60,000 Expected for All-Canadian Matchup at Olympic Stadium
ESPN, ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN will combine to present live coverage of the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs Conference Championships beginning Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m. ET featuring Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC – first leg of the home and away Eastern Conference Championship series – at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
- Commentators: ESPN – Adrian Healey, analyst Taylor Twellman and reporter Katie Witham; ESPN Deportes – Jorge Pérez Navarro and analyst Elmer Polanco
- Montreal features marquee players Didier Drogba and Ignacio Piatti; while Toronto has Sebastian Giovinco, and U.S. Men’s National Team duo Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley
- With both teams making their debut in a MLS Conference Championship, more than 60,000 fans are expected at Olympic Stadium for the matchup of two Canadian teams – the largest attendance in MLS playoffs history.
Sunday, Nov. 27, at 4 p.m., the Colorado Rapids will host the Seattle Sounders in the second leg of the MLS Western Conference Championship, live from Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN.
- Commentators: ESPN – Healey, analyst Twellman and reporter Witham; ESPN Deportes – Pérez Navarro and analyst Polanco
- On-site studio: SportsCenter’s Max Bretos (host) with analysts Alejandro Moreno and Kasey Keller.
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Networks |
| Tue, Nov 22 | 8 p.m. | Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC
Adrian Healey, Taylor Twellman and Katie Witham Jorge Pérez Navarro and analyst Elmer Polanco |
ESPN, ESPN Deportes WatchESPN |
| Sun, Nov 27 | 4 p.m. | Pre-game – Colorado Rapids vs. Seattle Sounders
Max Bretos, Alejandro Moreno and Kasey Keller |
ESPN, WatchESPN |
| 4:15 p.m. | Colorado Rapids vs. Seattle Sounders
Healey, Twellman and Witham Pérez Navarro and Polanco |
ESPN, ESPN Deportes WatchESPN |
ESPN FC on TV (ESPNEWS, weekdays at 6 p.m.)
Host Dan Thomas and a rotating panel of pundits – Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop, Paul Mariner, Brain McBride, Alejandro Moreno, et al – will preview and review the MLS Conference Championship matches, as well as a special guest on Friday (TBD) from the Colorado Rapids.
- Tuesday – pregame updates from Montreal by match commentators Healey and Twellman
ESPNFC.com
ESPNFC.com, ESPN’s global multiplatform soccer brand, will provide week-long coverage of the 2016 MLS Conference Championships culminating on game day with coverage by its national soccer reporters – Doug McIntyre in Montreal for the Eastern Conference Championship and Jeff Carlisle in Commerce City covering the Western Conference Championship. Highlights:
- Jeff Carlisle on how Colorado goalkeeper Zac MacMath is ready to step out of the shadow, replacing the Rapids injured starting goalkeeper Tim Howard
- Doug McIntyre reports how the growing influence of U.S. Men’s National Team striker Jozy Altidore has been vital to Toronto FC’s spectacular surge in the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs
- Arch Bell shares everything you need to know about the MLS Western Conference Championship
- Jason Davis reports on all you need to know about the MLS Eastern Conference Championship
- Reporter Graham Parker on Montreal Impact’s 100-year-old midfield trio and their importance as the engine room for the team’s 2016 MLS Cup run
- Jason Davis on how a healthy Osvaldo Alonso’s peerless form on the pitch could finally propel the Seattle Sounders to its first MLS Cup title
- In the Eastern Conference finals, writes Doug McIntyre, Sebastian Giovinco’s quality could be the deciding factor between the Canadian rivals – Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact.
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