MLS Season Opening Weekend Games Announced for 2015
MLS announced the schedule for the opening weekend of the 2015 season this past Friday. There are a few intriguing matchups in that first weekend. Also this begins the first year of an eight year television deal with ESPN, FOX Sports and Univision Deportes.
Here are the three biggest matches of the opening weekend to me:
Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC (Orlando Citrus Bowl) – 5 pm ET, ESPN2
Orlando City SC and New York City FC will both be playing their first ever MLS match against each other. The match is being played at the Orlando Citrus Bowl and I wouldn’t expect anything less than 60,ooo fans to attend this match. No better way to begin your “life” in MLS than facing off against the team you joined the league with.
There will be some big names on the field for this one. OCSC will have Kaka, Aurelien Collin and Brek Shea to name a few for Orlando. NYCFC will have the likes of David Villa and possibly Frank Lampard. Lampard’s inclusion depends on if he leaves his loan he is on with Manchester City before the start of the season.
Seattle Sounders FC vs. New England Revolution (CenturyLink Field) – 9:30 pm ET, FOX Sports 1
Nov 30, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Clint Dempsey (2) celebrates his goal during the first half of the Western Conference Championship at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Sounders begin their seventh season in MLS at home for the seventh straight year. This is also the fourth straight year that the Sounders will be playing a team from the Eastern Conference. The New England Revolution is coming off of a surprising season. Lee Nguyen should how talented he truly is and the inclusion of Jermaine Jones made the Revs nearly unstoppable.
This should be a good match and bring in huge ratings as well for Fox Sports 1.
LA Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire (StubHub Center) – 10 pm ET, Unimas
The match itself isn’t anything to get super excited for but I am curious to see how the defending champs will play now that Landon Donovan is no longer around. The Galaxy is stacked with talent and if the Fire plays similar to the way they did in 2014, it will be easy going for the Galaxy.
Mike Magee will be making his return to Tinsel Town. Magee, the 2013 MLS MVP, was a member of the Galaxy until they traded him to Chicago for Robbie Rogers’ rights. Magee had a terrible 2014 and will be looking to return to his 2013 form.
What matches intrigue you? Let us know in the comments below.
Dates and matchups for the 2015 home openers are below (home teams listed first).
All matches subject to change
WEEK 1
Friday, March 6
LA Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire (StubHub Center) – 10 pm ET, Unimas
Saturday, March 7
D.C. United vs. Montreal Impact (RFK Stadium) – 3 pm ET, RDS1
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Toronto FC (BC Place) – 6 pm ET, TSN1 and RDS2
Houston Dynamo vs. Columbus Crew SC (BBVA Compass Stadium)
Philadelphia Union vs. Colorado Rapids (PPL PARK)
Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake (Providence Park)
FC Dallas vs. San Jose Earthquakes (Toyota Stadium)
Sunday, March 8
Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC (Orlando Citrus Bowl) – 5 pm ET, ESPN2
Sporting Kansas City vs. New York Red Bulls (Sporting Park) – 7 pm ET, FOX Sports 1
Seattle Sounders FC vs. New England Revolution (CenturyLink Field) – 9:30 pm ET, FOX Sports 1
WEEK 2
Saturday, March 14
Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Toyota Park)
Real Salt Lake vs. Philadelphia Union (Rio Tinto Stadium)
Columbus Crew SC vs. Toronto FC (Columbus Crew Stadium)
Sunday, March 15
New York City FC vs. New England Revolution (Yankee Stadium)
WEEK 3
Saturday, March 21
New England Revolution vs. Montreal Impact (Gillette Stadium)
Colorado Rapids vs. New York City FC (Dick’s Sporting Goods Park)
Sunday, March 22
New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United (Red Bull Arena)
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Chicago Fire (Avaya Stadium)
WEEK 4
Saturday, March 28
Montreal Impact vs. Orlando City SC (Olympic Stadium)
WEEK 10
Sunday, May 10
Toronto FC vs. Houston Dynamo (BMO Field)*
*Home opener to follow BMO Field renovations
Next: Morning Kick Around: DeAndre Yedlin, USWNT, ESPN FC Awards