January 10, 2023
UPDATE
Apple and Main League Soccer unveil broadcasters for MLS Season Go
Dynamic on-air workforce contains Maurice Edu, Lori Lindsey, Danielle Slaton, Taylor Twellman, Sacha Kljestan, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Liam McHugh, Diego Valeri, Tony Cherchi, Frederic Lord, and extra
Apple and Main League Soccer immediately introduced the preliminary members of the completed workforce of announcers that may function the faces and voices of MLS Season Go, the unprecedented subscription service that launches February 1, 2023, on the Apple TV app in additional than 100 international locations and areas.
Spearheading the protection will likely be a workforce of gifted broadcasters and soccer legends, together with Kyndra de St. Aubin (match analyst), Maurice Edu (match analyst), Lori Lindsey (match analyst), Danielle Slaton (match analyst), Taylor Twellman (match analyst), Marcelo Balboa (match analyst), Sébastien Le Toux (match analyst), Sacha Kljestan (studio analyst), Bradley Wright-Phillips (studio analyst), Diego Valeri (studio analyst), Liam McHugh (studio host), Jillian Sakovits (studio host), Tony Cherchi (studio host), Max Bretos (play-by-play), Steve Cangialosi (play-by-play), Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Pablo Ramírez (play-by-play), and Frederic Lord (play-by-play). The entire on-air broadcast workforce — which represents lots of the business’s most certified and compelling announcers — and the complete manufacturing plan for MLS Season Go will likely be introduced previous to the beginning of the MLS 2023 season, which begins February 25.
“MLS Season Go will ship the most effective viewing expertise that MLS followers have ever had, largely to those unimaginable announcers, who will likely be calling the matches and bringing their ardour, vitality, and know-how for this league, these golf equipment, and this sport every week,” mentioned Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice chairman of Providers. “Immediately is a milestone second for our partnership with MLS, as we start to unveil a few of the faces and voices of this unprecedented streaming service, and we will’t anticipate followers to begin tuning in subsequent month.”
“We’re thrilled to assemble a dynamic, educated workforce of broadcasters for MLS Season Go, people who’ve lived and breathed the gorgeous sport for a few years,” mentioned Don Garber, MLS’s commissioner. “This gifted group of women and men has taken half within the largest moments throughout the soccer and sports activities panorama for the previous decade; whether or not masking them on air or collaborating in them as gamers, they’ve been on the middle of constructing our sport in North America. We’re excited to see how their range of experiences will elevate our protection and storytelling throughout our reside matches and studio reveals, bringing our sport to followers across the globe like by no means earlier than.”
MLS Season Go will characteristic each match of the common season, Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, and Leagues Cup1 multi function place, with constant match instances and no blackouts — a primary in reside sports activities broadcasting. It can additionally characteristic pregame reveals, a whip-around present that may present reside look-ins from each match and have each purpose, penalty kick, and large save, in addition to evaluation and dialogue from all the important thing moments, and a postgame wrap-up to shut every night time.
All matches will characteristic commentary in both English or Spanish, whereas matches involving Canadian groups can even provide commentary in French. Pregame reveals and the postgame wrap-up will likely be out there in English and Spanish. Followers within the US and Canada can even have the choice to pick their dwelling workforce’s radio for broadcast audio on the Apple TV app the place out there.
Finest-in-Class Analysts
- Kyndra de St. Aubin has been within the broadcast business since finishing her collegiate soccer profession at Minnesota in 2003. She has been a part of the FOX Sports activities household since 2011, having labored two FIFA Ladies’s World Cups in 2015 and 2019. She has spent the final 5 years as a tv analyst for Minnesota United FC.
- Maurice Edu, a member of the 2010 US World Cup workforce who performed 12 seasons in MLS and Europe, has spent the previous 5 years as an analyst with FOX Sports activities. He additionally known as Atlanta United matches the previous two seasons and offers soccer commentary for CBS Sports activities.
