The final days of the 2022 MLS season are a bittersweet moment in league history. It marks the last time broadcast teams air MLS games across regional sports networks across the United States. That means for the last time fans of MLS teams can hear the familiar voices of broadcasters, analysts and reporters.
The growth of MLS on TV
Since 1996, when the league was launched, going to the stadiums to watch games was one thing. But growing a fandom would be much bigger than that. How would broadcasters get people to watch games on television?
First, ESPN stepped up to broadcast games nationally. The rest fell to local TV stations and regional sports networks. Those two carried the weight of MLS games, both home and away.
Games were held in traditional football stadiums such as Giants Stadium, the Cotton Bowl, the Rose Bowl, and Arrowhead Stadium. MLS regional broadcast teams were there the entire time as clubs moved into their own stadiums, with a few exceptions.
After years of watching his team in MLS, the talent’s passion and experience came through on television. You grew up with these announcers. A memorable goal chant or catchphrase is etched in the minds of MLS fans across the country.
A new era with Apple TV
When the new era of Apple TV begins streaming in 2023, it will be interesting to see which broadcast teams make the jump from regional sports networks to Apple. At the same time, will these new broadcast teams do their work in stadiums or within a centralized location?
As we wait for MLS to answer the fundamental questions ahead of the 2023 season, let’s salute all the broadcast teams and broadcast partners who have done an amazing job spending weekends and weekdays announcing the games, breaking them down for everyone. fans and having conversations with the print media.
Goodbye to MLS regional broadcast teams
ATLANTA: Bally Sports South/Southeast: Kevin Egan, Maurice Edu, Jillian Sakovits
AUSTIN: KNVA, KBVO: Adrian Healey, Michael Lahoud
CHARLOTTE: WSOC, WAXN: Eric Krakauer, Lloyd Sam, Katie Witham
CHICAGO: WGN Sports: Arlo White, Tyler Terens, Tony Meola, Dan Kelly
CINCINNATI:WSTR: Tom Scholar, Kevin McCloskey
COLORADO: High altitude sports: Richard Fleming, Marcelo Balboa
COLUMBUS: Bally Sports Ohio/Great Lakes: Dwight Burgess, Bill McDermott, Neil Sika, Jordan Angeli, Brett Hiltbrand
DC UNITED: NBC Sports Washington: Dave Johnson, Tony Limarzi, Devin McTavish, Claudia Pagan
DALLAS:KTXA: Mark Followill, Owen Newkirk, Steve Davis, Sam Hale, Garrett Melcer
HOUSTON: AT&T Sportsnet Southwest: Glenn Davis, Eddie Robinson, Daniela Rodriguez
KANSAS CITY: Bally Sports KC, WMCI: Nate Bukaty, Jacob Peterson, Aly Trost
LA GALAXY: Spectrum Sportsnet: LA Joe Tutino, Cobi Jones, Nikki Kay
LAFC:KCOP: Max Bretos, Angela Hucles, Warren Barton, Mariano Trujillo, Lori Lindsey, Heath Pearce, Rodolfo Landeros, Christopher Sullivan, Aly Wagner, Jordan Harvey, Mark Rogondino
MIAMI: WFOR, WBFS, WAXY: Andrés Cordero, Chris Wittyngham, Ray Hudson, Kaylyn Kyle, Thomas Rongen
MINNESOTA: Bally Sports North: Callum Williams, Charlie Beattie, Kyndra de St. Aubin
MONTREAL Spanish:TSN: Vic Rauter, Greg Sutton, Steven Caldwell
MONTREAL French:TVA Sports: Frederic Lord, Vincent Destouches, Nicolas Martineau
NASHVILLE: WZTV, WUXP, WNAB: Tony Husband, Jamie Watson
NEW ENGLAND: NBC SPORTS Boston, WBZ, WSBK: Brad Feldman, Charlie Davies, Naoko Funayama
NY RED BULLS:MSG NETWORKS: Steve Cangialosi, Shep Messing, Michelle Gingras, Tina Cervasio
NYCFC: SI Network: Joe Tolleson, Ian Paul Joy
ORLANDO: WRBW: Evan Weston, Michael Gallardo, Lovely Gabrielle
PHILADELPHIA: WPHL, WPVI, NBC Sports Philadelphia: JP Dellacamera, Danny Higginbotham, Tommy Smyth, Marisa Pilla
PORTLAND: Root Sports Northwest, KPTV, KPDX: Christian Miles, Jake Sivin, Ross Smith, Liam Ridgewell
SALT LAKE CITY: WMYU, KYUU, KHSV, KNSN: David James, Greg Wrubell, Bill Riley, Brain Dunseth
SAN JOSE: NBC SPORTS Bay Area/California: Anthony Passarelli, Chris Dangerfield, Danielle Slaton
SEATTLE: KCPQ, KZJO: Keith Costigan, Kasey Keller, Steve Zakuani
TORONTO: TSN Channels: Luke Wileman, Steven Caldwell, Kevin Kilbane
VANCOUVER: TSN Channels: Peter Schaad, Blake Price, Paul Dolan, Shantelle Chand
Photo Credit: IMAGO/Icon Sportswire
