From Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and USL Championship reports
Riverhounds SC is among the USL clubs that will have a match featured on the ESPN linear family of networks in 2021 as part of the league’s largest national television package to date.
The Riverhounds’ interdivisional road match against Indy Eleven will be televised on ESPN Deportes at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 15, one of 19 matches scheduled to air on the ESPN family of networks, a series culminating with the USL Championship final on Sunday, Nov. 28 to air on ESPN or ESPN2.
The Hounds and Indy Eleven have played tight, fiercely contested matchups since the Eleven joined USL in 2018. The Hounds are 3-2-2 in seven meetings with Indy in all competitions, with six of the seven matches decided by one goal or fewer.
Indy handed the Hounds two losses a year ago, both by 1-0 scorelines. The first was a nationally televised match on ESPN 2 on July 22 at Highmark Stadium, when Indy’s Tyler Pasher scored the game winner in stoppage time.
This year’s lone meeting will be the first time the Hounds have played at Indy Eleven’s original home, Carroll Stadium, having played at Lucas Oil Stadium in their previous two visits to Indianapolis.
The USL’s national TV schedule begins Friday, April 30, when Western Conference champion Phoenix Rising FC hosts San Diego Loyal SC, a team with two former Hounds all-league performers, Corey Hertzog and Thomas Vancaeyezeele. That 10 p.m. kickoff will air on ESPN2.
“This is the biggest and brightest platform we’ve ever had for our league,” said USL Executive Vice President Court Jeske. “We are thrilled at the wide selection of games, clubs and landmark moments that will appear on national television this season. It’s a special thing for our league to be able to showcase our clubs and cities across the USL Championship and League One on ESPN’s networks in addition to streaming an incredible schedule on ESPN+.”
This season will also bring the first USL League One match to be nationally televised, when Greenville Triumph SC hosts Union Omaha in a 4 p.m. start Sunday, May 16 on ESPN2.
In addition to the nationally televised games, the full schedule of USL Championship and USL League One — nearly 700 matches, including the Hounds’ 32-game regular season and playoff matches — will again be available streaming live on ESPN+.
2021 USL on ESPN TV Schedule
- April 30 – Phoenix Rising FC vs. San Diego Loyal SC, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- May 6 – Rio Grande Valley FC vs. San Diego Loyal SC, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes
- May 15 – Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Phoenix Rising FC, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- May 16 – Greenville Triumph SC vs. Union Omaha, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- June 3 – Austin Bold FC vs. El Paso Locomotive FC, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes
- June 15 – Indy Eleven vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes
- June 23 – Miami FC vs. Birmingham Legion FC, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes
- July 3 – San Diego Loyal SC vs. Sacramento Republic FC, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- July 10 – Oakland Roots SC vs. Las Vegas Lights FC, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- July 17 – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. San Antonio FC, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- July 21 – San Antonio FC vs. New Mexico United, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- August 10 – Memphis 901 FC vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes
- September 7 – Hartford Athletic vs. Louisville City FC, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- September 8 – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Real Monarchs SLC, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes
- September 30 – Hartford Athletic vs. Charlotte Independence, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes
- October 3 – Louisville City FC vs. New Mexico United, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- October 7 – Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Charleston Battery, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes
- October 24 – El Paso Locomotive FC vs. OKC Energy FC, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes
- November 28 – USL Championship Final, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes