I don’t think I have ever had a Major League Soccer-centric post on this blog. Well, there’s a first time for everything. First, Fox Soccer Channel kicks off its MLS schedule with a preview show this Friday.
FOX SOCCER CHANNEL KICK-STARTS 2010 COVERAGE OF MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER2010 MLS Season Preview from Red Bull Arena Premieres Friday, March 19 at 8 p.m. ETLos Angeles, CA (March 15, 2010) – Fox Soccer Channel begins its extensive season-long coverage of Major League Soccer with the 2010 MLS Season Preview Show from Red Bull Arena on Friday, March 19 at 8 p.m. ET.This hour-long look at America’s premier soccer league – the only program of its kind among MLS’s national broadcast partners – goes on location at the new 25,000 seat home of the New York Red Bulls in Harrison, N.J. MLS fans will get an insider’s look at this architecturally-stunning, $200-million soccer cathedral.Beginning with a review of the 2009 season which culminated with Real Salt Lake capturing its first MLS Cup title, host Mark Rogondino will then take an in-depth look at the prospects of all 16 MLS teams, detailing off-season personnel changes as squads gear up for the new campaign.The 2010 season features a number of intriguing developments. In addition to the unveiling of Red Bull Arena, expansion franchise Philadelphia Union will make its debut under head coach Peter Nowak and the Seattle Sounders will look to break their own league attendance record set last year. The 2010 MLS Season Preview Show will feature interviews and insights from Real Salt Lake head coach Jason Kreis as well as star players Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando, plus Brian Ching, Brad Davis and head coach Dominic Kinnear from the Houston Dynamo, among many other league figures.Rogondino will close the program with his predictions for the 2010 season and a preview of Fox Soccer Channel’s opening-weekend doubleheader on Saturday, March 27. That day, America’s ultimate soccer network kicks off its enticing 34-match MLS Saturday on FSC slate with a live five-hour telecast. Coverage begins with a half-hour pre-game show at 8:30 p.m. ET before the San Jose Earthquakes host defending champion Real Salt Lake at 9 p.m. Immediately thereafter, 2009 MLS Cup finalists Los Angeles Galaxy battle the New England Revolution at 11 p.m.WHAT: 2010 MLS Season Preview Show from Red Bull ArenaWHEN: Premieres Friday, March 19 at 8 p.m. ET– Visit foxsoccer.com for rebroadcast timesHOW: Fox Soccer Channel is available through affiliated cable systems including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter and Cox, as well as through DirecTV, Dish Network, AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FiOS. For more information, visit Fox Soccer Channel online at foxsoccer.com.
Next, Comcast SportsNet New England will air most of the New England Revolution’s games this season.
Revolution and Comcast SportsNet announce TV partnershipBeginning this season, Revs matches will be telecast in HD on the regional sports network with Brad Feldman and Jay Heaps calling the actionFOXBOROUGH and BURLINGTON, Mass – The New England Revolution and Comcast SportsNet are happy to announce that the regional sports network will be the team’s exclusive 2010 television partner in New England. All Comcast SportsNet telecasts will be delivered in high definition and begin on April 3 when the Revolution travel to face D.C. United in Washington, D.C.“We are very excited to partner with Comcast SportsNet to bring the Revolution in high definition to our fans across New England,” Revolution Chief Operating Officer Brian Bilello said. “Having high-definition television telecasts was one of our priorities this year, and Comcast SportsNet has been a market leader in sports programming for many years. Comcast SportsNet is a true regional player, reaching 4 million homes throughout New England, which allows us to expand the geographic distribution of our matches to more fans. Comcast SportsNet also has an impressive lineup of ancillary sports content. Taken together, this is a tremendous partnership for both the Revolution and Comcast SportsNet,” Bilello continued.