Eight Matches in 3D – A First for Major League Soccer; 18 of 20 Regular-Season Telecasts on Sundays

The 18^th season of Major League Soccer on ESPN will begin Sunday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. ET, on ESPN2, ESPN 3D and ESPN Deportes with live telecast of the Portland Timbers vs. New York Red Bulls match from JELD-WEN Field in Portland, Ore.  The inter-conference matchup will kick off a series of 20 regular-season matches, 18 of which will be televised on a Sunday, making it the most consistent programming schedule for Major League Soccer on ESPN.  ESPN Deportes Radio will also broadcast all matches on ESPN television networks. 

Eight of the 20 Major League Soccer matches will be seen on ESPN 3D, the world’s first 24/7 all-sports 3D channel (seven live), marking the first time matches featuring teams in the top professional soccer league in the United States will be shown in 3D.

Commentators:

Play-by-play commentators Adrian Healey, analysts Taylor Twellman and Alexi Lalas (studio), and reporter Mónica González will handle English-language commentaries.  Richard Mendez and former New York/New Jersey MetroStars (New York Red Bulls) striker Giovanni Savarese return to call the matches in Spanish on ESPN Deportes. ESPN Deportes Radio broadcasts will feature Kenneth Garay, Elmer Polanco and Diego Cora in the booth.

Highlights of 2013 MLS season:

• All 19 (12 on ESPN2 and seven on ESPN) regular-season matches will be available in high definition, available on WatchESPN, and carried on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes Radio;
• ESPN2 will televise an additional match (TBD), bringing the total number of matches to 20;
• Top three teams by appearances: New York Red Bulls featuring 1998 FIFA World World Cup winner Thierry Henry (seven), back-to-back MLS champions Los Angeles Galaxy with U.S. National Team star Landon Donovan and Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane (six), and U.S. Men’s National Team star Eddie Johnson and the Seattle Sounders (five);
• ESPN will televise the only regular-season meeting between the New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday, May 19, live from the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.;
• Six matchups will feature regional rivals – New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., in the East; Houston vs. Dallas in Texas; Los Angeles vs. San Jose in California; and Seattle vs. Portland in the Northwest;
• The 2013 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 2013 MLS Cup (schedule TBD).

ESPN’s 2013 MLS Schedule

(Schedule Subject to Change)

* Match will air on delay on ESPN Deportes

** Match will air on delay on ESPN 3D

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