In the coming days, we’ll announce details of an agreement with Comcast SportsNet that will see the regional sports network again be the official broadcast partner of D.C. United. Though the structure of the deal varies from past seasons, our combined commitment to getting our games on the air, extending coverage across all CSN and United platforms, and aggressively combining assets for public events and viewing parties remains.
Reaching local television agreements is no easy task. League scheduling timelines, exclusive national agreements, opponent television considerations and crowded local sports schedules all play a role in sorting out details. In the end, we’re pursuing an agreement that will see an initial offering of 17 games on CSN this season. Of note is a concerted effort to be sure that every United road game will be available on local television. The schedule is supported by League initiatives such as the Direct Kick package and mlssoccer.com’s MatchDay Live, which will see all United games available on television, the internet and select mobile platforms. United fans will have viewing access to every League match in 2011.
CSN will extend their efforts with bonus coverage on their news shows and digital platform, csnwashington.com. Our partners will also be heavily involved with viewing parties at official United bar partners throughout the campaign. Dave Johnson, Thomas Rongen, Russ Thaler and Sebastian Salazar will feature prominently in United coverage.
Our friends at La Nueva 87.7 FM will also return in 2011. Our agreement with them will have all United League games on their signal with additional programming set for friendlies and other competitions. La Nueva will also be heavily involved in a host of promotional activities throughout the season, as well as be a great partner for tailgating activities before each home game at RFK Stadium.
English radio is not in the plans for the 2011 season, but that doesn’t mean it is gone forever. We do see value in having a media partner in this medium and will continue to take meetings and pursue options for 2012 and beyond. Tony Limarzi has done great work for us in the past and we hope to have his voice back on the air in the future.
We’ve also engaged in exploratory discussions with Telemundo in regards to Spanish language television broadcasts and ancillary programming. More information will be available soon should talks continue to escalate.
The elements I’ve spoken to this week are central to us establishing our club before hardcore and casual fans, alike. From there, sales and customer service initiatives take the lead in driving our business. I’ll share information on our organization objectives in those areas on Monday.
As Kevin Payne, Dave Kasper, Ben Olsen and our technical staff have been working hard to put a top-quality product on the field for D.C. United this season and to continuing the rapid development of our youth Academy system, the rest of the front office has put in the long hours necessary to be sure all other elements of our business are tended to in advance of the 2011 MLS campaign ahead.
Opening Night on Saturday, March 19 can’t come soon enough for players, staff and supporters alike. Over the ten days leading up to the Columbus game, I’ll walk through the business flow of our offices, sharing insight and updates on strategic development of ideas for the core areas of our focus. Under the leadership of Executive Vice President Stephen Zack, day-to-day business activities work in concert to create a seamless flow of information, activation and promotion, leading to sales. A dedicated customer service staff and high-energy support crew follow-up to maximize these opportunities.
Doug Hicks is D.C. United’s Senior Vice President, Marketing Communications. Follow him on twitter at @DCUDoug.
