While NBC Sports Group will show most of the MLS TV schedule, the ESPN Family of Networks is jumping in with a total of 21 regular season games, 11 on ESPN2, 9 on ESPN and one exclusively on ESPN Deportes. And while NBC Sports Network and NBC get some postseason action, ESPN will have the penultimate game, the MLS Cup.
We have the schedule plus some details from ESPN in the following press release.
ESPN’s 2012 Major League Soccer Schedule
The 17th season of Major League Soccer on ESPN will begin Monday, March 12, at 9:30 p.m. ET, on ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPN Deportes with the live telecast of the Portland Timbers vs. Philadelphia Union match from PGE Park in Portland, Ore. The inter-conference matchup will be the culmination of Major League Soccer’s First Kick 2012, a series of nationally televised matches to open the 2012 season-opening week (March 10-12).
Highlights of 2012 MLS season:
- All 21 (11 on ESPN2, nine on ESPN, one exclusively on ESPN Deportes) regular season matches will be available in high definition and carried on ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN3 and WatchESPN;
- Top three teams by appearances: current MLS champions Los Angeles Galaxy (eight), New York Red Bulls (seven) and Seattle Sounders (six);
- ESPN will televise the only regular season meeting between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, May 5, live from the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.;
- Two of the three SuperClásico matches between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA, Major League Soccer’s only intra-city rivalry (derby) matches, is exclusively on ESPN networks (Saturday, May 19, at 10:30 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 12, at 11 p.m.);
- Seven other matches will feature regional rivals – New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., in the East; Houston vs. Dallas in Texas; and Seattle vs. Portland in the Northwest;
- The 2012 MLS on ESPN series will include a number of international matches featuring MLS clubs, the MLS All-Star Game, several MLS Cup Playoffs matches and the 2012 MLS Cup (schedule TBD).
ESPN’s 2012 MLS Schedule
(Schedule Subject to Change)
Date Time (ET) Match Networks Mon, March 12 9:30 p.m. Portland Timbers vs. Philadelphia Union ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, March 25 4 p.m. New York Red Bulls vs. Colorado Rapids ESPN/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sat, April 7 5 p.m. Sporting Kansas City vs. Los Angeles Galaxy ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, April 22 6 p.m. DC United vs. New York Red Bulls ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Fri, May 4 11 p.m. Chivas USA vs. Chicago Fire ESPN Deportes Sat, May 5 8 p.m. Los Angeles Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls ESPN/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, May 13 1:30 p.m. Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sat, May 19 10:30 p.m. Chivas USA vs. Los Angeles Galaxy ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sat, June 16 5 p.m. Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, June 24 5 p.m. Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders ESPN/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sat, June 30 10 p.m. San Jose Earthquakes vs. Los Angeles Galaxy ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, July 8 3 p.m. Chicago Fire vs. Los Angeles Galaxy ESPN/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, July 15 4 p.m. New York Red Bulls vs. Seattle Sounders ESPN/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sat, July 21 2:30 p.m. New York Red Bulls vs. Philadelphia Union ESPN/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, Aug 5 10 p.m. Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles Galaxy ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, Aug 12 11 p.m. Chivas USA vs. Los Angeles Galaxy ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, Aug 26 9 p.m. Sporting Kansas City vs. New York Red Bulls ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Thu, Sept 20 8 p.m. Philadelphia Union vs. DC United ESPN2/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, Oct 7 9 p.m. Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers ESPN/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, Oct 21 9 p.m. Seattle Sounders vs. FC Dallas ESPN/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes Sun, Oct 28 9 p.m. Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders ESPN/ESPN3/ESPN Deportes
That will do it.