“The Revolution have been competitive year after year in Major League Soccer, and we are excited to bring them to Comcast SportsNet,” said Bill Bridgen, Comcast SportsNet executive vice president and general manager. “There is no shortage of soccer fans in the region and working with the Revolution will allow us to reach new audiences and help expand the Revolution’s brand.”Veteran soccer broadcaster Brad Feldman returns for his 10th season with the Revolution and will handle play-by-play duties for all matches airing on Comcast SportsNet. He will be joined in the booth by Revolution legend and Longmeadow, Mass., product Jay Heaps, who begins his first season as color analyst after retiring from the Revolution in December following a stellar 11-year MLS career.Kraft Sports Productions will again produce every regionally-televised Revolution match. In 2010, Comcast SportsNet will broadcast 27 of the Revolution’s 30 matches, beginning with the team’s April 3 match at D.C. United.About Comcast SportsNetComcast SportsNet reaches more than 4 million households in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Comcast SportsNet’s programming includes the Boston Celtics, Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight, Celtics Now, New England Tailgate, and Net Impact. Comcast SportsNet’s partnership with the 17-time NBA Champion Boston Celtics is the longest team-regional sports network relationship in New England and the fourth longest in professional sports. Comcast SportsNet New England is owned and managed by Comcast Sports Group. Visit www.comcastsportsnet.com for more information.About the New England RevolutionThe Revolution is the Northeast region’s premier professional soccer team. Operated by the Kraft Family, which also owns the New England Patriots, the Revolution is based at the state-of-the-art Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., where the club plays its home games. A founding member of Major League Soccer in 1996, the Revolution has played for the MLS Cup four times in the last decade, while advancing to the Eastern Conference Championship game in six straight years (2002-07), an MLS record. The Revolution also won the 2007 U.S. Open Cup and the 2008 SuperLiga title. The Revolution roster features a mix of former top U.S. collegiate stars, as well as up-and-coming international talent, highlighted by the 2005 MLS Most Valuable Player and scoring champion, forward Taylor Twellman, and 2009 MLS MVP finalist Shalrie Joseph. The Revs’ roster also includes players from all over the world, including Costa Rica, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Honduras, Lithuania, Senegal and Zimbabwe. Visit revolutionsoccer.net for more information.MARCHSat. 27 – at LA Galaxy (Carson, Calif.), 11:00 p.m., FSC/FSEAPRILSat. 3 – at D.C. United (Washington, D.C.), 7:30 p.m., CSNSat. 10 – Toronto FC (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:30 p.m., CSNSat. 17 – at San Jose Earthquakes (Santa Clara, Calif.), 10:00 p.m., CSNSat. 24 – Colorado Rapids (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:30 p.m., CSNMAYSat. 1 – FC Dallas (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:30 p.m., CSNWed. 5 – Chivas USA (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:30 p.m., CSNSat. 8 – at Columbus Crew (Columbus, Ohio), 7:00 p.m., FSC/FSESat. 15 – San Jose Earthquakes (Foxborough, Mass.), 6:00 p.m., CSNSat. 22 – at Toronto FC (Toronto, Ontario), 4:00 p.m., CSNSat. 29 – New York Red Bulls (Foxborough, Mass.), 8:00 p.m., GalavisionJUNESat. 5 – at Seattle Sounders FC (Seattle, Wash.), 10:30 p.m., CSNSun. 27 – Chicago Fire (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:00 p.m., CSNJULYFri. 2 – at Real Salt Lake (Sandy, Utah), 10:00 p.m., CSNSat. 10 – LA Galaxy (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:30 p.m., CSNSat. 31 – at Philadelphia Union (Chester, Pa.), 3:30 p.m., CSNAUGUSTSat. 7 – D.C. United (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:30 p.m., CSNSat. 14 – Houston Dynamo (Foxborough, Mass.), 8:00 p.m., CSNWed. 18 – at Chicago Fire (Bridgeview, Ill.), 8:30 p.m., CSNSat. 21 – at Kansas City Wizards (Kansas City, Kan.), 8:30 p.m., CSNSat. 28 – Philadelphia Union (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:30 p.m., CSNSEPTEMBERSat. 4 – Seattle Sounders FC (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:30 p.m., CSNFri. 10 – at Chivas USA (Carson, Calif.), 10:30 p.m., CSNSat. 18 – at Colorado Rapids (Commerce City, Colo.), 9:00 p.m., CSNWed. 22 – at FC Dallas (Frisco, Texas), 8:30 p.m., CSNSat. 25 – Columbus Crew (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:30 p.m., CSNOCTOBERSat. 2 – Real Salt Lake (Foxborough, Mass.), 7:30 p.m., CSNSun. 10 – at Houston Dynamo (Houston, Texas), 8:30 p.m., CSNSat. 16 – Kansas City Wizards (Foxborough, Mass.), 8:00 p.m., CSNThurs. 21 – at New York Red Bulls (Harrison, N.J.), 7:30 p.m., ESPN2/Deportes
That does it for this post.
