Sounders FC renews partnership with Q13 FOX & JOEtv as club reveals regional broadcast lineup for 2018



SEATTLE -- Seattle Sounders FC on Tuesday announced its regional broadcast details for the 2018 Major League Soccer season, spearheaded by a renewed multiyear agreement with Q13 FOX (KCPQ-Channel 13) and JOEtv (KZJO-Channel 22). The renewed partnership continues the tenure of Q13 FOX and JOEtv as the regional television home of the Rave Green throughout Western Washington. New in 2018, JOEtv is set to become the dedicated home of Sounders FC for all regional broadcasts following another successful campaign of league-leading television ratings.



“Since 2014, our relationship with Q13 FOX and JOEtv has been a rewarding one, providing exciting and creative programming for our fans, in addition to some of the strongest regional ratings in Major League Soccer over the past several years,” said Sounders FC Chief Operating Officer Bart Wiley. “In JOEtv, we’re excited about having a singular, dedicated over-the-air television platform for our fans to enjoy Sounders FC soccer. We’re thrilled to renew this agreement and continue working with a partner that is fully committed to growing our game throughout the region.”



In addition to televising all home and away Sounders FC matches to in-market fans, JOEtv continues to provide both a 30-minute pre-match show and 30-minute post-match wrap-up following each contest. Q13 FOX is also airing two feature-length Sounders FC specials during the 2018 season, in addition to profiling the team during the weekly “Q It Up” sportscast each Friday throughout the year, shown on both Q13 FOX and JOE TV. Of the club’s 34 MLS regular season matches, 20 are being carried on JOEtv throughout Western Washington, with 14 of Seattle’s games airing on national television via FOX, FOX Sports 1 and ESPN.



“We are thrilled to continue our official partnership with Seattle Sounders FC and for the opportunity to provide the most passionate supporters in MLS the coverage they deserve,” said Pam Pearson, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Q13 FOX and JOEtv.

Returning to the booth in 2018 are Keith Costigan, Kasey Keller and Steve Zakuani, who all reprise their roles from the 2017 season. In his third year with Sounders FC, Costigan is once again set to call regional matches for the Rave Green, while maintaining his national duties with FOX Sports in advance of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, which is live on FOX’s platforms this summer. Former MLS Sounders Keller and Zakuani return in their analyst duties, with the former United States Men’s National Team goalkeeper and 2009 first overall SuperDraft selection working alongside a stable of rotating pre-match, halftime and post-match talent. Included within this group is Q13 FOX sports reporter and anchor Michelle Ludtka, in addition to former Sounder goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann. New in 2018, former Seattle fullback James Riley is joining the broadcast team, returning to the Rave Green following a robust playing career and recent role at MLS headquarters in New York as the league’s Director of Player Relations. Riley previously played for Sounders FC for three campaigns from 2009 to 2011.

In addition to his radio play-by-play duties for Sounders FC, Matt Johnson is once again set to work into Seattle’s television programming over the course of the season. Johnson enters his third season as a play-by-play voice for the club, having previously served as the voice of Sounders FC radio broadcasts following a lengthy broadcast career with 950 KJR and the Seattle Seahawks. KJR talent Jackson Felts is set to host KJR’s new, hour-long Sounders FC weekly show each Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. PT, with Seattle University Head Coach and longtime Sounders FC broadcast analyst Pete Fewing and former USL Sounder Danny Jackson rounding out the analyst panel for Seattle’s English-language radio coverage.

The home of Sounders FC’s Spanish-language television programming remains Sinclair Broadcast Group, which is set to air 10 MLS match telecasts on Univision-Seattle (KUNS-TV). Sounders FC Fútbol en Vivo is again hosted by Univision-Seattle’s play-by-play voice Jaime Mendez with analysts Diego Arrioja and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado. Sinclair is also scheduled to air 15 episodes of Sounders FC en Acción, a 30-minute recap show on Univision-Seattle hosted by Mendez. The show is slated to air throughout the season and fans should check their Univision schedule via their respective broadcast providers for additional details.

“We are pleased to once again be carrying Sounders FC in Spanish and to bring this sport directly to our vibrant local Hispanic community. And soccer is always more fun in Spanish,” said Janene Drafts, General Manager of KUNS-Univision Seattle.

Finally, additional Pacific Northwest regional broadcast details for Sounders FC matches throughout the club’s usual five-state territory of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska are forthcoming. Those specifics are to be announced in the coming days.

Following the club’s recent broadcast announcement with iHeartMedia that sees Sports Radio 950 KJR become the new English radio home of the Rave Green, the club is set to continue its partnership with El Rey 1360 AM as the Spanish-language home for Sounders FC matches in 2018. With play-by-play voice "Zuper" Mario Rodriguez alongside Felipe Maqueda and Carlos Tapia on the call, El Rey 1360 AM is set to carry all 34 Sounders FC matches during the regular season. El Rey 1360 AM also provides 30-minute pre-match and post-match shows as part of their matchday coverage, as well as a 30-minute weekly radio show, Somos Sounders FC. The latter is hosted by Felipe Maqueda, and he is joined by Carolina Antipolo, Hugo M. López and Marco Canseco, airing Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m. PT.

Prior to the MLS regular season starting on March 4, Sounders FC is set to face Salvadoran club Santa Tecla FC in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League second leg at CenturyLink Field on March 1. The Rave Green need to overturn a 2-1 loss on the road in El Salvador on February 22 to advance in the regional competition. Sounders FC season tickets are still available, including new 2018 seating options in the 300-level, as well single-match tickets for each of Seattle's home matches. For complete information, details and pricing on 2018 Sounders FC season tickets, fans should visit SoundersFC.com/Tickets, call 877-MLS-GOAL or email Sales@SoundersFC.com.

Check the full 2018 Sounders FC schedule here