The year 2023 is a whole new ball game for Major League Soccer. With the launch of MLS Season Pass, it means new pre-game and post-game shows for fans of MLS teams. It’s all part of the new Apple-MLS deal. And we have all the details.
Without the talent, the new MLS Season Pass programs would not be possible. So far, the league has hired 80 talented members ranging from commentators to co-casters, hosts, analysts and more.
All live MLS and Leagues Cup games are produced in MLS stadiums, including on-site talent, using a fleet of production units to produce simultaneous coverage of up to 14 games each game night. Live studio programming is created in a newly redeveloped production facility in New York City with a trio of state-of-the-art studios serving as the central hub for all MLS Season Pass studio programming.
Here’s what MLS came up with for 2023 and beyond.
MLS Season Pass Pregame: MLS Countdown
In the past, TV limitations sometimes meant there was little to no pre-game coverage of MLS. That ends now. With MLS Season Pass, where games are primarily on Saturday or Wednesday nights, the pregame show begins 30 minutes before kickoff. So, for example, for games that start at 7:30 pm local time (whether in the Eastern, Central, Mountain, or Pacific time zones), please allow 30 minutes of pregame coverage before your game begins.
Debuting with the 2023 MLS season, the pregame show is titled MLS Countdown. There is an English version and a different pregame show in Spanish.
In the English broadcasts, Jillian Sakovits and Andrew Wiebe are the hosts. They are joined by analysts Nigel Reo-Coker, Calen Carr, Shep Messing and Matt Doyle.
The Spanish-language broadcasts of MLS Countdown feature Tony Cherchi and Stefano Fusaro as hosts. They are joined by analysts Diego Valeri, Melissa Ortiz and Chelsea Cabarcas.
Lightning Show: MLS 360
With show hosts Liam McHugh (of NBC Sports) and Kaylyn Kyle (of beIN SPORTS), MLS has coined its interactive show MLS 360. McHugh and Kyle are joined by analysts Sacha Kljestan and Bradley Wright-Phillips, as well as rules expert Christina Unkel.
MLS 360 is the newest soccer show. It will be similar in concept to the popular Goal Rush and The Golazo Show. In MLS 360, it will provide live views of every game, so you can see all the goals and major game incidents happening simultaneously.
It’s the ideal way to watch MLS games if you just want to be entertained and have no interest in a specific team (or matchup).
While not available in Spanish, the concept is easy for Spanish-language viewers to follow, just as English-language viewers experience when watching Zona Futbol in Spanish on TUDN.
Post-match: MLS recap
Last but not least, the MLS Recap airs for 30 minutes after the game ends, bringing you post-game analysis and interviews with players and coaches. Coverage will be available in both English and Spanish.
During the season, we can expect almost all Saturday night games to start at 7:30 pm local time. That will be 29 Saturday nights during the regular season and six Wednesday nights. So expect the East Coast postgame shows to air from approximately 9:30 pm to 10 pm ET. And then the Pacific Coast final games will have post-game recap coverage between approximately 9:30pm and 10pm PT. However, MLS Season Pass has no time limitations. So if there’s a big topic of conversation after a game, the coverage can go well over 30 minutes.
MLS Wrap-Up hosts and analysts are the same as MLS Countdown (see MLS Countdown section above).
We are on the brink of an exciting chapter in the history of soccer broadcasting in the United States. Imagine if your favorite league, no matter what league it is, were given a clean slate, to create their own pre-game and post-game show. What would it look like?
With MLS Season Pass, MLS pre- and post-game coverage begins February 25. That also includes the interactive show, which will be available for free (along with the games) for the first weekend.
Major League Soccer Guide
Here are some resources to help you get the most out of the MLS Season Pass!
