Broadcast details have been announced for this month’s 2016 USL Cup Final, presented by Nike. The game will be televised on ESPNU and aired on SiriusXM FC.
The game will also be available through WatchESPN, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
Set for Sunday, Oct. 23 at 8:00 p.m. ET, former U.S. Women’s National Team defender Kate Markgraf will provide color analysis alongside play-by-play commentator Michael Watts and Markgraf’s former teammate Heather Mitts will serve as the game’s sideline reporter.
“We are excited to extend our relationship with ESPN and establish one with SiriusXM and its 24/7 soccer channel, SiriusXM FC, for the 2016 USL Cup Final and beyond,” said USL President Jake Edwards. “Kate and Heather are icons in American soccer – both during their careers and now with extensive analysis and reporting – while Michael is a proven professional and familiar with our league, having called last year’s championship and this season’s USL Game of the Week.”
Markgraf, a member of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup-winning team, has served as a color analyst since 2011. This includes the past two FIFA Women’s World Cups, the 2012 London Olympics and, most recently, the 2016 European Championships. She became the first woman on U.S. television to serve as a color commentator for a top-tier international men’s competition.
As a decorated player, Mitts helped secure three Olympic gold medals for the U.S. Women’s National Team. She’s served as a studio analyst for the last two FIFA Women’s World Cups and held numerous sideline reporting roles, including Major League Soccer coverage. This season, she stepped in as a guest host for USL’s Game of the Week.
Watts has been the featured voice of USL coverage on ESPN3 throughout the 2016 season. He called the 2015 USL Championship match alongside current FC Cincinnati Head Coach John Harkes. Watts’ background also includes the U.S. Women’s National Team-hosted SheBelieves Cup and New York City FC coverage on the YES Network.
Image courtesy Louisville City FC.