USL and ESPN announce partnership

Friday the USL announced it had formed a new partnership with ESPN for the coverage of the 2016 season, including the airing of the USL championship on an "over-the-air" ESPN network.

ESPN will also begin broadcasting the USL Game of the Week. Coverage will start immediately with Friday nights match between the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Orlando City B, which will be the first of 20 regular-season broadcast that will air online on ESPN3.

The league announced the first 5 matches of the GOTW schedule with the 14 remaining to be determined as the season progresses.

USL Game of the Week Schedule

April 22 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. Orlando City B, 7 p.m. ET
April 27 - Louisville City FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 7:30 p.m. ET
May 6 - Rochester Rhinos vs. Charleston Battery, 7:05 p.m. ET
May 13 - Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Portland Timbers 2, 9 p.m. ET
May 25 - San Antonio FC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 8 - Sacramento Republic FC vs. Real Monarchs SLC, 11 p.m. ET

In addition to match broadcasts, the league will now be featured in ESPN FC coverage.