The 2012 MLS regular season kicks off on March 10 and ends October 28. Playoffs conclude with the MLS Cup Championship Game on Dec. 1, at the home field of one of the two finalists.
Television coverage of MLS games will be carried on three network families – NBC, ESPN and Univision. In August 2011, MLS announced a 3-year deal with NBC Sports Group, replacing an expired contract with Fox Sports. The partnership calls for 45 MLS games and four USMNT contests to be televised live across both NBC and NBC Sports Network each season.
The 2012 MLS season is the longest it’s ever been, in part to accommodate FIFA fixture dates. The conflicts of previous years meant MLS players had to choose between club duties and the opportunity for national team experience. Last fall, FIFA President Sepp Blatter renewed calls on the MLS to adopt the international calendar, which typically runs August to May.
However, reasons for a March to November season remain. If the schedule shifted to the international calendar, soccer would have to compete directly against mainstream US sports, including professional and college football. Games would also be played over the winter months, a near impossibility for northern cities like Toronto.
The 2012 MLS TV Schedule:
Date | Time (ET) | Teams | Network |
---|---|---|---|
Sun, March 11 | 3:00 pm | FC Dallas vs. New York Red Bulls | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, March 11 | 7:00 pm | Chivas USA vs. Houston Dynamo | Galavision |
Mon, March 12 | 9:30 pm | Portland Timbers vs. Philadelphia Union | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Sun, March 18 | 4:00 pm | Philadelphia Union vs. Colorado Rapids | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, March 18 | 7:00 pm | LA Galaxy vs. D.C. United | Galavision |
Fri, March 23 | 10:00 pm | Seattle Sounders vs. Houston Dynamo | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, March 25 | 4:00 pm | New York Red Bulls vs. Colorado Rapids | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
Sun, March 25 | 7:00 pm | Sporting Kansas City vs. FC Dallas | Galavision |
Fri, March 30 | 7:30 pm | D.C. United vs. FC Dallas | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, March 31 | 11:00 pm | LA Galaxy vs. New England Revolution | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, April 7 | 5:00 pm | Sporting Kansas City vs. LA Galaxy | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Sun, April 1 | 7:00 pm | Colorado Rapids vs. Chicago Fire | Galavision |
Sat, April 7 | 3:00 pm | Columbus Crew vs. New York Red Bulls | Galavision |
Sat, April 14 | 3:30 pm | Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, April 15 | 7:00 pm | Chicago Fire vs. Houston Dynamo | Galavision |
Sat, April 21 | 3:30 pm | Toronto FC vs. Chicago Fire | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, April 22 | 6:00 pm | D.C. United vs. New York Red Bulls | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Sat, April 28 | 3:30 pm | New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution | NBC Sports Network |
Fri, May 4 | 11:00 pm | Chivas USA vs. Chicago Fire | ESPN Deportes |
Sat, May 5 | 4:00 pm | Seattle Sounders vs. Philadelphia Union | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, May 5 | 8:00 pm | LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
Sun, May 6 | 7:00 pm | FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids | Galavision |
Sat, May 12 | 4:30 pm | Houston Dynamo vs. D.C. United | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, May 13 | 1:30 pm | Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Sun, May 13 | 7:00 pm | San Jose Earthquakes vs. Chivas USA | Galavision |
Sun, May 20 | 7:00 pm | Portland Timbers vs. Chicago Fire | Galavision |
Weds, May 23 | 7:00 pm | New York Red Bulls vs. Chivas USA | Galavision |
Sat, May 26 | 2:30 pm | Houston Dynamo vs. LA Galaxy | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, May 26 | 7:00 pm | Columbus Crew vs. Chicago Fire | Galavision |
Sun, May 27 | 4:30 pm | Sporting Kansas City vs. San Jose Earthquakes | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, May 19 | 10:30 pm | Chivas USA vs. LA Galaxy | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Sat, June 16 | 5:00 pm | Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Sat, June 16 | 7:00 pm | Philadelphia Union vs. D.C. United | Galavision |
Sun, June 17 | 5:00 pm | Chicago Fire vs. New York Red Bulls | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, June 23 | 9:00 pm | FC Dallas vs. Chivas USA | Galavision |
Sun, June 24 | 5:00 pm | Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
Sun, June 24 | 7:00 pm | New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United | NBC Sports Network |
Fri, June 29 | 8:00 pm | Sporting Kansas City vs. Chicago Fire | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, June 30 | 7:00 pm | Toronto FC vs. New York Red Bulls | Galavision |
