The following is a list of the television networks and announcers that have broadcast the MLS Cup, which is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The MLS Cup Final was aired on English-language networks ABC from 1996 to 2008 and ESPN from 2009 to 2014. ESPN/ABC and Fox alternate as MLS Cup Final broadcasters since 2015, with the MLS Cup 2019 [1] [2] on ABC, their first MLS match since 2008. ABC also air four playoff matches including the MLS Cup 2021. [3] The MLS Cup has also been aired on Spanish-language networks TeleFutura in 2007 and 2008, [4] [5] Galavision from 2009 to 2011, [6] [7] TeleFutura/UniMás from 2012 to 2018, and Univision in 2019. ABC previously had Spanish announcers under secondary audio program.
Year | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Sideline reporter(s) | Studio host | Studio analyst(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | ABC [221] [222] [223] | Phil Schoen | Ty Keough | — | Rob Stone | John Harkes and Alexi Lalas [224] |
1998 | ABC [225] | Phil Schoen [226] [227] | Ty Keough [228] | Seamus Malin and Bill McDermott | Rob Stone | Julie Foudy |
1997 | ABC [229] [230] | Bob Ley [231] | Ty Keough [232] | Phil Schoen and Bill McDermott | Rob Stone | — |
1996 [233] | ABC [234] [235] [236] | Phil Schoen [237] | Ty Keough | Bill McDermott [238] | Roger Twibell | Alexi Lalas |
1996–2008 [192]
| 2009–present
|
In the Columbus area, the 2023 final was broadcast on radio station WBNS with play-by-play commentary from Chris Doran. In the Los Angeles area, the match was carried on radio stations KSPN in English and 980 AM La Mera Mera in Spanish. [269]
SiriusXM FC provided satellite radio coverage of the 2022 final with commentators Joe Tolleson, Tony Meola, and Keith Costigan. [19] For the Los Angeles radio market, the match was carried in English by ESPN 710 and in Spanish by KFWB 980. [42] In Philadelphia, Fox Sports Radio broadcast the match in English; [270] the Union also had a radio stream on their website with local television commentators JP Dellacamera and Danny Higginbotham. [19] [271]
The 2018 match was broadcast on the SiriusXM satellite radio network, with commentary from Joe Tolleson, Tony Meola, and Brian Dunseth. [272] The MLS Cup final was broadcast on television in over 170 countries, mainly on Eurosport and Fox Sports Latin America. [273] [274] The Dutch Eurosport broadcast marked the last match for commentator Frank Kramer, who spent most of the MLS Cup final giving monologues and telling stories instead of commenting on the match. [275]
The 2007 match was broadcast on local radio stations in New England and the Houston area. [276] [277] The 2005 match was also streamed via internet radio on MLSnet.com. [278] Radio coverage of the 2004 match was provided by the local teams in English and Radiovisa nationally in Spanish. It was also carried on the American Forces Radio Network internationally. [279] The 2003 match was broadcast live on radio within the U.S. on Sports Byline USA in English and Radio Unica in Spanish, and on the American Forces Radio Network internationally. [280] The 2000 match was carried via streaming radio on Internetsoccer.com with English commentary from Dave Johnson and Miami Fusion coach Ray Hudson. [191] [281] Local radio stations in the Chicago area also broadcast the match, including WIND-AM in Spanish and WNVR-AM in Polish. [281]
The 1998 match was broadcast by local radio affiliates in multiple languages. In Chicago, WZCH carried the English broadcast, WRZA carried Spanish commentary, and WKTA had the match in Polish. [282] The Spanish broadcast was aired on WACA in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area. [283]