MLS games will be shown on three different broadcast channels in the USA: Fox Sports 1, ESPN, and Univision. In Canada, TSN will be broadcasting in English, while TVN will be broadcasting in French. A total of 86 games will be nationally broadcast in the States.
Minnesota matches will be broadcast on national television eight times throughout the upcoming season. The Loons will be on FS1 three times and on the ESPN family of networks five times. No word yet on what local channel will carry games this season.
Fox Sports
All times Central
Friday, March 3, 8:30 p.m. at Portland Timbers
Sunday, May 7, 12:30 p.m.vs. Sporting Kansas City
Sunday, Aug. 20, 9:00 p.m. at Seattle Sounders
ESPN
Sunday, March 12, 4:00 p.m. vs. Atlanta United
Sunday, May 21, 4:00 p.m. at Los Angeles Galaxy
Saturday, June 3, 4:00 p.m. at Sporting Kansas City
Saturday, July 22, 3:00 p.m. vs. New York Red Bulls
Sunday, Aug. 13, 5:00 p.m. at Atlanta United
Former Minnesota United FC defender Damion Lowe was announced as a signing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Lowe spent last year on loan with Minnesota from the Seattle Sounders. The 23 year-old was a first-choice center back last year for the Loons and started 25 of the 27 games he appeared in. He earned his first international cap for Jamaica last October against Guyana. Good luck to him as he joins Tampa Bay.
Dream Team #MNUFC | #SuperDraft pic.twitter.com/YaxF8yGcOM
— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) January 13, 2017
The picture above was tweeted out just before the MLS Superdraft on Friday. It featured three coaches that had not been announced by the team at the time. Today Star Tribune confirmed the other three. Ian Fuller is the lone holdover from last season, having joined the Loons from Orlando during the 2016 campaign. Marius Rovde joins as the goal keeping coach from Vancouver. Mark Watson left Orlando when Adrian Heath left last July and will join Inchy in Minnesota.
Read more about new #FCCincy ??s @DarylFordyce and @Bahnes_17.
RELEASE: https://t.co/aLatHHW6FV pic.twitter.com/GEIN2qyfNI
— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) January 16, 2017
Daryl Fordyce and Matt Bahner — seen above doing their best impressions of the main character light-side and dark-side options from Knights of the Old Republic — formerly of FC Edmonton and Jacksonville Armada respectively, have signed with USL side FC Cincinnati. With both the NASL and USL receiving Division II status from the USSF, the USL could gain an advantage by pulling more players from NASL. Fordyce and Bahner will have to get used to playing in front of large crowds as FC Cincinnati averaged over 17,000, much more than Edmonton or Jacksonville managed to pull.
From AP:
“The first trial is scheduled for October, and the investigation continues,” [Lynch] added.
The American case alleges bribery, fraud, money laundering, and racketeering, including in the award of hosting rights for FIFA’s showpiece World Cup and broadcasting rights for the tournament’s qualifying matches and other international competitions.”
The scandal brought down ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter in October 2015. Two high-ranking CONCACAF members also plead guilty. Former CONCACAF president, Jeffrey Webb of the Cayman Islands, is currently awaiting trial in Atlanta. Chuck Blazer also plead guilty; Blazer was CONCACAF’s number 2 official from 1990-2011. It will be interesting to see how these trials play out and if it will affect CONCACAF further.
PRFC is not entered in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship (the islands’ version of a champions league). Historically, Puerto Rican teams could enter even if they played in American rather than Caribbean leagues. It looks like the club is appealing to the Puerto Rican Federation to step up and get both the CFU and CONCACAF to allow them to participate.
Given that the CFU let in both Police of Montserrat and Flames United of Sint Maarten, despite neither team even playing in a local competition last year, it seems odd that Puerto Rico FC wouldn’t be allowed into the tournament. CFU hasn’t accepted Puerto Rican teams since 2014 when the national league champions, Bayamón, played in the CFU Club Championship.
Puerto Rico FC surprised by CONCACAF’s announcement regarding #CFU’s 2017 Club Championship. #CFUClubChampionship https://t.co/KYncZygZOg
— Puerto Rico FC (@PRFootballClub) January 16, 2017
Additional research courtesy of FiftyFive.One contributor Ben Mack.
The video above offers an in-depth look at the 2016 season for the NASL. No word if there will be a video from the USSF meetings.
Now THIS is how you begin a column. https://t.co/AABo8P0A5u pic.twitter.com/AB2exvhYeH
— Aaron Stollar (@aaronstol) January 16, 2017
More Loons fans have received some pretty awesome tattoos, per Chris Lidholm:
This is above and beyond when it comes to dedication and support for @MNUFC. Well done !@cpio0921 @doughboy767 @jer22gk @xjoeymillerx pic.twitter.com/lV2obez8YH
— Chris Lidholm (@chrislidholm) January 16, 2017
Tags: Des Moines Menace, FC Cincinnati, FIFA, jackson yueill, Minnesota United FC, MLS, NASL, Puerto Rico FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies
