Major League Soccer on ESPN

ESPN’s 17^th season of Major League Soccer action kicks off Monday, March 12, at 9:30 p.m. ET, on ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPN Deportes with the Portland Timbers vs. Philadelphia Union match live from Portland, Ore.  The season opener marks the MLS regular-season debut for ESPN’s new lead match analyst Taylor Twellman.

In all, ESPN platforms – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio, ESPN3, WatchESPN and ESPN Mobile TV – will air 20 regular season MLS matches during the 2012 season.

Twellman, one of the league’s best strikers for eight years (2002-2010) with the New England Revolution before his career was prematurely cut short after suffering from multiple concussions, will pair with soccer play-by-play commentatorAdrian Healey.  Mónica González, former captain and pioneer member of the Mexican Women’s National Soccer Team, is also joining the ESPN MLS team as the primary sideline reporter.  She’ll make her debut in that role Monday in Portland.

The ESPN MLS season opener will also feature onsite studio presence from JELD-WEN Field with host Todd Grisham and analysts Alexi Lalas and former Seattle Sounders FC and U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Kasey Keller, in his first appearance as a studio analyst for ESPN.

Lalas, ESPN’s lead studio analyst for soccer, will report from match sites throughout the season, joining Twellman during pre-, halftime and post-game segments to discuss the week’s major news and issues in the sport, focusing mostly on Major League Soccer.   Highlights of the MLS on ESPN platforms:

ESPN’s English-language networks will combine to televise 20 MLS regular season matches (11 on ESPN2 and nine on ESPN).  Additionally, World Football Challenge, MLS Playoffs, MLS All-Star Game and the MLS Cup will also be part of the schedule.  All matches will be available in high definition.

MLS matches on the 24-hour Spanish-language sports network will feature play-by-play commentator Richard Mendez and former Major League Soccer forward Giovanni Savarese as the analyst.

Veteran soccer commentator Jorge Ramos, better known as “el relator de las Américas” (commentator of the Americas), and analyst Hernan Pereyra will call MLS matches on ESPN Deportes Radio, including  the MLS All-Star Game and the MLS Cup.

ESPN’s live multi-screen sports network currently in 72 million homes will provide live simulcasts of all ESPN2 MLS matches, including the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game on July 25 at the PPL Park, home of the Philadelphia Union, and the 2012 MLS Cup.

The network is available online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and through ESPN on Xbox LIVE.  Additionally, all MLS matches carried on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3 will be made available through WatchESPN for fans who are video subscribers of an affiliated provider.  ESPN Mobile TV will also carry select MLS matches throughout the season.

Beginning this week with a comprehensive MLS season preview, ESPN.com will provide news and information throughout the season with reporters Jeff Carlisle and Leander Schaerlaeckens.  The site will feature the weekly Power Rankings by Carlisle, MLS Notebook, as well as select match coverage, reactions and features on league issues and players.

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