeepers will wear pink tops during warm-ups. Gatorade has also donated pink sideline towels to support the campaign, and coaching staffs have been provided with pink MLS W.O.R.K.S knit scarves that will be draped on the bench. The Black-and-Red will also have numerous CSC Security Staff in pink attire for the match.
“Sadly, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the U.S.,” said D.C. United’s Director of Community Relations Aprile Pritchet. “Our goal is to increase awareness of the horrific disease and encourage women to get screened.”
Game memorabilia, including autographed match balls and jerseys will be auctioned off by Major League Soccer beginning October 14. A portion of the proceeds from these efforts will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in the United States and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in Canada.
