Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Hounds land on USL Championship’s ESPN Game of the Week three times in 2020

by
John Krysinsky
January 8, 2020

The Hounds and Louisville City FC will play in USL Championship Game of the Week on July 1 (File Photo courtesy of Ed Thompson)

The 2020 national broadcast schedule for the USL Championship across ESPN networks was released on Wednesday featuring 20-plus games on ESPN2, ESPNews and ESPN Deportes in the league’s 10th anniversary season — and unlike previous seasons — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC games will be featured.

Coverage runs from March through November and will include 19 regular season games and the 2020 USL Championship Final on ESPN linear television networks.

The Hounds, after last season’s Eastern Conference regular season top of the table finish, will be playing on ESPN family of networks on March 27 vs Tampa Bay, July 1 vs Louisville City FC and on Friday, October 9, against Miami.

The only one of these three matches at Highmark Stadium will be the match in October against Miami, as it will be the first visit ever for Miami to Pittsburgh.

The first of seven games on ESPNews takes place the opening weekend of the Championship season, pitting San Diego Loyal SC and Head Coach Landon Donovan against Las Vegas Lights FC and Head Coach Eric Wynalda at Torero Stadium in San Diego as the hosts compete in their first competitive game on Saturday, March 7 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

As part of the new rights agreement reached between the USL and ESPN this past August, the Championship will have Spanish-language coverage of 10 games on ESPN Deportes, beginning with the Tampa Bay Rowdies hosting Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Friday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The league’s ESPN2 coverage kicks off on Wednesday, April 29 when Memphis 901 FC welcomes the Charleston Battery to AutoZone Park before San Diego Loyal SC returns to host El Paso Locomotive FC on Wednesday, August 12 at 10 p.m. ET.

Overall, more than 590 games from the USL Championship will air on ESPN+, the industry-leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming platform, with coverage beginning on the opening day of the season, Friday, March 6. In addition, ESPN+ will feature more than 170 games from USL League One when its season kicks off on Friday, March 27.

Related TopicsESPN Game of the Week Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Riverhounds SC USL Championship

John Krysinsky

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).