Portland Timbers 2011 MLS Schedule Released

by Geoff Gibson on Feb 10, 2011 12:03 PM PST

Sorry for the delay in getting this up, MLS just happened to decide to release the schedule right in the middle of the Portland Timbers Kenny Cooper presser. As such, I was busy jotting down pages of notes when my little phone "bzzzzz'd" me the new schedule. Oh well...

Anyway, onto the schedule at hand. You can go ahead and view the full thing HERE. I won't both relaying every single home and away game, instead I'll just make note some interesting games and other oddities that I found interesting with the schedule.

So, first our Cascadian rivals games are fairly spread out over the course of the entire season. Makes sense since MLS won't want to bunch them all up. It is, however, worth noting that both our Seattle games come before even our first Vancouver game. Here are those games:

Away - May 14th vs. Seattle Sounders ESPN2
Home - Jul 10th vs. Seattle Sounders ESPN
Home - Aug 20th vs. Vancouver Whitecaps Local TV
Away - Oct 2nd vs. Vancouver Whitecaps Local TV

No surprise here that MLS and ESPN are anticipation big numbers from the heated Cascadian rivalry we have with Seattle. Both game are being broadcast nationally, with our home game being broadcast on the big ESPN, not the slightly smaller ESPN2. Good stuff.

You'll also note that many of our games merely say "Local TV" for our television rights. This sort of lends more credence to the rumor that Fox12 will be ahndling our local television broadcasts instead of a regional broadcaster like FSN NW or Comcast. Definitely cool.

Aside from that our only other nationally televised game will be the one against Chicago for our home opener, which we all already knew about.

One other thing worth noting, and this is league-wide, not Timbers specific, but you'll note a distinct lack of Fox Soccer Channel coverage here. This basically means that negotiations are still happening and there's no telling how long we could go without an additional national game coverage provider.

Finally, just so you are aware, our other big games against arguably the biggest teams in the league (Los Angeles and New York) are as follows:

Away - Apr. 23rd vs. Los Angeles Galaxy Local TV
Home - June 19th vs. New York Red Bulls Local TV
Home - Aug. 3rd vs. Los Angeles Galaxy Local TV
Away - Sep. 24th vs. New York Red Bulls Local TV

So, that's that. We may see some slightly television coverage changes depending on negotiations, but that remains to be seen. Until then, start scheduling your vacations NOW!

[Timbers Schedule, League Schedule]

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being in seattle

I would rather see your local coverage on FSNW! But I realize I am being selfish. I also hope the Whitecap games are on the canadian channel we get in Seattle.

Depending on who you get to announce local games, I am betting you will all be less excited about ESPN games in the future. I hate seeing them because it means no Arlo White and instead some dumbass on ESPN announcing the game.

by lysander on Feb 10, 2011 12:12 PM PST reply actions

Well...

I don’t actually have cable, so any ESPN game is a great opportunity to catch in high quality through ESPN3.com :)

It’s true though, if the rumors are true about Fox12, I may end up enjoying those games more so. Although, truth be told, I’m super jealous that Seattle has Arlo.

RCTID - Stumptown Footy
Moderator of /r/MLS

by Geoff Gibson on Feb 10, 2011 1:02 PM PST up reply actions

We love Arlo,

and I can’t say enough how nice it is to have a local broadcast. It makes it so much easier to see games.

Doubt FSNW would work with all the Mariners games. Maybe a replay deal could be set up, like the Sounders have.

Looking forward to May 14.

by Cornchops on Feb 10, 2011 3:54 PM PST up reply actions

If the games were on FSNW they would likely not be broadcast in Seattle. That's how it worked for Blazers/Sonics.

by Samuelson on Feb 10, 2011 1:11 PM PST up reply actions

Thats lame...

That is right I remember that… i am a blazer fan up here in Seattle and was always disappointed at the few games I got to see on TV. Now however I can see more but I have grown tired of the NBA anyhow.

So is it the hometeam not wanting another market broadcasting in their area? Seems like for the growth of the league they would want people watching regardless of the team. I doubt there are going to be that many people that end up supporting another team because they caught a few games on FSNW.

Anyways I think Geoff is right that it will not be so no point fretting about it anyhow.

by lysander on Feb 10, 2011 1:48 PM PST up reply actions

No

The affiliates don’t want someone else stealing their revenue.

by Ryan Gates on Feb 10, 2011 3:54 PM PST up reply actions

Man that schedule link is a tease

There’s a link next to each home game for tickets.

Still no single games available yet though.

"I have something 95 percent of all those All-Stars only wish they had: a World Series ring. If I had to choose between that and being an All-Star, it would be no contest. I’d grab the gold ring and never look back." -Tim Salmon

by BruinHalo on Feb 10, 2011 1:25 PM PST reply actions

Disappointed

That the Sea-PDX game in PDX is too soon for Dike to be back. :(

by lysander on Feb 10, 2011 1:48 PM PST reply actions

In a hilarious scheduling gaffe, the league accidentally scheduled a Seattle Sounders game at the same time as a mariners game.

That would be an absolute traffic nightmare.

I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.

by thehemogoblin on Feb 10, 2011 2:09 PM PST reply actions

I am not sure that is a screw up

They have never done it before but I do not think it would be that bad. It would essentially be equivalent to a Seahawks game in terms of total attendence so it is manageable. Seattle PD has been opposed but I think they could be bought off.

by lysander on Feb 10, 2011 2:30 PM PST up reply actions

According to a Lookout Landing poster (who's pretty knowledgeable about the Flounders), they're not supposed to do that.

Signs pointing to this include that it only happened once all year and the weekend it happened on is the series where Florida will be listed as the home team but play in Safeco Field as its stadium is whored out to U2.

I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.

by thehemogoblin on Feb 10, 2011 2:36 PM PST up reply actions

Damn U2 and their MLB interrupting tour

All over the league.

by BruinHalo on Feb 10, 2011 3:04 PM PST up reply actions

yeah

that were not supposed to. I do not think the FO has spoke about the issue at all since the new schedule was released. I am just thinking things maybe evolved since last year.

by lysander on Feb 10, 2011 3:57 PM PST up reply actions

I'd doubt that, because the stadia are ostensibly run by King County, as far as I remember.

I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.

by thehemogoblin on Feb 10, 2011 4:49 PM PST up reply actions

Nope

The stadia are run by the Mariners and Seahawks, although I can’t remember which one runs which stadium. Anyway. King County only “owns” the stadia, the teams run, collect revenue, and make all the money off them. Great deal for the county!

by pdb on Feb 10, 2011 5:13 PM PST up reply actions

Feels like Christmas...

I am all kinds of jacked up to go up to Seattle in May. I think the atmosphere for these derby matches are going to be incredible and have the ability to make fans out of a non believer if they are given the chance to witness the level of passion that will be on display by both the teams and their respective supporters. WHEN I ROOT I ROOT FOR THE TIMBERS!

by Fanstand314 on Feb 10, 2011 3:12 PM PST reply actions 1 recs