ATLANTA — Major League Soccer announced its 2017 regular season schedule today, highlighting Atlanta United’s expansion campaign with 15 national TV games across league-wide broadcast partners, ESPN, FOX and Univision’s family of networks.
Atlanta’s inaugural game against the New York Red Bulls on March 5 at Bobby Dodd Stadium will be televised on FOX Sports 1 at 7 p.m.
Additional information, including kick-off times and local broadcast information will be released at a later date. All Atlanta United matches in 2017 will be televised live.
“We are thrilled to have our inaugural schedule in place,” Atlanta United president Darren Eales said. “This is an exciting moment for our club and our fans, moving us one step closer to our first match in March.”
Of Atlanta United’s 15 nationally televised games, each of its first four will be aired nationally. After Red Bulls, Atlanta will play its first-ever road game at Minnesota United on March 12, which will be shown live on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. Atlanta will then host Chicago Fire on Saturday, March 18, which will be televised on UniMas, live at 4 p.m. They’ll wrap up the first month of play in Seattle against the Sounders on March 31, again on FOX Sports 1.
The Seattle match will mark the beginning of a four-game road trip for Atlanta, with trips north of the border to Toronto FC and Montreal Impact to follow. The trip ends against Real Salt Lake on April 22. Atlanta returns home April 30 to face D.C. United for a Sunday national TV matchup at Bobby Dodd Stadium. In May, the club starts with a pair of road matches, both to be nationally televised starting with New York City FC on May 7 on Univision. A cross-country trip to Portland follows against the Timbers on ESPN. Atlanta wraps up May with back-to-back home games Houston Dynamo and New York City FC.
June will also start with a pair of road matches against Vancouver Whitecaps and Chicago Fire. The schedule will heat up after that, starting with a home game against Columbus Crew SC on June 17. Atlanta will then travel to D.C. United for a midweek match on June 21 before returning home on June 24 to face Colorado Rapids. That stretch will also include a Fourth Round matchup in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 14. The Round of 16 is scheduled for June 28.
In July, Atlanta visits Columbus Crew SC before returning home on July 4 to face San Jose Earthquakes. MLS will then break from July 7-16 for CONCACAF Gold Cup followed by a home-and-home series with regional opponent Orlando City SC. Atlanta will have five matches in August, including two at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and highlighted by a road trip to Sporting Kansas City on FOX Sports 1 and a rematch against expansion Minnesota United on Aug. 13 on ESPN2.
September marks the beginning of a five-game home swing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In order, Atlanta will face FC Dallas, New England Revolution, Orlando City SC, Montreal Impact and Philadelphia Union. The final three games will be at New England Revolution, at New York Red Bulls and with the season finale at home against Toronto FC on Oct. 22.
March 5 -- vs. New York Red Bulls, 7 p.m., FS1
March 12 -- at Minnesota United, 5 p.m. ESPN2
March 18 -- vs. Chicago Fire, 4 p.m. UniMas
March 31 -- at Seattle Sounders FC, 10 p.m. FS1
April 8 -- at Toronto FC
April 15 -- at Montreal Impact
April 22 -- at Real Salt Lake
April 30 -- vs. D.C. United, 3 p.m. FS1
May 7 -- at New York City FC, 4 p.m. Univision
May 14 -- at Portland Timbers, 4 p.m. ESPN
May 20 -- vs. Houston Dynamo, 7 p.m.
May 28 -- vs. New York City FC, 5 p.m. ESPN
June 3 -- at Vancouver Whitecaps FC
June 10 -- at Chicago Fire UniMas
June 17 -- vs. Columbus Crew SC, 7 p.m.
June 21 -- at D.C. United
June 24 -- vs. Colorado Rapids, 7 p.m.
July 1 -- at Columbus Crew SC
July 4 -- vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 7 p.m.
July 21 -- at Orlando City SC, 7 p.m. ESPN
July 30 -- vs. Orlando City SC, 4 p.m. FOX
Aug. 6 -- at Sporting Kansas City, 8 p.m. FS1
Aug. 13 -- vs. Minnesota United, 6 p.m. ESPN2
Aug. 19 -- vs. LA Galaxy, 4 p.m. ESPN
Aug. 23 -- at D.C. United
Aug. 26 -- at Philadelphia Union
Sept. 9 -- vs. FC Dallas, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 -- vs. New England Revolution, 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 -- vs. Orlando City SC, 4 p.m. Univision
Sept. 23 -- vs. Montreal Impact, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 -- vs. Philadelphia Union, 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 -- at New England Revolution
Oct. 15 -- at New York Red Bulls
Oct. 22 -- vs. Toronto FC, 7 p.m.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/1/490076/mls-unveils-inaugural-schedule-for-atlanta-united