2012 Big East Men’s Soccer Championship moved to PPL Park

The 2012 BIG EAST Men’s Soccer Championship will be played at PPL Park in Chester, Pa., on Nov. 9 and 11. The tournament was moved from Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., where it had been held the previous two years.

The semifinals are Friday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. ET, with both matches televised on CBS Sports Network. All four teams to reach the semifinals are from the Blue Division. Georgetown, the No. 2 seed, will face Marquette, the No. 4 seed in the first game, before the No. 3 seed, Notre Dame, matches up against top-seeded Connecticut.

The two semifinal winners will play on Sunday at noon, with an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship on the line. The title game will be broadcast live via BIGEAST.tv, as well as numerous regional sports networks.

PPL Park, a state-of-the-art 18,500-seat Major League Soccer stadium, serves as Philadelphia Union’s home. The stadium is located less than 10 miles south of the Philadelphia International Airport, with easy access to major roadways such as I-95, I-476, US-322 and PA-291. Additionally, the Northeast Corridor Amtrak, Conrail and SEPTA rail lines run to the Chester Transportation Center, where shuttle service is available.

“We are happy to be able to step in and help the BIG EAST with this very important event,” said Philadelphia Union CEO & Operating Partner Nick Sakiewicz.  “PPL Park and Philadelphia Union continue to be the home for top athletic and entertainment events, such as the BIG EAST Championship.”

“It is great of PPL Park to step up in adverse times,” said Jim Siedliski, BIG EAST Associate Commissioner for Olympic Sports. “Our heartfelt wishes go out to the areas affected by the storm last week. PPL Park is a state-of-the-art facility that will give our student-athletes a great postseason experience.”

Tickets that were previously purchased through Red Bull Arena will be honored at PPL Park.