Sat, June 30 | 10:00 pm | San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Sat, July 7 | 11:00 pm | Seattle Sounders vs. Colorado Rapids | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, July 8 | 3:00 pm | Chicago Fire vs. LA Galaxy | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
Sun, July 8 | 7:00 pm | New England Revolution vs. New York Red Bulls | Galavision |
Sat, July 14 | 11:00 pm | Portland Timbers vs. LA Galaxy | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, July 15 | 4:00 pm | New York Red Bulls vs. Seattle Sounders | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
Sun, July 15 | 9:00 pm | Houston Dynamo vs. D.C. United | Galavision |
Wed, July 18 | 11:00 pm | Seattle Sounders vs. Real Salt Lake | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, July 21 | 2:30 pm | New York Red Bulls vs. Philadelphia Union | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
Sat, July 21 | 10:00 pm | LA Galaxy vs. Chivas USA | Galavision |
Sat, July 28 | 8:00 pm | FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, July 29 | 7:00 pm | Philadelphia Union vs. New England Revolution | NBC Sports Network |
Fri, August 3 | 8:00 pm | Houston Dynamo vs. New York Red Bulls | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, August 5 | 7:00 pm | Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, August 5 | 10:00 pm | Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Fri, August 10 | 8:00 pm | New York Red Bulls vs. Houston Dynamo | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, August 12 | 7:00 pm | Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire | Galavision |
Sun, August 12 | 11:00 pm | Chivas USA vs. LA Galaxy | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Wed, August 15 | 7:00 pm | Columbus Crew vs. LA Galaxy | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, August 19 | 5:00 pm | D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, August 19 | 7:00 pm | New York Red Bulls vs. Portland Timbers | Galavision |
Fri, August 24 | 7:30 pm | Philadelphia Union vs. Real Salt Lake | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, August 26 | 7:00 pm | LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, August 26 | 9:00 pm | Sporting Kansas City vs. New York Red Bulls | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Wed, August 29 | 8:00 pm | D.C. United vs. New York Red Bulls | Galavision |
Fri, August 31 | 10:30 pm | Portland Timbers vs. Colorado Rapids | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, September 2 | 7:00 pm | Chicago Fire vs. Houston Dynamo | Galavision |
Sun, September 2 | 9:00 pm | San Jose Earthquakes vs. Chivas USA | NBC Sports Network |
Wed, September 5 | 9:00 pm | Colorado Rapids vs. Portland Timbers | NBC Sports Network |
Fri, September 14 | 8:30 pm | Sporting Kansas City vs. Houston Dynamo | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, September 15 | 3:30 pm | Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders | NBC |
Sun, September 16 | 7:00 pm | LA Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids | Galavision |
Thu, September 20 | 8:00 pm | Philadelphia Union vs. D.C. United | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
Sat, September 22 | 8:00 pm | Real Salt Lake vs. Portland Timbers | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, September 23 | 7:00 pm | D.C. United vs. Chivas USA | Galavision |
Fri, September 28 | 8:30 pm | Sporting Kansas City vs. Chicago Fire | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, September 29 | 9:00 pm | Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Seattle Sounders | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, September 30 | 7:00 pm | Colorado Rapids vs. LA Galaxy | Galavision |
Sat, October 6 | 3:30 pm | New York Red Bulls vs. Chicago Fire | NBC |
Sat, October 6 | 9:00 pm | LA Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, October 7 | 7:00 pm | Chivas USA vs. FC Dallas | Galavision |
Sun, October 7 | 9:00 pm | Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
Sat, October 20 | 7:30 pm | Houston Dynamo vs. Philadelphia Union | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, October 21 | 7:00 pm | San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy | Galavision |
Sun, October 21 | 9:00 pm | Seattle Sounders vs. FC Dallas | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
Sat, October 27 | 1:30 pm | Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls | NBC |
Sat, October 27 | 4:00 pm | Chicago Fire vs. D.C. United | NBC Sports Network |
Sat, October 27 | 6:30 pm | Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes | NBC Sports Network |
Sun, October 28 | 7:00 pm | FC Dallas vs. Chivas USA | Galavision |
Sun, October 28 | 9:00 pm | LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
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