SEATTLE, WASH. – Major League Soccer today announced its 2017 regular season schedule, a campaign that sees each of its 22 clubs play 34 matches beginning on March 4 and concluding on October 22, 2017. MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC has 12 matches slated for a national television audience on ESPN and FOX’s family of networks, beginning with FS1 broadcasting the Rave Green’s home-opener against the New York Red Bulls on March 19 at CenturyLink Field.
Sounders FC is hosting three of its six 2017 Cascadia Cup matches against Portland and Vancouver, with the club set for three nationally-televised fixtures against the Timbers. The May 27 matchup between Seattle and Portland at CenturyLink Field is set to air on FOX, one of four MLS matches broadcast on the free-to-air network in 2017. Sounders FC also faces Western Conference rival LA Galaxy three times on national television, including a Sunday-evening home clash on September 10 broadcast on FS1.
Eight of the club’s final nine matches of 2017 are against Western Conference opponents, culminating with a pair of home matches to close out the season against 2016 postseason foes FC Dallas (October 15) and Colorado Rapids (October 22). Other 2017 season highlights include an early-season showdown against the Montreal Impact at Olympic Stadium on March 11, along with a rematch of the 2016 MLS Cup against Toronto FC on May 6 at CenturyLink Field.
The 2017 MLS season introduces a pair of expansion sides in Atlanta United FC and Minnesota United FC, bringing the league to a total of 22 clubs in its 22nd campaign. Sounders FC’s lone match against Atlanta, who is competing in the Eastern Conference, is set for Friday, March 31 at CenturyLink Field. Brian Schmetzer’s club faces new Western Conference side Minnesota twice in 16 days during the month of August, beginning with a road meeting on August 5 before facing-off in Seattle on August 20.
A complete listing of Sounders FC’s 2017 regional broadcast details is set to be announced at a later date. Sounders FC’s 12 nationally-televised fixtures are split evenly between ESPN and FOX’s platforms, with six matches airing on ESPN, five on FS1 and one on FOX.
The Final Push to the Playoffs, the final two weekends of the regular season, see more MLS matches played on those single dates than ever before. Comprised of predominantly intra-conference matches played on October 15 and Decision Day, October 22, the final two game dates again usher in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in dramatic fashion. All Eastern Conference matches kick-off at 12:00 p.m. PT, while the Western Conference matchups all begin at 2:00 p.m. PT on the penultimate weekend. Decision Day will see all 11 MLS matches played simultaneously as the postseason landscape takes shape through the final 90 minutes of the regular season.
With an odd number of teams in each conference (11 teams each), both weeks feature one inter-conference matchup. The final two weeks of the regular season again feature flex scheduling, allowing broadcast partners to bring the most compelling games to national audiences as the dust settles over the playoff landscape. Details for the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs and 2017 MLS Cup are set to be announced at a later date.
Sounders FC begins its preseason preparation for the 2017 campaign this month before the club takes part in a Desert Friendly in Tucson against the Portland Timbers on February 4. Schmetzer’s side then travels to Charleston, South Carolina to take part in the Carolina Challenge Cup, featuring preseason tune-up fixtures against Charleston Battery (February 18), Atlanta United (February 22) and Columbus Crew SC (February 25).
Seattle’s ninth season begins on March 4 with its MLS season-opener against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium. 2017 Season Ticket Memberships are still available, including new seat options in the upper bowl by calling 877-MLS-GOAL or emailing Sales@SoundersFC.com. Tickets for the home opener against the New York Red Bulls on March 19 are being made available to current Season Ticket Members to purchase additional seats today, January 12, while single-match tickets for the home opener are available for purchase by the general public on Tuesday, January 17. Complete information on all Sounders FC ticket packages can be found at SoundersFC.com/Tickets.
