VILLANOVA, Pa. — The annual Battle of the Blue between rivals Villanova and Delaware will be played this year at PPL Park on November 19, as announced today by Villanova Director of Athletics Vince Nicastro. The Wildcats will host their first-ever game at the home of the Philadelphia Union as they seek to win the Battle of the Blue Trophy for a sixth consecutive year.

PPL EnergyPlus will be the presenting sponsor of the game. Tickets can be purchased beginning on August 1 through www.comcasttix.com or by phone at 1-800-298-4200.

“This gives us the opportunity to move this great rivalry game to a larger stage,” said Nicastro. “PPL Park is an incredible venue and it will provide a truly memorable experience for both the teams and the fans. We are honored to be a part of the first-ever American football game at PPL Park.”

The all-time series between Villanova and Delaware dates back over 100 years to the first meeting between the teams in 1895. The Wildcats lead the series by a margin of 23-20-1 and have won five straight against the Blue Hens since the inception of the Battle of the Blue Trophy in 2006. As conference rivals, the teams have met each season since 1988 and Villanova head coach Andy Talley is 12-11 in his career versus Delaware.

PPL Park is the state-of-the-art home of the Philadelphia Union and has served as one of the key catalysts of the revitalization of the Chester Waterfront. The stadium is ideally located approximately 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.

The Philadelphia Union compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. The Union became MLS’s 16th team upon their entrance into the league in 2010. The team played its inaugural game on March 25, 2010, and the first-ever game at PPL Park on June 27, 2010. After 15 games in 2011, the Union are in a first place tie in the Eastern Conference with 23 points.

“On behalf of our entire organization we welcome Villanova University into our Union family and are delighted to join forces to bring this event to magnificent PPL Park in November,” said Philadelphia Union CEO & Operating Partner Nick Sakiewicz. “We are honored to be building a long term relationship with such a world class university and are very excited about our partnership and the future.”

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