FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 28th, 2012
FINAL U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM GAME BEFORE THE OLYMPICS – FRIENDLY AGAINST CANADA – THIS SATURDAY, 1:30 P.M. ET ON NBC
NEW YORK – June 28, 2012 – NBC will broadcast a “friendly” game between the U.S. Women’s National team and the Canadian National team this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET, live from Salt Lake City, Utah. For Team USA, this is their final tune-up prior to the 2012 London Olympics.
Additionally, NBC Sports Network will air a primetime MLS Eastern Conference game between the #3 Sporting Kansas City and the #4 Chicago Fire, Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
COMMENTATORS: The NBC Sports Group’s lead soccer commentary team of Arlo White (@arlowhite, play-by-play), and Kyle Martino (@kylemartino, “Between the Benches” analyst) who will call the USA-Canada game while Russ Thaler (@RussThaler) will host the pre-game, halftime and post-game segments on-site.
NBC Sports Network’s MLS coverage will feature John Strong (play-by-play), in his first assignment for the network, alongside former MLS player and Olympian Brian Dunseth (“Between the Benches” analyst). Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic’s Brent Harris will serve as studio host live on-site from LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.
Strong, the play-by-play announcer for the Portland Timbers, and Dunseth will also call five MLS games on NBC Sports Network, while White and Martino are in London calling soccer for the 2012 Olympic Games.
WHITE ON THE USA TEAM: “The U.S. Women’s National team could be one of the great stories of this Olympic summer. They captured the hearts of a nation during last years’ World Cup, and there is a very good chance that they could go one better in London and claim the gold medal.”
MARTINO ON THE MATCH: “Last dress rehearsal for the U.S. Women before the big show. Their recent performances would suggest they are ready so this game against Canada will be a chance for the fans to see them in top gear one last time before they cross the pond.”
UPCOMING MLS GAMES ON NBC SPORTS NETWORK: (All Times ET, Home Team Listed First)
Sat., July 7, Seattle vs. Colorado, 11 p.m.
Sat., July 14, Portland vs. Los Angeles, 11 p.m.
Wed., July 18, San Jose vs. Dallas, 11 p.m.
For the full NBC Sports Group 2012 MLS Schedule visit www.NBCSports.com. Viewers can also follow all the action on Twitter @MLSonNBCSports.
ProSoccerTalk on NBCSports.com: Steve Davis (@SteveDavis90), a respected soccer journalist for more than two decades, is the featured writer for ProSoccerTalk on NBCSports.com. Davis, who has covered Major League Soccer, since its inception in 1996 contributes regular posts and will provide video reports to NBCSports.com, and is expected to be an occasional guest on NBC SportsTalk, the daily hour-long news and information show the new NBC Sports Network.
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Last August, Major League Soccer (MLS) and the NBC Sports Group announced a three-year media rights agreement that calls for 46 MLS games and four U.S. National Team contests to be televised live across both NBC and NBC Sports Network each season. This agreement was the first rights deal for the new NBC Sports Network. All telecasts on NBC and NBC Sports Network will consist of pre-game and post-game coverage.
