SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that the club has signed its first New Stadium Founding Partner, 7UP Bottling, a subsidiary of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group. The six-year multi-million dollar deal comes just days after the Earthquakes established Sunday, Oct. 21 as the groundbreaking date for their new stadium. The partnership includes exclusive rights to the carbonated soft drink, iced tea and water categories.

“This is an exciting moment for both organizations as we work together to build the foundation for what will be Northern California’s premier soccer venue,” said Earthquakes President Dave Kaval. “7UP Bottling is the ideal first founding partner for this stadium. Our current partnership with 7UP has been a great success and we are thrilled to have them on board for our new stadium project.”

In addition to beverage rights, 7UP will be the presenting sponsor of the Epicenter Fan Zone both at games and for special events. The Epicenter Fan Zone will host live pregame entertainment and offers fans access to gourmet food options, activation tents and other activities. Meanwhile, 7UP will also incorporate a stadium-recycling program as part of a sustainability effort by the club and continue an annual A&W Root Beer Float Night, which in the past two years has raised $15,000 for local charities.

“We are proud to partner with the Earthquakes at this exciting time in their history and look forward to being a part of the fantastic fan experience the new stadium will bring” said James Fox, 7UP Bottling’s General Manager.

The Earthquakes began their relationship with 7UP Bottling in March of 2011, giving the company exclusive rights to offer its leading flavor brands, including Snapple, 7UP, A&W, Sunkist, RC Cola and Deja Blue Water, sampling booths in the Epicenter Fan Zone and A&W Root Beer Float Night.

More information about the Earthquakes’ new stadium project is available by visiting www.sjearthquakes.com/newstadium. Fans can guarantee priority seating in the new stadium and playoff ticket availability by placing a deposit on 2013 Earthquakes season tickets. For questions, call 408-556-7700.

About Dr Pepper Snapple

Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (NYSE: DPS) is the leading producer of flavored beverages in North America and the Caribbean. Our success is fueled by more than 50 brands that are synonymous with refreshment, fun and flavor. We have 6 of the top 10 non-cola soft drinks, and 9 of our 12 leading brands are No. 1 in their flavor categories. In addition to our flagship Dr Pepper and Snapple brands, our portfolio includes Sunkist soda, 7UP, A&W, Canada Dry, Crush, Mott's, Squirt, Hawaiian Punch, Peñafiel, Clamato, Schweppes, Venom Energy, Rose's and Mr & Mrs T mixers. To learn more about our iconic brands and Plano, Texas-based company, please visit www.drpeppersnapple.com.