The following is a news release from Major League Soccer --
NEW YORK, NY (Dec 2, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- Major League Soccer’s 14th season begins with “First Kick,” the weekend of March 19-22, 2009, when 14 teams kickoff the 2009 MLS regular season. Highlights of First Kick include the inaugural game for 2009 expansion team Seattle Sounders FC. Seattle, the League’s 15th team hosts the New York Red Bulls, MLS Cup 2008 finalists, on Thursday, March 19 at 9pm ET on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
The home opener for each MLS club is included below. Games could be added to Weeks 2 and 3 at a later date. Major League Soccer’s complete 2009 schedule, including local and national broadcast details, will be announced by early February 2009.
The 2008 MLS Cup Champion Columbus Crew kick off their season in one of five games on Saturday, March 21 when they travel to face the Houston Dynamo at 8pm ET on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español. Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español’s opening weekend double header continues Saturday evening with Chivas USA hosting Western Conference foe the Colorado Rapids at 10:30pm ET.
Also squaring off on Saturday, March 21 in First Kick action are Eastern Conference foes Toronto FC traveling to face the Kansas City Wizards at 8:30pm ET, the Chicago Fire traveling to face FC Dallas at 8:30pm ET, and the New England Revolution who travel to face the San Jose Earthquakes at 10:30pm ET.
First Kick action closes on Sunday, March 22 when the Los Angeles Galaxy host D.C. United at 3pm ET on TeleFutura.
Real Salt Lake is the only club that is not in action during First Kick weekend. In its first MLS game since hosting the Western Conference Championship, Rio Tinto Stadium will open its doors to host the Columbus Crew in Week 3 in primetime on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes April 2 at 9pm ET.
Each team will play a 30-game regular season. Of the 15 teams that will compete in 2009, seven will be in the Eastern Conference and eight will be in the Western Conference, where Seattle Sounders FC is the newest addition. Each team will play every other MLS team home and away, for a base of 28 games. Two additional games against intra-conference rivals will complete each team’s 30-game schedule. The regular season ends on Oct. 25.
The complete opening weekend schedule, as well as the home opener for each of the 15 teams, is listed below.
(Game dates, times and venues are subject to change. All times eastern)
REGULAR SEASON – WEEK 1 (FIRST KICK)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
New York Red Bulls at Seattle Sounders FC, 9pm (ESPN2/Deportes)
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Columbus Crew at Houston Dynamo, 8pm (Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Español)
Chicago Fire at FC Dallas, 8:30pm
Toronto FC at Kansas City Wizards, 8:30pm
Colorado Rapids at Chivas USA, 10:30 pm (Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Español)
New England Revolution at San Jose Earthquakes, 10:30pm
Sunday, March 22, 2009
D.C. United at Los Angeles Galaxy, 3pm (TeleFutura)
REGULAR SEASON – WEEK 2
Saturday, March 28, 2008
Toronto FC at Columbus Crew, 4pm
San Jose Earthquakes at D.C. United, 7:30pm
New England Revolution at New York Red Bulls, 7:30pm
Kansas City Wizards at Colorado Rapids, 9:30pm
REGULAR SEASON – WEEK 3
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Columbus Crew at Real Salt Lake, 9pm (ESPN2/Deportes)
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Seattle Sounders FC at Toronto FC, 3pm
FC Dallas at New England Revolution, TBD
Sunday, April 5, 2009
New York Red Bulls at Chicago Fire, 3pm (TeleFutura)
Courtesy of Major League Soccer Communications
