MLS Cup 2003 to Reach National Audience via English and Spanish T V & Radio

November 19, 2003 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release

NEW YORK (Wednesday, November 19, 2003) - MLS Cup 2003 between the San Jose Earthquakes and Chicago Fire on Sunday, November 23 at The Home Depot Center (3:30 p.m. ET), will be broadcast live on national radio and television in both English and Spanish. The television broadcast will be carried live by ABC Sports with a SAP (Supplemental Audio Programming) option for Spanish language commentary. The live radio broadcasts will be aired by Radio Unica, the first and only 24-hour-Spanish-language radio network in the U.S., and Sports Byline USA Radio Network, in association with SoccerRadioUS, which will air the match in English.

TELEVISION

Calling the game action are television soccer veterans JP Dellacamera, who will handle play-by-play duties for his second MLS Cup, and analyst Ty Keough, the lead color commentator during each of the League's eight seasons on the ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 family of networks. The host for the pre-game and halftime segments is ABC soccer personality Rob Stone, who hosted ABC's coverage of the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game.

American soccer icon Eric Wynalda, field analyst during ESPN2's regular season coverage who has expanded his role into an innovative and analytical perspective from the pitch, will add commentary from the field, while Marcelo Balboa will make his second ABC appearance as sideline reporter after providing a season's worth of coverage on high-definition HDNet and serving as a reporter during ABC's broadcast of the 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star game.

In addition, MLS will provide Spanish language SAP (Supplemental Audio Programming) for the ABC Sports broadcast of MLS Cup 2003, with Ernesto Motta returning for his second consecutive MLS Cup serving as the Play-by-Play announcer and Robert Sierra debuting on ABC in the role of color analyst.

Motta, a native of Argentina, is the "Official Spanish Voice of the MetroStars", having served as the Play-by-Play announcer during the season-long broadcast of MetroStars matches on Radio WADO 1280 AM in New York City, as well as broadcasting the 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star game via SAP. Since 1996, Sierra has teamed with Motta on the MetroStars broadcasts, as well as co-hosting a radio program "Sólo Fútbol". Sierra and Motta collaborated on three Fox Sports NY broadcasts of the MetroStars during the 2003 season.

The ABC broadcast will be delivered in stereo with a mixture of bench, sideline, goalmouth and wireless microphones. An 80-man crew will work the broadcast, which will be delivered by 20 cameras including overhead aerial pictures provided by the Goodyear blimp "Spirit of America", which was featured at the inauguration of The Home Depot Center and at the 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game. The complement of cameras include two super slo-mo, a Jib and robotic goal cameras which feed 10 tape sources including six digital.

ABC Sports, in its eighth season of MLS coverage, and ESPN are the League's primary national English-language television outlets. The combined networks - ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports - present the most comprehensive soccer coverage in the United States, featuring Major League Soccer, the Men's and Women's World Cup, U.S. National Team soccer and the NCAA Men's and Women's soccer championships.

RADIO

As part of its increasing coverage of MLS, which includes a one-hour national show "Unicamente MLS" and daily detailed news updates, Radio Unica will air its second consecutive MLS Cup with the commentary of legendary sports director Jorge Ramos, one of the most respected sports personalities among U.S. soccer fans. He will bring his signature high-energy, detailed play-by-play commentary and incisive soccer analysis in teaming up with his team of reporters: Hernan Pereyra and Alvaro Riet will accompany him on color, while Samuel Jacobo, Jesus Barbosa and Noe Vazquez will offer analysis along with reports and news from the field. Radio Unica will provide listeners with before, during and after the game details of the MLS championship game, followed by the League's weekly show Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. ET.

For the second consecutive season Sports Byline USA will syndicate the event, in association with SoccerRadioUS and distribute the broadcast to its 200 affiliates. Providing the play-by-play of the All-Star Game is John Shrader, a 25-year veteran of TV and radio sports who has been a fixture for San Jose Earthquakes broadcasts since the team's inception in 1996.

The broadcast will reach an international audience via the American Forces Radio Network. Also carrying the marquee match will be Sirius Satellite Radio, a subscription-based digital satellite radio system that broadcasts 100 channels of varied programming with digital quality sound for motorists throughout the continental United States. An international audience will be able to follow the game via the webcast of the event on www.sportsbyline.com.

More information on Sports Byline and its affiliates can be found at www.SportsByline.com. For more information about Radio Unica, which covers approximately 80 percent of Hispanic USA through a group of owned and/or operated stations and affiliates nationwide, visit www.radiounica.com.

Talent - ABC SPORTS JP Dellacamera - Play-by-play (2nd MLS Cup) -- Prominent soccer voice JP Dellacamera returns for his second consecutive MLS Cup after being the lead voice in this past summer's FIFA Womens World Cup and 2003 Pepsi All-Star Game. After two seasons in the MetroStars television booth, bringing significant experience working soccer, basketball, and hockey telecasts over a well-respected career that spans 28 years. JP called his fifth consecutive men's World Cup in 2002 for ESPN, in addition to his duties with the MetroStars on MSG. JP has a storied soccer history with the ABC/ESPN networks, calling MLS games in addition to the UEFA Champions League, EURO '96, Italian Serie A and the last two Women's World Cups.

