10 must-see MLS matches in 2012
Circle these dates: You won't want to miss these on-field clashes


NEW YORK — The 2012 MLS schedule is out. Time to get the red pen from the kitchen doodads drawer and start circling dates on the calendar.

Here are 10 dates we’ve already got blocked off.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/01/05/10-must-see-mls-matches-2012

ExtraTime Live:
SuperDraft Preview Show, Wed., 8 pm ET
Watch as the guys as break down the draft, including interviews with prospects


Earlier this week, ExtraTime Radio brought you unprecedented insight into the top three picks in Thursday’s MLS SuperDraft (noon ET, ESPN2/ESPN3), picking the brains of Jesse Marsch, Martin Rennie and Jay Heaps from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

On Wednesday, the ETR team will take you one step further into SuperDraft preparations with a draft edition of ExtraTime Live, starting at 8 pm ET on MLSsoccer.com. Watch as Nick Firchau hosts Greg Lalas, Simon Borg and Jason Saghini break down this year’s draft class after spending the last week in Florida watching the prospects in action at the MLS Player Combine.


http://www.mlssoccer.com/superdraft/2012/news/article/2012/01/11/extratime-live-superdraft-preview-show-wed-8-pm-et

Boy Scouts of America teams up with MLS

Relationship will support BSA’s athletic, leadership, character-driven program

IRVING, Texas, and NEW YORK — At the 2012 MLS SuperDraft in Kansas City, Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and Canada, and MLS W.O.R.K.S., MLS’ community outreach initiative, announced a collaboration with the Boy Scouts of America, providing avenues for the league to support the BSA’s youth-focused program of athleticism, character, and leadership.

At the MLS SuperDraft, Scouts from the Heart of America Council in Kansas City delivered the official adidas MLS PRIME match ball to the stage to kick off the event. The ball was autographed by the 2012 first-round draft picks and will be auctioned off to benefit the Kansas City council.

Visit http://www.MLSsoccer.com/mlsworks to bid on this and other MLS memorabilia.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/01/15/boy-scouts-america-teams-mls

PPL Park to host 2012 MLS All-Star Game
Philadelphia awarded first ASG in decade; opponent still unknown


For the first time in a decade, Philadelphia will host an All-Star Game.

Major League Soccer announced on Tuesday that Philadelphia will be the stage for the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game on July 25 at 8 pm ET, bringing the summer’s showcase event to PPL Park, where the Sons of Ben will welcome a yet unnamed opponent to take on the best MLS has to offer. In the most recent edition held in 2011, Manchester United took on the MLS All-Stars at Red Bull Arena.

The 2012 event will be broadcast on ESPN2, Galavision or TeleFutura and TSN and RDS, while ESPN International will provide live coverage of the event in more than 100 countries around the world and ESPN3 and WatchESPN carry the game online in the United States.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/01/24/ppl-park-host-2012-mls-all-star-game

Fans have recently clamored for radical change in the referee structure in the USA and Canada, and on Tuesday, their wish came true.

MLS, US Soccer and the Canadian Soccer Association have collaborated to form the Professional Referee Organization (PRO), to manage all referees and refereeing matters for the pro leagues in the United States and Canada.

Heading up the PRO is current English Premier League referee Peter Walton, a veteran of nearly 200 EPL matches since 2003. The 52-year-old will assume the new fulltime post of GM of the organization. His appointment starts on April 2 and he’ll be based in New York City throughout the MLS season.

The goal is simple: to set the worldwide standard for soccer refereeing.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/03/06/new-body-formed-manage-pro-refs-north-america

VID: http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/03/06/all-you-need-know-about-pro

24 Under 24:
Fan voting begins Monday for the 2012 edition


The third annual MLSsoccer.com 24 Under 24 — the ultimate ranking of the top young players in MLS — will return on September 10, with the #1 player being revealed on Friday, September 21. This year, we're letting you have your say in who that #1 player should be.

Beginning Monday, August 20, fans will have five days to complete the ballot, helping MLSsoccer.com to select the top players under 24 from clubs around MLS. Those votes will count for 10 percent of a player's ranking with the other 90 percent determined by the submissions of an expert media panel, including the editorial staff of MLSsoccer.com.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/24under24/news/article/2012/08/17/24-under-24-fan-voting-begins-monday-2012-edition

The 2013 MLS SuperDraft will be held on Jan. 17 in Indianapolis, the league announced on Thursday. That means the draft will be held in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches of America convention for the ninth straight year.
For the second straight year, the SuperDraft will consist of two rounds and last 38 picks. The Supplemental Draft will be held on Jan. 22, lasting four rounds and taking place over a conference call.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/superdraft/2013

MLS announces signing of 5 college seniors ahead of draft


They are the hottest college seniors heading into the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. So hot that they've already penned MLS deals.
Major League Soccer on Monday unveiled the names of five college seniors who earned league contracts before the SuperDraft, which will be held on Thursday, January 17, at the NSCAA Convention in Indianapolis.
The fab five are Connecticut midfielder Carlos Alvarez, Boston College midfielder Kyle Bekker, Maryland's John Stertzer and Notre Dame duo Ryan Finley and Dillon Powers.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/07/mls-announces-signing-5-college-seniors-ahead-draft

KC, Here We Come
MLS announces Kansas City will host 2013 MLS All-Star Game


On Thursday afternoon, Major League Soccer announced Kansas City and Livestrong Sporting Park will play host to the 2013 MLS All-Star Game on July 31. The opponent has not yet been announced.
The game will be broadcast live at 8:30 pm ET on the ESPN, Univision, TSN and RDS family of networks. Exact details will be announced at a later date.
The 2013 All-Star Game will cap three days of festivities and mark the 10th time MLS’ elite take the field against an international club, a group that includes Manchester United (2010, 2011), Chelsea (2006, 2012), Everton FC (2009) and Chivas de Guadalajara (2003).

