Event Registration Begins as Houston Dynamo & Rice University Join Forces to Support Seminar

2008 Soccer Operations Seminar presented by CSC

NEW YORK (October 4, 2007)� The 2008 Soccer Operations Seminar presented by CSC announced that the Houston Dynamo has renewed its corporate partnership for 2008, and Rice University�s Sport Management Program will again provide event management support.

Rice�s Sport Management Program has created an event website (http://sport.rice.edu/archives.cfm?doc_id=10043) to facilitate event registration. Registration is free to accepted registrants, courtesy of the corporate partners who generously contribute to fund the seminar initiatives and events (see list of partners at http://cohesion.rice.edu/humanities/sportmanagement/archives.cfm?doc_id=10044). The 2008 Seminar attendance will be capped at one hundred, so interested individuals should register at this first opportunity (http://sport.rice.edu/archives.cfm?doc_id=10089). Beginning October 1, applicants should expect to receive a response to a registration request within 72 hours. Any questions regarding the registration process should be directed to Evan Dabby (evan.dabby@mlsnet.com).

�Our organization is proud to once again host this growing seminar. We will utilize this event to help us continue to produce the best possible product for our local fan base,� said Paul Byrne, Sr. Director of Operations for the Houston Dynamo. As part of its contributions, the Dynamo will host hospitality events and lend its expertise towards event operations.

"We are very excited to partner with Major League Soccer and the Houston Dynamo in preparation of the 2008 Soccer Operations Seminar presented by CSC. This is a great chance for our students to work hand in hand with a professional sports league,� said Dr. Clark Haptonstall, director of Rice University�s undergraduate sport management program. �The 2008 Operations Seminar will be the largest in history and our students are excited for the opportunity.� Several current and former Rice University students will be involved in various aspects of the production of the 2008 Soccer Operations Seminar. Responsibilities delegated to the Rice contingent will range from communications and public relations to website preparation and event hospitality services.

About the Houston Dynamo

The  Houston Dynamo won the 2006 MLS Cup in only its first year of existence. From 1996 through 2005, the team played in San Jose, California, where under the name of Earthquakes the team won two MLS Cups (2001, 2003). The team boasts many talented and experienced players, among them 2006 All-Star Honda Most Valuable Player Dwayne De Rosario, 2006 MLS Cup MVP and U.S. National Team member Brian Ching, and All-Star and U.S. National Team member Ricardo Clark. The Houston Dynamo plays at Robertson Stadium, located on the campus of the University of Houston. With a seating capacity of 32,000 people, the home of the Houston Cougars� football and women's soccer teams has also been the venue for many international soccer matches, including four dates of the inaugural SuperLiga tournament.

About Rice University

Rice University, located in Houston, Texas adjacent to the Texas Medical Center, is considered one of the United States� elite private institutions of higher learning. The university is known for its successful research undertakings and the quality of undergraduate education that it provides. In its 2007 college guide, Newsweek named Rice University one of the �New Ivies.� Rice is also consistently featured in the top tier rankings in publications such as U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review for its overall academic experience, value, and standout programs in architecture, engineering, management, and music. Rice also boasts an unrivaled undergraduate sports management program, with course offerings and internship opportunities with Houston�s many major sports teams. Graduates of the program are working in MLS, MLB, the NHL and the NBA.