TORONTO, – TSN and Major League Soccer (MLS) have reached a six-year broadcast rights agreement making TSN the official broadcaster of MLS in Canada, the broadcaster announced today. The agreement begins this year and runs through the 2016 season.
The announcement follows the acquisitions earlier this month of the broadcast rights to EURO 2012 and 2016, along with the Tour de France by TSN. In addition to its partnership with MLS, TSN has long-term national partnerships in place with virtually all North American professional sporting leagues including the NHL, CFL, NFL, MLB and NBA.
Under the terms of the deal TSN and TSN2 will broadcast 24 MLS regular season matches this season featuring Canadian teams Toronto FC and/or Vancouver Whitecaps FC. In future seasons, the networks will broadcast at least 30 games featuring the three Canadian teams – including the 2012 MLS expansion team, the Montreal Impact.
All MLS games on TSN and TSN2 will be broadcast in High Definition.
As the official broadcaster for MLS in Canada, TSN also acquires the broadcast rights for the MLS Cup, MLS CUP PLAYOFF games and the MLS ALL-STAR GAME, along with additional MLS games featuring non-Canadian teams.
French-language broadcasting rights in Canada belong to TSN’s sister network RDS as part of the deal in anticipation of next year, when Montreal Impact join MLS as an expansion club.
