Mexican stars set for exhibition in LV

Victoria Sun

Friday, July 12, 2002 | 10:51 a.m.

In case you haven't recovered from World Cup fever, the Copa Coors Lite exhibition game might help fill the void.

The soccer game between rival Mexican club teams Chivas and Atlas will be played at Sam Boyd Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Four World Cup players are scheduled to play. Ramon Morales and Oswaldo Sanchez will play for Chivas, with Gabriel Caballero and Sigifredo Mercado representing Atlas.

Both teams compete in the First Division Mexican League, the country's top professional league. Its regular season starts Aug. 10.

This is the second year for the event in Las Vegas and the first with these teams.

"Last year there were about 8,500 fans," Sam Boyd Stadium associate director Joseph Santiago said. "We anticipate a similar crowd this year.

"It's going to be hot, obviously. The game was played in June last year when it wasn't quite as hot."

A multiyear agreement to hold the game here hasn't been reached, though Santiago predicts it will return.

Santiago was unable to give an accurate account of early ticket sales because many are being sold at local Hispanic retail outlets. Last year, only about 300 tickets were sold in advance, he said. The remaining 8,000 were purchased at the stadium and retail outlets.

Jim Kalmenson, president of Los Angeles-based Spanish radio station KWKW 1330-AM, said more than 20 radio stations in cities with large Hispanic populations are giving away tickets. KWKW is the main promoter of the event.

This is the only professional soccer game scheduled in Las Vegas this year.

"We've talked to Pat Christensen at Las Vegas Events about possibly attracting another major soccer event," Santiago said. "With the World Cup, if we can capitalize on soccer's popularity, we want to do that."

The game will be televised live in Spanish on KPLR (Cox Ch. 9).