As the official Canadian broadcaster of Major League Soccer (MLS), TSN today announced its MLS ON TSN broadcast schedule for the 2016 regular season, which culminates with MLS CUP 2016, one of the 60+ championship events that live on TSN.
The new season kicks off with an Opening Day doubleheader on Sunday, March 6 with all three Canadian teams hitting the pitch. 2015 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Award winner Sebastian Giovinco and Toronto FC kick off the new campaign by taking on striker Bradley Wright-Phillips and New York Red Bulls at 1:30 p.m. ET on TSN4. This is followed up by an all-Canadian opener featuring global superstar Didier Drogba and the Montreal Impact visiting 2015 Whitecaps FC BMO Player of the Year Kendall Waston and Vancouver Whitecaps FC at 5:30 p.m. ET on TSN1 and TSN3.
The MLS ON TSN 62-game broadcast schedule includes at least one Canadian team – Montreal Impact, Toronto FC, or Vancouver Whitecaps FC – in every game and more games than any other network in the country.
In total, the MLS ON TSN package includes:
- All 34 Vancouver Whitecaps FC matches
- 23 Toronto FC matches
- 10 Montreal Impact matches
- Live streaming of all 62 games on TSN GO
Confirmed broadcast times for 10 TFC games, as well as a slate of matches featuring U.S.-based teams will be added to the MLS ON TSN broadcast schedule in the coming weeks.
MLS ON TSN delivers exclusive live Canadian coverage of the MLS CUP Playoffs, MLS CUP 2016, and the league’s best players taking on Barclays Premier League titans Arsenal in the 2016 AT&T MLS ALL-STAR GAME from Avaya Stadium, home of the San Jose Earthquakes.
After Toronto FC’s eight-game road trip to begin the season, TSN will air the club’s home opener against FC Dallas at the newly renovated BMO Field on Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TSN4. Renovations to BMO Field included major upgrades to canopies over the stands that will be on full display for the 30,000 expected fans in attendance, as well as those watching on TSN.
The MLS ON TSN broadcast schedule also features two games from MLS Decision Day, the culmination of the regular season that sees crucial games played simultaneously to decide which teams make the playoffs. On Sunday, Oct. 23, TSN airs a Decision Day doubleheader, with Vancouver Whitecaps FC hosting the defending MLS Cup champion Portland Timbers at 4 p.m. ET on TSN1, and the Chicago Fire visiting Toronto FC at 4 p.m. ET on TSN4.
Broadcast Team
MLS ON TSN’s coverage is led by play-by-play commentator Luke Wileman and analysts Jason deVos and Kristian Jack. TSN soccer commentators Vic Rauter, Nigel Reed, and Greg Sutton, Peter Schaad, and Nick Dasovic will also handle broadcasting duties throughout the 2016 MLS season.
For news and analysis from around the league, fans can visit TSN.ca for soccer columns by Wileman, deVos, and Jack, as well as TSN soccer experts Noel Butler and Gareth Wheeler.
TSN Radio
Throughout the season, TSN Radio stations across the country deliver comprehensive news and analysis of the MLS. Live game coverage is also available on the following stations:
- TSN Radio 1040 and 1410 in Vancouver – all Vancouver Whitecaps FC matches
- TSN Radio 690 in Montreal – all Montreal Impact matches
- TSN Radio 1050 in Toronto – select Toronto FC matches
Fans across the country can also listen live wherever they are on the TSN GO mobile app and online at TSN.ca/Radio.