USL Reaches New Rights Agreement with ESPN, ESPN+
Three-year deal will include expanded coverage of regular season on ESPN networks in addition to expansive schedule on ESPN+
TAMPA, Fla. (August 27, 2019) – The United Soccer League (USL) announced a new three-year rights agreement with ESPN on Tuesday that features the USL Championship and League One matches through the 2022 season.
The new agreement will see a three-fold rise in the number of games televised annually on ESPN’s networks, including the addition of Spanish-language telecasts on ESPN Deportes, as well as continued expansive coverage on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service.
“We are thrilled to continue with ESPN and ESPN+,” said USL Executive Vice President Court Jeske. “USL is an organization that aims to put the fans first and we know that supporters across the country will be very pleased with this new three-year agreement and the exposure it brings.”
The relationship between the USL and ESPN will enter its fifth full year in 2020 as the league celebrates its 10th anniversary season. Under the new agreement, 18 regular-season games from the Championship will air on ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU or ESPN Deportes annually in addition to the USL Championship Final. All other matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.
“We’re delighted to continue our relationship with the United Soccer League, and showcase the USL Championship and USL League One competitions across ESPN networks and ESPN+ through this new agreement,” said Scott Guglielmino, ESPN Senior Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions.
The Championship has grown through its relationship with ESPN and ESPN+, including the debut of League One during the inaugural year of ESPN+. This new agreement will see nearly triple the content on ESPN networks, including ESPN Deportes, helping the USL and its clubs continue to broaden their fanbase.
USL will continue to be featured among the portfolio of world-class domestic and international soccer on ESPN+, along with Major League Soccer, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Italy’s Serie A, the F.A. Cup, the English Football League, and the qualifiers for the UEFA 2020 European Championship. In 2019, more than 750 regular season contests across the USL Championship and USL League One will air on ESPN platforms.
Games will continue to be produced by USL Productions, the league’s state-of-the-art broadcast production, broadcast and distribution facilities with VISTA Worldlink in south Florida.
