Thursday, March 4, 2004

 

TAMPA, FL - United Soccer Leagues announced today the 20-game schedule for its 2004 Fox Sports World broadcasts. The lineup features 13 Friday night A-League regular season match-ups and two A-League playoff matches as well as the A-League, Pro Soccer League, Premier Development League and W-League championship matches and a Super Y-League Finals highlight show.

For the second season, Fox Sports World Canada will air all of the regular season A-League games, as well as the two A-League playoff games and the A-League Championship match. Five of the 13 regular season matches feature at least one Canadian team, with two of those all-Canadian affairs.

"We are very excited to unveil this season's broadcast schedule," says USL Chief Executive Officer Dave Askinas.  "Our fans have grown accustomed to watching our Friday night broadcasts on the most popular nationwide soccer channel, Fox Sports World.  Our fans north of the border will also get to see their favorite teams in action as Fox Sports World Canada has picked up the entire A-League portion of the lineup.  We are pleased to be able to showcase our newest franchises in Calgary, Edmonton and Puerto Rico. In short, the broadcasts are must-see events for every North American soccer fan."

All of the Friday night broadcasts will air at either 8:00 or 11:00pm EST, with all but one of the matches being shown live.  Each of the 16 A-League teams are featured at least once during the season.  The schedule kicks off with a return to the site of last year's championship match as the Charleston (SC) Battery host the Portland Timbers at Blackbaud Stadium.

USL and Fox Sports World are in the third year of a five-year broadcast deal.  Play-by-play announcers for 2004 will include Dave Johnson, Paul Dolan and Sean Wheelock, while color commentary will be provided by Dick Howard, Kenn Tomasch, Peter Schaad and Steve Bell.