- Lori Lindsey performed 14 skilled seasons and was a member of the 2011 US Ladies’s World Cup workforce previous to serving as a soccer analyst for ESPN and CBS Sports activities. She has additionally labored as a sideline reporter for Nashville SC.
- Danielle Slaton, who earned a silver medal on the 2000 Olympic Video games and bronze on the 2003 FIFA Ladies’s World Cup as a member of the US Ladies’s Nationwide Crew, has been a tv sport analyst for the final 13 years, together with the final eight with the San Jose Earthquakes. In 2018, she made historical past as a part of the primary all-female broadcast workforce to cowl one of many 5 main US males’s sports activities leagues, becoming a member of Lisa Byington and Katie Witham on FOX Sports activities’ broadcast of D.C. United vs. New England Revolution.
- A former MLS MVP and US Nationwide Crew participant, Taylor Twellman joins MLS Season Go after spending the previous 11 years as ABC and ESPN’s lead soccer analyst. Throughout his taking part in profession, he was probably the most prolific scorers in MLS historical past, recording 101 targets in 174 matches with New England. He was the quickest participant ever to achieve the 100-goal plateau till his new MLS Season Go teammate, Bradley Wright-Phillips (159), eclipsed the mark.
- Marcelo Balboa, a former US Nationwide Crew defender and member of the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame, grew to become the primary American participant to interrupt the 100-cap barrier in 1995. After retiring in 2002, he went into broadcasting, the place he was the lead analyst for ESPN/ABC’s protection of the 2006 World Cup. He has been a part of Univision’s MLS and worldwide soccer protection since 2014, and spent the final 15 years calling Colorado Rapids matches for Altitude TV. Balboa joins the workforce as a Spanish-language analyst.
- Sébastien Le Toux joins MLS Season Go as a French-language analyst after working as a studio analyst for PHL 17’s protection of the Philadelphia Union the final 4 seasons. The Rennes, France, native loved an 11-year MLS profession, together with six years with Philadelphia, the place he grew to become the membership’s first-ever All-Star in 2010.
- Recent off his retirement from the LA Galaxy, Sacha Kljestan joins MLS Season Go as a studio analyst. A former member of the US Males’s Nationwide Crew, Kljestan performed 13 seasons in MLS, incomes two All-Star bids (2008, 2016). He was a member of the US Olympic workforce in 2008. Most not too long ago, Kljestan served as a digital host and analyst for Fox Sports activities’ protection of the 2022 World Cup.
- Bradley Wright-Phillips, who started his taking part in profession with Manchester Metropolis, spent 9 seasons in MLS (2013-21), incomes two MLS Golden Boot awards and ending because the sixth-leading purpose scorer (117) in league historical past. He’ll make his debut as a studio analyst on the whip-around present.
- Diego Valeri, the 2017 MLS MVP and 2015 MLS Cup MVP, is the all-time main scorer in Portland Timbers historical past. He was a four-time All-Star and led the Timbers to the 2015 MLS Cup title. He’ll make his on-air debut as a Spanish-language studio analyst.
Charming Hosts
- Liam McHugh, who performed soccer on the College at Buffalo, will function cohost of the weekly whip-around present that may cowl all the important thing moments from each match. He at the moment leads Turner Sports activities’ NHL protection after serving in the identical position for NHL on NBC for 10 years. He was lead host for NBCSN, the place he anchored protection for the Premier League, faculty soccer, faculty basketball, and the Tour de France. He was additionally a part of NBC Sports activities’ protection of Sunday Evening Soccer and Notre Dame Preventing Irish soccer.
- Jillian Sakovits joins the workforce as a pregame studio host. She spent the final 4 years masking Atlanta United as pregame and postgame host for FOX Sports activities South and was additionally a sideline reporter for ESPN’s soccer protection.
- Tony Cherchi, who has lined soccer extensively for ESPN, Univision, and Tubi, together with a number of World Cups, will function Spanish-language studio host and an analyst on choose matches all through the season.
