TSN releases national MLS broadcast schedule

TSN has released its national MLS broadcast schedule for 2012.

TSN will carry the Montreal-Vancouver opener from B.C. Place on March 10, and will have the Impact’s MLS home opener from Olympic Stadium against the Chicago Fire the following week.

Toronto FC makes its TSN debut on March 24. (Full schedule below).

Luke Wileman will once again provide the play by play for the main national games, with Jason DeVos doing the colour. TSN will need to have another crew because there will be eight, count ‘em, eight TV doubleheaders this year. The first double dip goes March 31, when Columbus visits TFC, followed by Montreal going to New York.

In French, play-by-play personalities Claudine Douville and Jean Gounelle will be joined by analysts Michel Y. Lacroix and Patrick Leduc.

As for the all-Canadian-franchise match-ups, TSN has every one of them on the sked — the Vancouver-Montreal opener, April 7’s visit of Toronto FC to Olympic Stadium to face the Impact,; TFC’s June 27 sojourn to Montreal, July 11’s match which sees the Whitecaps go to BMO Field to take on the Reds, and the Impact’s Oct. 20 visit to Toronto.

Like last year, there is a sizeable gap in MLS coverage throughout April and early May, as TSN gives the Stanley Cup playoffs the top billing. And with the NHL scheduling so many weekend afternoon games during the playoffs to keep NBC happy, there’s really no way for MLS to escape the all-powerful reach of the NHL at those times.

TSN will also have exclusive Canadian rights to the July 25 MLS All-Star Game from Philadelphia and the MLS Cup on Dec. 1.

TSN/RDS broadcast schedule (all times ET)
• Saturday, March 10 Montreal @ Vancouver 6 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, March 17 Chicago @ Montreal 2 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, March 24 San Jose @ Toronto 1 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, March 31 Columbus @ Toronto 2 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, March 31 Montreal @ New York 4 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, April 7 Toronto @ Montreal 12 noon TSN/RDS
• Saturday, May 12 Los Angeles @ Montreal 4 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, May 19 Seattle @ Vancouver 5 p.m. TSN/RDS2
• Saturday, May 19 Toronto @ D.C 7:30 p.m. TSN2
• Saturday, May 26 Vancouver @ Portland 10 p.m. TSN/RDS2
• Saturday, June 16 Seattle @ Montreal 7:30 p.m. TSN2/RDS
• Wednesday, June 20 Toronto @ Houston 9 p.m. TSN/RDS2
• Wednesday, June 20 New York @ Vancouver 11 p.m. TSN/RDS2
• Saturday, June 23 Vancouver @ Los Angeles 10:30 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Wednesday, June 27 Toronto @ Montreal 7:30 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Wednesday, July 4 Kansas City @ Montreal 7 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Wednesday, July 4 Toronto @ Dallas 9 p.m. TSN
• Sunday, July 8 Toronto @ Philadelphia 4 p.m. TSN/RDS2
• Wednesday, July 11 Vancouver @ Toronto 7 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, July 14 Toronto @ New England 7:30 p.m. TSN2
• Wednesday, July 18 New England @ Montreal 8 p.m. TSN2/RDS
• Wednesday, July 18 Los Angeles @ Vancouver 10 p.m. TSN2/RDS
• Wednesday, Aug. 15 Portland @ Toronto 7:30 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Wednesday, Aug. 15 Dallas @ Vancouver 10 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, Aug. 18 Vancouver @ Seattle 4 p.m. TSN2/RDS
• Saturday, Aug. 25 D.C. @ Montreal 4 p.m. TSN2/RDS
• Saturday, Aug. 25 Toronto @ Houston 8:30 p.m. TSN2
• Saturday, Sept. 1 Vancouver @ Los Angeles 10 p.m. TSN2/RDS2
• Wednesday, Sept. 12 Chicago @ Toronto 7 p.m. TSN/RDS2
• Saturday, Sept. 15 Philadelphia @ Toronto 1 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, Sept. 22 Kansas City @ Montreal 1 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, Sept. 22 Toronto @ Los Angeles 10:30 p.m. TSN/RDS2
• Saturday, Sept. 29 Seattle @ Vancouver 9 p.m. TSN2/RDS2
• Saturday, Oct. 6 D.C. @ Toronto 1 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Saturday, Oct. 20 Montreal @ Toronto 1:30 p.m. TSN/RDS
• Sunday, Oct. 28 Toronto @ Columbus 4 p.m. TSN/RDS2