USL News Release, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016
2016 USL Cup to Air Live in Prime Time on ESPNU
Game set for 6 p.m. MT on October 23, will mark rollout of USL Productions
TAMPA, Fla. – The 2016 USL Cup, the United Soccer League’s annual championship game, has been scheduled for Sunday, October 23, at 6 p.m. MT on ESPNU. The game will also be available through WatchESPN, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider, as well as globally via ESPN International and the network’s international partnerships.
The 2016 USL Cup will be played at a site to be determined, featuring the USL’s Eastern Conference Champion versus the Western Conference Champion in a one-game, winner-take-all format.
“We are thrilled to bring the 2016 USL Cup, the league’s marquee event, to a prime time audience on ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports,” said Jake Edwards, USL President. “ESPN has been a great partner to the USL and we look forward to expanding our relationship that began in 2015. This will also serve as a great opportunity to showcase our newest broadcast initiative, USL Productions.”
In the coming weeks, ESPN and USL Productions will announce the on-air talent and other production elements planned for the championship.
USL Looks to Future with USL Productions
USL Productions, the standalone division of the league that will be the exclusive and premier producer/provider of all USL content across all linear and digital platforms that was announced earlier this year, will produce the 2016 USL Cup. USL Productions will run in association with VISTA Worldlink, a full-service media bridge connecting world-class customer service to the sports (leagues, conferences, teams and networks), entertainment and news industries worldwide.
Beginning in 2017, each and every USL regular-season and postseason game, pre- and post-game coverage, features and ancillary programming will be produced, digitized and distributed by USL Productions for use by league teams as well as local, regional, national and international linear and digital partners.
The USL’s long-time Executive Media Consultant Michael Cohen will serve as Executive Producer of USL Productions. Cohen is a 15-time Emmy Award nominee, and eight-time Emmy Award winner who brings deep broadcasting and content experience including the start-up of Major League Soccer/Soccer United Marketing’s broadcasting department, nine Olympic Games and three FIFA World Cups.
The 2016 USL regular season schedule closes on September 25 with eight teams from both the league’s Eastern and Western Conferences qualifying for postseason play. The 2016 USL Playoffs kick off with a quarterfinal round scheduled for the weekend of September 30-October 2. The complete playoff schedule will be announced once teams have secured postseason positions.
FOLLOW THE USL
Every game of the 2016 USL season can be seen live, free and in HD through the league’s official Match Center (www.uslsoccer.com/match-center), with updates from across the league also available via Twitter, Facebook, Vine and Instagram.
USL
The United Soccer League, the longest-standing professional affiliate member of U.S. Soccer, is the largest professional soccer league in the United States and Canada, and the world, currently with 29 teams in 19 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces for the 2016 season. The USL has more than doubled in size since 2014 and built a stable, highly competitive professional soccer league on a national footprint with strong ownership groups in major markets positioned for long-term success. The 2016 season has marked the introduction of six teams – Bethlehem Steel FC, FC Cincinnati, Orlando City B, Rio Grande Valley FC, San Antonio FC and Swope Park Rangers. The league has confirmed the addition of Reno 1868 FC in 2017 and Nashville FC in 2018. The USL’s teams are divided into two conferences – Eastern and Western – with each team playing 30 regular season games. In addition to league play, USL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various domestic and international exhibitions. The USL is the strongest U.S. men’s professional soccer league below Major League Soccer (MLS). Every game of the 2016 USL season will be available on the league’s Match Center and can be seen live, free and in HD on YouTube (www.YouTube.com/USL), with updates from across the league also available on Twitter, Facebook,Vine and Instagram.
USL PR – John Griffin / Nicholas Murray / Charlie Corr – Tampa, FL – 813.963.3909 Twitter – @USL
USL News Release, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016
2016 USL Cup to Air Live in Prime Time on ESPNU
Game set for 6 p.m. MT on October 23, will mark rollout of USL Productions
TAMPA, Fla. – The 2016 USL Cup, the United Soccer League’s annual championship game, has been scheduled for Sunday, October 23, at 6 p.m. MT on ESPNU. The game will also be available through WatchESPN, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider, as well as globally via ESPN International and the network’s international partnerships.
The 2016 USL Cup will be played at a site to be determined, featuring the USL’s Eastern Conference Champion versus the Western Conference Champion in a one-game, winner-take-all format.
“We are thrilled to bring the 2016 USL Cup, the league’s marquee event, to a prime time audience on ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports,” said Jake Edwards, USL President. “ESPN has been a great partner to the USL and we look forward to expanding our relationship that began in 2015. This will also serve as a great opportunity to showcase our newest broadcast initiative, USL Productions.”
In the coming weeks, ESPN and USL Productions will announce the on-air talent and other production elements planned for the championship.
USL Looks to Future with USL Productions
USL Productions, the standalone division of the league that will be the exclusive and premier producer/provider of all USL content across all linear and digital platforms that was announced earlier this year, will produce the 2016 USL Cup. USL Productions will run in association with VISTA Worldlink, a full-service media bridge connecting world-class customer service to the sports (leagues, conferences, teams and networks), entertainment and news industries worldwide.
Beginning in 2017, each and every USL regular-season and postseason game, pre- and post-game coverage, features and ancillary programming will be produced, digitized and distributed by USL Productions for use by league teams as well as local, regional, national and international linear and digital partners.
The USL’s long-time Executive Media Consultant Michael Cohen will serve as Executive Producer of USL Productions. Cohen is a 15-time Emmy Award nominee, and eight-time Emmy Award winner who brings deep broadcasting and content experience including the start-up of Major League Soccer/Soccer United Marketing’s broadcasting department, nine Olympic Games and three FIFA World Cups.
The 2016 USL regular season schedule closes on September 25 with eight teams from both the league’s Eastern and Western Conferences qualifying for postseason play. The 2016 USL Playoffs kick off with a quarterfinal round scheduled for the weekend of September 30-October 2. The complete playoff schedule will be announced once teams have secured postseason positions.
FOLLOW THE USL
Every game of the 2016 USL season can be seen live, free and in HD through the league’s official Match Center (www.uslsoccer.com/match-center), with updates from across the league also available via Twitter, Facebook, Vine and Instagram.
USL
The United Soccer League, the longest-standing professional affiliate member of U.S. Soccer, is the largest professional soccer league in the United States and Canada, and the world, currently with 29 teams in 19 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces for the 2016 season. The USL has more than doubled in size since 2014 and built a stable, highly competitive professional soccer league on a national footprint with strong ownership groups in major markets positioned for long-term success. The 2016 season has marked the introduction of six teams – Bethlehem Steel FC, FC Cincinnati, Orlando City B, Rio Grande Valley FC, San Antonio FC and Swope Park Rangers. The league has confirmed the addition of Reno 1868 FC in 2017 and Nashville FC in 2018. The USL’s teams are divided into two conferences – Eastern and Western – with each team playing 30 regular season games. In addition to league play, USL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various domestic and international exhibitions. The USL is the strongest U.S. men’s professional soccer league below Major League Soccer (MLS). Every game of the 2016 USL season will be available on the league’s Match Center and can be seen live, free and in HD on YouTube (www.YouTube.com/USL), with updates from across the league also available on Twitter, Facebook,Vine and Instagram.
USL PR – John Griffin / Nicholas Murray / Charlie Corr – Tampa, FL – 813.963.3909 Twitter – @USL