Participating Play-by-Play
- Max Bretos involves MLS Season Go after spending the final 5 years because the play-by-play voice for Los Angeles Soccer Membership. He beforehand hosted MLS protection, did play-by-play for ESPN, and was the lead soccer play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports activities from 2003 to 2010.
- Steve Cangialosi joins the workforce after dealing with play-by-play duties for the New York Pink Bulls on MSG for 21 years and the New Jersey Devils for 12. His huge soccer play-by-play background additionally contains the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Video games for NBC, in addition to calling MLS, Serie A, La Liga, DFB-Pokal, and Bundesliga matches for ESPN, FOX Sports activities, and SiriusXM.
- Jake Zivin has spent the final seven years as the favored TV voice of the Portland Timbers, the place he earned three Emmy awards. He has additionally been a key member of FOX Sports activities’ soccer protection, calling MLS, Copa America, SheBelieves Cup, CONCACAF Champions League, and CONCACAF Olympic qualifying matches.
- Pablo Ramírez, a former goalkeeper and a local of Jalisco, Mexico, is among the hottest Spanish tv announcers, having led Univision’s soccer protection for the final 22 years, together with MLS and 4 World Cups.
- Frederic Lord will likely be one of many lead play-by-play voices on the French broadcasts. He has dealt with CF Montréal play-by-play duties for TVA Sports activities because the membership’s MLS inception in 2012.
MLS Season Go will likely be out there to followers in over 100 international locations and areas, bringing MLS to its largest worldwide viewers ever, in a extra easy and streamlined means. All matches will likely be out there on billions of gadgets via the Apple TV app on Apple gadgets, sensible TVs, streaming gadgets, set-top containers, sport consoles, and the online at television.apple.com. The launch of MLS Season Go marks the official kickoff of the 10-year partnership between MLS and Apple, a historic first for a serious skilled sports activities league.
Observe MLS Golf equipment on the Apple TV App and Apple Information
With iOS 16, Apple launched a brand new My Sports activities part on the Apple TV app throughout iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV for customers to simply comply with their favourite golf equipment, groups, and leagues. Followers can go to apple.co/MySportsMLS on iPhone or iPad to be directed proper to the Apple TV app and comply with their favourite Main League Soccer golf equipment, and get alerts earlier than upcoming video games, comply with scores in actual time, and extra.
My Sports activities additionally makes it simple to get customized, real-time sports activities protection from Apple Information. Followers can keep up to the mark with the most effective tales from prime publications — plus get reside scores, schedules, standings, and highlights.
Subscribing to MLS Season Go
Beginning February 1, followers can subscribe to MLS Season Go on the Apple TV app for $14.99 per thirty days throughout the season or $99 per season, and Apple TV+ subscribers can join at a particular worth of $12.99 per thirty days and $79 per season. A subscription to MLS Season Go will likely be included with every full-season ticket account. By Household Sharing, as much as six members of the family can share the subscription utilizing their very own Apple ID and password.
- This excludes Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup for viewers in Mexico.
About Main League Soccer
Headquartered in New York Metropolis, Main League Soccer — celebrating its twenty eighth season in 2023 — options 29 golf equipment all through america and Canada, together with 2023 growth workforce St. Louis CITY SC. Beginning on February 1, 2023, all MLS, Leagues Cup, and choose MLS NEXT Professional and MLS NEXT matches will be watched via MLS Season Go, out there on the Apple TV app on Apple gadgets, sensible TVs, streaming gadgets, set-top containers, and sport consoles, and the online at television.apple.com. MLS Season Go will characteristic essentially the most expansive and accessible lineup of programming ever for MLS followers. For extra details about MLS, go to mlssoccer.com. For extra details about the Apple TV app, go to apple.com/apple-tv-app.
About Apple
Apple revolutionized private expertise with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Immediately, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s 5 software program platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — present seamless experiences throughout all Apple gadgets and empower folks with breakthrough companies together with the App Retailer, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s greater than 100,000 staff are devoted to creating the most effective merchandise on earth, and to leaving the world higher than we discovered it.
Press Contacts
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