2017 SOUNDERS FC MLS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
<strong>DAY</strong> |
<strong>DATE</strong> |
<strong>OPPONENT</strong> |
<strong>KICKOFF (PT) / NATIONAL TV</strong> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>March 4</p> |
<p>at Houston Dynamo</p> |
<p>5:30 p.m.</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>March 11</p> |
<p>at Montreal Impact</p> |
<p>4:00 p.m.</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>March 19</p> |
<p>New York Red Bulls</p> |
<p>4:00 p.m. / FS1</p> |
<p>Friday</p> |
<p>March 31</p> |
<p>Atlanta United FC</p> |
<p>7:00 p.m. / FS1</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>April 8</p> |
<p>at San Jose Earthquakes</p> |
<p>7:30 p.m.</p> |
<p>Friday</p> |
<p>April 14</p> |
<p>at Vancouver Whitecaps FC</p> |
<p>TBD</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>April 23</p> |
<p>at LA Galaxy</p> |
<p>1:00 p.m. / ESPN</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>April 29</p> |
<p>New England Revolution</p> |
<p>7:00 p.m.</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>May 6</p> |
<p>Toronto FC</p> |
<p>1:00 p.m. / ESPN</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>May 13</p> |
<p>at Chicago Fire</p> |
<p>5:30 p.m.</p> |
<p>Wednesday</p> |
<p>May 17</p> |
<p>at Sporting Kansas City</p> |
<p>5:30 p.m.</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>May 20</p> |
<p>Real Salt Lake</p> |
<p>2:00 p.m.</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>May 27</p> |
<p>Portland Timbers</p> |
<p>12:00 p.m. / FOX</p> |
<p>Wednesday</p> |
<p>May 31</p> |
<p>at Columbus Crew SC</p> |
<p>4:30 p.m.</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>June 4</p> |
<p>Houston Dynamo</p> |
<p>7:00 p.m.</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>June 17</p> |
<p>at New York City FC</p> |
<p>10:00 a.m. / ESPN</p> |
<p>Wednesday</p> |
<p>June 21</p> |
<p>Orlando City SC</p> |
<p>7:30 p.m.</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>June 25</p> |
<p>at Portland Timbers</p> |
<p>1:00 p.m. / ESPN</p> |
<p>Tuesday</p> |
<p>July 4</p> |
<p>at Colorado Rapids</p> |
<p>6:00 p.m.</p> |
<p>Wednesday</p> |
<p>July 19</p> |
<p>D.C. United</p> |
<p>7:30 p.m.</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>July 23</p> |
<p>San Jose Earthquakes</p> |
<p>7:00 p.m.</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>July 29</p> |
<p>at LA Galaxy</p> |
<p>TBD / ESPN</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>August 5</p> |
<p>at Minnesota United FC</p> |
<p>5:00 p.m.</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>August 12</p> |
<p>Sporting Kansas City</p> |
<p>1:00 p.m.</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>August 20</p> |
<p>Minnesota United FC</p> |
<p>7:00 p.m. / FS1</p> |
<p>Wednesday</p> |
<p>August 23</p> |
<p>at Vancouver Whitecaps FC</p> |
<p>TBD</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>August 27</p> |
<p>Portland Timbers</p> |
<p>6:30 p.m. / FS1</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>September 10</p> |
<p>LA Galaxy</p> |
<p>6:00 p.m. / FS1</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>September 16</p> |
<p>at FC Dallas</p> |
<p>5:00 p.m.</p> |
<p>Saturday</p> |
<p>September 23</p> |
<p>at Real Salt Lake</p> |
<p>6:30 p.m.</p> |
<p>Wednesday</p> |
<p>September 27</p> |
<p>Vancouver Whitecaps FC</p> |
<p>TBD</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>October 1</p> |
<p>at Philadelphia Union</p> |
<p>10:00 a.m. / ESPN</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>October 15</p> |
<p>FC Dallas</p> |
<p>2:00 p.m.</p> |
<p>Sunday</p> |
<p>October 22</p> |
<p>Colorado Rapids</p> |
<p>1:00 p.m.</p> |
