ESPN Goes to Seattle for 2019 MLS Cup Presented by Audi

• Seattle Sounders FC vs. Toronto FC – Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC
• First MLS Cup on ABC Since 2008
• Comprehensive Coverage Across ESPN Platforms and Shows – SportsCenter, Get Up and More

ABC will broadcast the 2019 MLS Cup Presented by Audi on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. ET, when Seattle Sounders FC host Toronto FC at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. The match will also be streamed live on both the ESPN and ABC apps.

This will be the 22^nd MLS championship on ABC or an ESPN network and the return of Major League Soccer’s championship to the broadcast network for the first time since 2008.

Jon Champion, who is completing his first season as the play-by-play voice for MLS on ESPN, analyst Taylor Twellman and reporter Sebastian Salazar will call the match on ABC in the U.S. and on ESPN International’s English-language networks. Additional voices:

• ESPN International Spanish-language game commentators: Mauricio Pedroza and Herculez Gomez for Mexico and Central America. Hernán De Lorenzi and Pedro Wolff will handle commentary for South America
• ESPN International Portuguese-language game commentators: Everaldo Marques and Gustavo Hoffman
• Event and studio shows: Host Adrian Healey with analysts Kasey Keller and Alejandro Moreno.

The Sounders and Toronto FC are meeting in MLS Cup for the third time in four years. Seattle won in a penalty shootout in 2016, while Toronto earned a 2-0 victory in 2017. Seattle’s stars include Nicolás Lodeiro (Uruguay), Raul Ruidiaz (Peru), Jordan Morris (USA) and Brad Smith (Australia), while Toronto counters with a trio of U.S. National Team players – Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and Omar Gonzalez – and Canadian Jonathan Osorio. Sunday’s match is officially a sellout with more than 69,000 fans expected to pack CenturyLink Field, which will rank as the second-best attendance mark ever for MLS Cup.

ESPN Studio Programming:

• Get Up (weekdays, 8-10 a.m.) – Guest host Elle Duncan’s one-on-one interview with MLS Commissioner Don Garber will air Thursday morning (Nov. 7).
• SportsCenter – Analyst Taylor Twellman will preview 2019 MLS Cup on editions of ESPN’s flagship news program throughout the weekend. Saturday morning’s edition will include excerpts of Duncan’s interview with Commissioner Garber. Post-game highlights, analysis and reaction will be featured Sunday night.

ESPN FC – 2019 MLS Cup Special on Saturday:

Beginning Thursday, Nov. 7, ESPN FC, the daily soccer news highlights, analysis and information program exclusively on ESPN+, will feature 2019 MLS Cup segments daily, including player interviews with reporter Sebastian Salazar on Thursday and Friday.

In addition, Adrian Healey will host a special 2019 MLS Cup Preview Show with analysts Twellman, Moreno and Keller from CenturyLink Field on Saturday, Nov. 9, exclusive to ESPN+ (streaming at 6 p.m.). Sunday, ESPN on ABC commentators will react with post-game analysis.

MLS Countdown Live – 2019 MLS Cup Special:

Sebastian Salazar, Herculez Gomez, and Alejandro Moreno will host a 30-minute digital 2019 MLS Cup pregame show streamed live from CenturyLink Field beginning at 2:30 p.m. The show will be available on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and the ESPN App. The show will feature Xs and Os matchup previews by the ESPN on ABC analysts, player interviews, up-to-the-minute team news, special guests and more.

ESPN’s MLS Cup Weekend Schedule:

ESPN FC:

Jeff Carlisle leads ESPN.com’s weeklong coverage of 2019 MLS Cup, reporting daily from Seattle, Thursday through Saturday. On match day, www.ESPN.com/soccer will feature digital video, highlights from the game and reactions from the studio analysts. More 2019 MLS Cup content:

• Everything you need to know about 2019 MLS Cup;
• A profile of Sounders manager Brian Schmetzer, who has led his hometown Seattle Sounders to three MLS Cup appearances in four seasons;
• MLS Spoilers – A look at how Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC surprised everyone to make it to the 2019 MLS Cup over favored LAFC and Atlanta United, respectively.

 ESPN Social:

Senior Social Media Specialist Lauren Giudice will capture behind-the-scenes images and video from Seattle on game day (from the march to the match to post-game celebrations) for ESPN digital and social media platforms – Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, et al. In-game, the ESPN Social team will engage fans by sharing key highlights and moments from the game across ESPN Social channels.

ESPN International:

2019 MLS Cup will be available in more than 48 million homes via ESPN International networks, including live on ESPN 2 in Mexico and Central America, ESPN 3 in South America, ESPN 2 in Brazil, ESPN 2 in the Caribbean and ESPN 2 in Oceania, as well as across digital platforms. Game-around-the-game coverage will be available via SportsCenter and ESPN FC editions throughout the regions.

Champion, Twellman and Sebastian’s commentary will air in the English-language regions. Pedroza and Gomez will provide Spanish-language commentary.

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