The Red Bulls and MSG today announced the TV slate for the upcoming season _ assuming there is one. MSG and MSG Plus will televise 22 of the Red Bull’s 31 scheduled tilts, the most in its 15 years covering the team.
MSG kicks off the season telecasting the first professional game at Red Bull Arena on March 20, when they face Brazilian power Santos FC at 6 p.m. The match will be telecast in HD, marking the first time that MSG will air a Red Bulls match in HD. In addition, MSG will telecast all home Red Bulls matches from Red Bull Arena in HD.
“We are pleased that MSG will carry all of the available Red Bulls matches this season as it will be an exciting one as we open Red Bull Arena,” said Red Bull New York managing director Erik Stover. “And, we are pleased that MSG will air all of our home matches in High Definition as it is something that our fans have been asking for, for a number of seasons.”
The Santos FC match begins with a special pregame show at 6 p.m. that will feature the opening ceremonies of Red Bull Arena. Following the match, there will be a half-hour post-game show, which will continue throughout the season for all home matches. The Red Bulls first regular season MLS match on MSG is Saturday, April 10 at Chivas USA at 4 p.m.
Shep Messing will return as analyst on MSG for his ninth season and Steve Cangialosi will call play-by-play for his third season. Messing is a New York-native and former New York Cosmos hero with 14 years as a professional player and close to 20 years as a broadcaster. Cangialosi is a veteran sports anchor and reporter for MSG, and a recognizable face and voice among sports fans in the tri-state area. Returning for her third season as MSG’s Red Bulls host and sideline reporter is Tina Cervasio.
The Red Bulls open Red Bull Arena, its new 25,000-seat soccer specific stadium, located in Harrison, N.J., on March 20 against Santos FC. The complete slate is listed below:
Date Opponent Game Time Network
March
Saturday 20 Exhibition: SANTOS FC BRAZIL 6:00 PM MSG
Saturday 27 CHICAGO FIRE 7:00 PM ESPN
April
Saturday 3 at Seattle Sounders 10:30 PM FSC
Saturday 10 at Chivas USA 4:00 PM MSG
Saturday 17 FC DALLAS 7:30 PM MSG
Saturday 24 PHILADELPHIA UNION 4:00 PM MSG
May
Saturday 1 at D.C. United 4:00 PM MSG
Saturday 8 at San Jose Earthquakes 10:00 PM MSG
Saturday 15 SEATTLE SOUNDERS 7:30 PM MSG
Thursday 20 COLUMBUS CREW 8:00 PM ESPN 2
Saturday 29 at New England Revolution 8:00 PM MSG
June
Wednesday 2 HOUSTON DYNAMO 7:30 PM MSG
Saturday 5 CHIVAS USA 7:30 PM FSC
Saturday 26 at Kansas City Wizards 8:30 PM MSG
July
Sunday 4 at Colorado Rapids 9:00 PM MSG
Saturday 10 D.C. UNITED 7:30 PM MSG
Saturday 17 at Columbus Crew 7:30 PM MSG
Saturday 31 at Houston Dynamo 8:30 PM MSG
August
Sunday 8 at Chicago Fire 9:00 PM ESPN 2
Wednesday 11 TORONTO FC 7:30 PM MSG
Saturday 14 LOS ANGELES GALAXY 6:00 PM FSC
Saturday 21 at Toronto FC 1:00 PM MSG
Saturday 28 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 7:30 PM MSG
September
Saturday 4 at Real Salt Lake 9:00 PM MSG
Saturday 11 COLORADO RAPIDS 4:00 PM MSG
Saturday 18 at FC Dallas 8:30 PM MSG
Friday 24 at Los Angeles Galaxy 11:00 PM ESPN 2
October
Saturday 2 KANSAS CITY WIZARDS 7:30 PM MSG Plus
Saturday 9 REAL SALT LAKE 4:30 PM MSG
Saturday 16 at Philadelphia Union 6:00 PM FSC
Thursday 21 NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 7:30 PM ESPN 2