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/10/mls-announces-kansas-city-will-host-2013-mls-all-star-game

The Chosen Few

MLS extends 2013 Combine invite to 54 college players

It’s an East Coast-heavy MLS Combine scheduled for January, with players from the ACC and Big East dominating the 54-strong list of seniors scheduled to take part, which was unveiled by MLS on Tuesday.
The highest-profile names are the Big East trio of Dillon Powers and Ryan Finley (Notre Dame), and UConn’s Carlos Alvarez. All three are expected to be first-round picks, as is Maryland’s John Stertzer.

Below is the initial list.
Generation adidas signees as well as several overseas talents will be added to the final Combine group:
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/12/11/mls-extends-2013-combine-invite-54-college-players

Team rosters unveiled for 2013 MLS Player Combine


field is set.

Major League Soccer on Thursday unveiled the four rosters featuring all 72 players that will be showcased to MLS coaching staffs during the 2013 MLS Player Combine in Lauderhill, Fla.
All four teams are led by college coaches as well as a representative from the US club soccer scene as they get ready to face three doubleheaders that will be held between Jan. 11-15 at Central Broward Regional Park.
Of the 54 players previously invited back on Dec. 11, three have withdrew from the Combine. UCLA's Ryan Hollingshead will miss the event due to previously scheduled travel, Joe Franco of Cal State Northridge is recovering from knee surgery and Louisville's Paolo DelPiccolo declined the invitation.
READ: MLS invites 54 college seniors to 2013 Player Combine (http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/12/11/mls-extends-2013-combine-invite-54-college-players)

In addition to the 51 seniors remaining after those changes, six Generation adidas players were added (the seventh, Walker Zimmerman, will not play due to injury) as well as four young international players and midfielder Nico Clavijo, who is currently out of contract.
The youth internationals are: Franco Donado (Colombia), Junior Padilla (Honduras), Stefano Pinho (Brazil) and Kevin Mercado (Ecuador).
The following college seniors were added to lift the player pool to a total of 72: Brian Fekete (University of Tampa), Michael Bustamante (Boston University), Charlie Rugg (Boston College), Dylan Remick (Brown University), Jack Bennett (St. John’s University), Ryan Clark (Monmouth University), Lebogang Moloto (Lindsey Wilson College), Stephen Okai (University of Mobile), Drew Beckie (University of Denver) and Barcelona-born Alex Isern (Winthrop).

Here is how the four team's line up: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/10/team-rosters-are-unveiled-2013-mls-player-combine

NEW YORK – Major League Soccer announced its 2013 schedule on Wednesday, with a brand new wrinkle for a brand new year: Rivalry Week.

Eight of the nine matches in Week 3 of the 35-week season will pit regional rivals against one another, with the NBC Sports Group on board to air three live matches that weekend showcasing some of the league’s premier rivalries.

Among Rivalry Week’s matches are the first 2013 matchup between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers in Seattle, and a date at Red Bull Arena for the New York Red Bulls and D.C. United, who met there in the Eastern Conference semfinals last year. The weekend will also feature an installment of the Rocky Mountain Cup between host Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids, an all-Canadian clash in Montreal between the host Impact and Toronto FC, and the only matchup of the year between Texas foes FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo.


FULL 2013 MLS SCHEDULE: http://www.mlssoccer.com/schedule?month=all&year=2013&club=all&competition_type=46&broadcast_type=all&op=Search&form_build_id=form-97d020304bc15774702847888658830e&form_id=mls_schedule_form

Each of the League’s 19 clubs will play 34 matches, 17 at home and 17 away, over 35 weeks during the 2013 season, which officially kicks off on March 2, the earliest start date in league history. Within each conference, each club will play the same number of in-conference and out-of-conference games, following the same competition format as 2012, with inter-conference matches switching venues.

FULL NATIONAL TELEVISION SCHEDULE: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/09/mls-national-tv-schedule-includes-87-matches-us-networks

All non-national TV games will be broadcast locally and/or via subscription to Direct Kick and MLS Live, the digital streaming package for MLSsoccer.com, mobile devices and tablets.

The 2013 regular season concludes Sunday, Oct. 27, with five games, followed by the MLS Cup Playoffs. Only two clubs will reach MLS Cup 2013, and the one with a better regular-season record will host the championship game on Dec. 7 or 8, with details to be announced at a later date

Rivalries again take center stage in 2013 MLS schedule


NEW YORK — Whether you’re a Timbers fan hoping to bring the Cascadia Cup home for another year, or a Galaxy supporter set on reclaiming the California Clásico title, the best rivalries of MLS are once again the spotlight on the MLS schedule.

The centerpiece is “Rivalry Week” in Week 3 of the calendar, featuring eight matches between regional foes. On March 16, NBC and NBC Sports Network will combine to deliver four live games and a special studio show on the day’s action. The week will close with FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo vying for “El Capitán” in their only meeting of the 2013 season.


http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/09/rivalries-again-take-center-stage-mls-schedule