Week 1 LIVE to Offer Unparalleled Season Kickoff Coverage
Digital “whip around” show to bring fans in on the action as all 20 MLS clubs kick off on the same day
Republished News from MLS – Major League Soccer announced details for MLS Soccer Sunday: Week 1 LIVE, a digital “whip around” show that will bring fans closer to the action on March 6, as all 20 MLS clubs kick off the season on a single day. MLSsoccer.com’s most comprehensive season-opening coverage, MLS Soccer Sunday: Week 1 LIVE, will air on MLSsoccer.com, and on the digital platforms of the league’s media partners — ESPN3 and FOX Sports GO – beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Additional streaming partners will be announced in the coming days.
The premium second-screen experience will provide MLS fans with nearly four hours of enhanced access to the full slate of Week 1 action with 2016 season club previews, live look-ins to the first six matches of the day, in-depth analysis of the game action as well as live on-site reports from Chicago and Portland, all leading in to the four nationally-broadcast matches that evening.
With social media correspondents at all 10 venues, the show will encourage fan engagement, creating a truly interactive program, by integrating social media activity and user-generated content curated through the hashtag #SoccerSunday.
“MLS Soccer Sunday: Week 1 LIVE will allow MLS fans to engage with our opening weekend in a whole new way. Using the latest technology and great personalities, Week 1 Live will unite soccer nations on one of the most important soccer days of the year,” said MLS Digital Sr. Vice President & GM, Chris Schlosser.
Returning from last season’s coverage of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs is host Russ Thaler who will be joined by special in-studio analysts MLS veteran Jason Kreis, former MLS and U.S. Men’s National Team defender and KICKTV host Heath Pearce, and former MLS forward Calen Carr who played eight seasons split between the Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo. In addition, fans will hear from MLSsoccer.com’s Matt Doyle and FutbolMLS.com’s Diego Pinzon, Fusion’s Kevin Brown and long-time MLSsoccer.com contributor Katie Witham in the studio, while Kristen Kenney will be reporting on-site in Chicago and Jillian Sakovits live from Portland.
Rounding out the coverage will be insight from general manager of the Professional Referee Organization and former English Premier League referee Peter Walton to address all officiating matters throughout the day.
MLS Soccer Sunday Week 1 Schedule
1 p.m. ET, MLS Soccer Sunday: Week 1 LIVE (MLSsoccer.com, WatchESPN, FOX Sports GO)
1:30 p.m. ET, New York Red Bulls vs. Toronto FC (TSN4, RDS2)
2 p.m. ET, Orlando City SC vs. Real Salt Lake (MLS LIVE)
2 p.m. ET, Chicago Fire vs. New York City FC (MLS LIVE)
3 p.m. ET, Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution (MLS LIVE)
3 p.m. ET, San Jose Earthquakes vs. Colorado Rapids (MLS LIVE)
3 p.m. ET, FC Dallas vs. Philadelphia Union (MLS LIVE)
4:30 p.m. ET, Portland Timbers vs. Columbus Crew SC (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
5:30 p.m. ET, Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Montreal Impact (TSN1/3, RDS)
7 p.m. ET, Seattle Sounders FC vs. Sporting Kansas City (FS1, FOX Deportes)
10 p.m. ET, LA Galaxy vs. D.C. United (UniMás)
Source: MLS (www.MLSsoccer.com)
