3/12 – Major League Soccer Returns to ESPN

ESPN’s 17th 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.  

2012 Schedule: