FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

NBCSN PRESENTS TWO TOP MLS MATCHUPS THIS WEEKEND

Portland Timbers Host Colorado Rapids Friday at 10 p.m. ET

Seattle Sounders Travel to Los Angeles to Face Galaxy Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET

New Episode of MLS Insider Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET

Stamford, Conn. – September 18, 2013 – NBCSN presents two Major League Soccer matches this weekend featuring four top tier Western Conference teams. The Portland Timbers (10-5-13, 43 pts.) host the Colorado Rapids (12-8-9, 45 pts.) Friday at 10 p.m. ET, and the Seattle Sounders FC (15-8-4, 49 pts.) travel to Los Angeles to face the Galaxy (13-10-5, 44 pts.) Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET. In addition, a new episode of MLS Insider debuts Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports Group’s MLS lead play-by-play announcer John Strong alongside analyst Kyle Martino and host Russ Thaler will call both matches on-site Friday and Saturday.

John Strong on Colorado (No. 3 Western Conference)-Portland (No. 5): “It’s amazing how tight both conferences are, and we’re being blessed with some really intriguing matchups each week. Colorado has had a remarkable turnaround this summer, and seems to still be flying under the radar. Their two recent pickups have added a new dimension to Oscar Pareja’s squad that I’m looking forward to seeing in person. In contrast, since they beat the Rapids late in June, the Timbers have cooled off a little bit, but they’ll have a white-hot atmosphere behind them on Friday. Can the Timbers Army help give Portland that fall push to their first playoff berth?”

Kyle Martino on Seattle (No. 1)-Los Angeles (No. 4): “Red hot Seattle has perfect test against reigning champions LA. Time to see if Seattle can become Super Sounders.”

MLS INSIDER: This week’s episode of MLS Insider features Seattle Sounders FC forward Eddie Johnson and the challenges he hurdled to reach the U.S. Men’s National Team and become a 2012 MLS All-Star and Newcomer of the Year, a nostalgic look back at the rise and fall of the Miami Fusion, and the tale of the most entertaining SuperDraft moment in MLS history.

Produced by Hock Films, which is led by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Hock, MLS Insider includes in-depth features, rich storytelling and behind-the scenes access.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will stream coverage of Colorado-Portland and Seattle-Los Angeles via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

NBC Sports Network will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

About NBC Sports Group’s Soccer Coverage

NBC Sports Group’s networks and platforms are leading destinations for soccer fans in the U.S. Its soccer portfolio includes Major League Soccer (MLS), U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team matches, the men’s and women’s Olympic soccer tournaments, and the Premier League. NBCUniversal, via the NBC Sports Group, is the home for all 380 Premier League matches, as well as comprehensive shoulder programming. NBCUniversal’s Telemundo and mun2 also provide comprehensive Spanish-language soccer coverage. Both channels will air Premier League matches, as well as serve as the U.S. Spanish-language home for the FIFA World Cup from 2015 through 2022. Online, ProSoccerTalk on NBCSports.com provides comprehensive coverage of the sport, from the Premier League to MLS to the U.S. National Team and other key international soccer stories.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit www.NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

– NBC SPORTS GROUP –