ESPN Announces Coverage of MLS All-Star Game

ESPN media platforms will combine to provide unprecedented coverage of the 2014 MLS All-Star Game between a team of Major League Soccer All-Stars and Bayern Munich — current German Bundesliga champion and club with the most players on Germany’s 2014 World Cup winning team — Wednesday, Aug. 6, live from Providence Park in Portland, Ore.  ESPN’s presentation of the match will begin with a special 30-minute ESPN FC preview show from Providence Park at 6 p.m. ET on ESPNEWS and continue on ESPN2 with a pregame at 9:30 p.m. leading into the live match at 9:55 p.m.

ESPN Deportes Radio, the only around-the-clock Spanish-language sports radio network, will broadcast the MLS All-Stars vs. Bayern Munich match live beginning at 9 p.m.

Additionally, ESPN FC, the global soccer television news, information, highlights and analysis program, will have three, 30-minute episodes focusing on Major League Soccer’s midseason soccer showcase from Portland beginning Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 6 p.m. on ESPNEWS and concluding with a live MLS All-Star post-game edition Wednesday, Aug. 6, at midnight (9 p.m. PT) on ESPN2. The 2014 MLS All-Star Game will markESPN FC’s first multiple remote editions from a single soccer event. ESPN’s signature soccer studio program featured a live, 90-minute special from Columbus, Ohio, on September 10, 2013, ahead of the USA-Mexico FIFA World Cup qualifying match.

Also, ESPN and MLS WORKS, Major League Soccer’s community outreach initiative, will present a Special Olympics Unified Sports All-Star Soccer Match between Special Olympics North America and Special Olympics Germany on the Providence Park game field, Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 5:00 p.m. (2 p.m. PT) with footage of the match airing during the MLS All-Star Pregame Special.

ESPN is a global presenting sponsor and official media sponsor of Special Olympics Unified Sports, which leverages the power of sports to promote an environment of social inclusion and acceptance, by uniting people with and without intellectual disabilities.

2014 MLS All-Star Game on ESPN FC:

ESPNFC.com will cover the 2014 MLS All-Star Game with writers Doug McIntyre and Graham Parker reporting from Portland beginning Monday and continuing through Thursday, including ESPN FC Boot Room chats, video highlights, match previews, pre- and post-match reactions and player grades for the MLS All-Star match. Additionally, the site’s club blog focusing on Bayern Munich will have posts on the Bundesliga champions. Commentaries and insight by ESPN FC on TV pundits will also be featured on the site.

Highlights of ESPN’s multimedia soccer content from Portland include (subject to change):

Sunday:

• ESPN2 at 10 p.m. – Adrian Healey and Julie Foudy will call the National Women’s Soccer League (NSWL) match between Houston Dash at Portland Thorns, led by strikers Alex Morgan (USA) and Christine Sinclair (Canada);

Monday:

• ESPN3 at 10 p.m. – ESPN3 will have the MLS Homegrown Game live with commentators Healey, Alexi Lalas and Taylor Twellman. The match will feature the Portland Timbers U-23 team vs. a team of 20 top MLS Homegrown players at Providence Park;
• ESPNFC.com will unveil writer Jason Davis’ MLS power rankings and mid-season awards.

Tuesday:

• ESPNEWS at 6 p.m. – ESPN FC will review the Major League Soccer season to-date and discuss other soccer topics in the U.S. and abroad. (Host Max Bretos and pundits Twellman, Lalas, Kasey Keller and Alejandro Moreno);
• ESPNFC.com – Writer Jeff Carlisle will deliver his mid-season report card and Graham Parkerpreviews the 2014 All-Star Game.

Wednesday:

• ESPNEWS at 6 p.m. – ESPN FC will preview the 2014 MLS All-Star Game;
• ESPN Deportes Radio at 9 p.m. – The broadcast of the MLS All-Star Game will begin with a one-hour pregame show featuring interviews, analysis, opinion and more;
• ESPN2 at 9:30 p.m. – The 2014 MLS All-Star Game Pregame show will originate live from Providence Park with Bretos, Lalas, Moreno, Keller on set;
• ESPN2 at 9:55 p.m. – Live presentation of the MLS All-Star Game with Healey, Twellman and reporter Monica Gonzalez;
  ESPN2 at 12 a.m. (9 p.m. PT) – ESPN FC will have a 2014 MLS All-Star postgame episode live from Providence Park;
• ESPNFC.com (daylong) – Game coverage and ESPN FC on TV embedded on the site, live Boot Room, video highlights, and post-game reactions from writers McIntyre and Parker.

Schedule (subject to change):