Ty Keough - Analyst (8th MLS Cup) - Ty Keough, lead analyst for MLS, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, U.S. National Team and 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star game has handled the analyst duties for every MLS Cup and All-Star Game in League history on ABC/ESPN. Keough's career highlights have included working the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cups. He was also the men's head coach at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., for 10 seasons. In addition, the former NASL and MISL star was the co-captain of the U.S. National Team from 1977-80, which included his selection to the 1980 U.S. Olympic squad.

Rob Stone - Host (6th MLS Cup) - The former studio host of MLS ExtraTime, Stone will be working his sixth MLS Cup after a busy summer as ABC's host of the FIFA Women's World Cup coverage. He has been part of ABC/ESPN's soccer coverage since 1998, served as the host of World Cup Tonight during Korea/Japan after a stint as the network's lead reporter at World Cup France '98. In addition, Stone handles play-by-play on many nationally-televised MLS broadcasts. A native of Simsbury, Connecticut, Stone played collegiate soccer at Colgate University, where he was captain, all-conference and team MVP.

Eric Wynalda - Field Analyst (2nd MLS Cup) - A veteran of three World Cups ('90, '94, '98), Wynalda finishes up his second season as field analyst in an innovative role that offers a unique perspective from the field, as was seen during the 26 ESPN2 broadcasts and the 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star game. The former striker holds the all-time scoring record in U.S. National Team history with 34 goals in 106 appearances. The Honda/Futbol de Primera Player of the Decade, Wynalda was the youngest player to ever appear for the U.S. in the World Cup (Italy 1990), at the age of 21. With an international club career which saw him play professionally in the German Bundesliga and in Mexico, Wynalda returned to the U.S. and joined the San Jose Clash in MLS' inaugural season. He made history by scoring the first MLS goal in the inaugural game on April 6, 1996.

Marcelo Balboa - Sideline Reporter (1st MLS Cup) - One of the most tenacious and accomplished players in MLS and US history, Marcelo Balboa worked the 2003 season as lead analyst for high-definition HDNet. The former Colorado Rapids and MetroStars defender was one of the first three Americans to play in three World Cups ('90, '94 and '98). By 2002, the San Diego State product amassed 151 games played (146 starts) with 24 goals and 23 assists in MLS, making him the only defender in League history to notch 20 goals and 20 assists in a career. Arguably Balboa's finest moment in a US jersey since 1994 came in the 1997 qualifier against Costa Rica in Portland, where his assist set up Tab Ramos for the lone US goal in a vital 1-0 win. Career awards include US Soccer '92 and '94 Male Athlete of the Year, 1994 USA World Cup MVP, '94 Honda Player of the Year and participant in the 1995 FIFA World All-Star Game in Tokyo. Talent - ABC SPORTS - SAP EN ESPANOL Ernesto Motta (Play-by-play): Motta, a native of Argentina, is the "Official Spanish Voice of the MetroStars", serving as the Play-by-Play announcer during the season-long broadcast of MetroStars matches on Radio WADO 1280 AM in New York City. Motta is coming off three successful Spanish-language MetroStars broadcasts on Fox Sports NY this season. This will be the second year for Motta on ABC broadcasts, after covering the MLS Pepsi All-Star 2003 and MLS Cup 2002. Additionally, Motta is the host of "Solo Fútbol", a program featuring MLS and international soccer news also broadcast on Radio WADO.

Robert Sierra (Color analyst) - Born in Uruguay, Sierra began his broadcasting career in 1970. Play-by-play, analyst and presenter in different events, Sierra also earned a law degree. In his country, he worked with seven radio stations and dos television channels, and newspaper Diario El País, covering World Cup, Sudamericanos, Copas Libertadores de América, as well as top basketball and boxing championships, and two Olympics. Since 1996, Sierra has been involved with the MetroStars broadcasts, as well as co-hosting a radio program "Sólo Fútbol". In the United States since 1989, Sierra has directed sports programs on Radio América 1480 AM, Wado 1280 AM, X620 AM and Radio Unica 1660, as well as presenting news on the MERCOSUR via RCN TV, and acting as editor at El Especial and writer/columnist for diario/La Prensa in Nueva York. The last two years, Sierra was senior editor at PSN.com in Miami.

TALENT - RADIO

Jorge Ramos (Radio Unica): Ramos, a native of Uruguay, is the former sports director of the Telemundo Network (1994-2000) and is one of the more respected sports personalities in the United States. The current sports director of Radio Unica has raised the level of soccer journalism on the radio waves to new heights as lead man on the daily Unica en Deportes show. Known for his signature high-energy, detailed play-by-play commentary and incisive analysis of soccer, Ramos has narrated matches from competitions around the world, including the most recent CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa Libertadores.

John Shrader (Sports Byline): John Shrader, the play-by-play voice of the San Jose Earthquakes, is a 25-year veteran of TV and radio sports and currently a sports anchor for San Francisco's KNBR. He has been a fixture for San Jose's MLS broadcasts since the team's inception in 1996.

ABC SPORTS PRODUCTION

Cameras · 20 total

· Includes 2 super slo-mo cameras feeding 2 EVS LSM digital recorders for quick queuing and sequential play storage

· One 24 ft. Jib camera

· One "Starcam" for player isolation

Replay Machines · 11 total

· Includes the above 2 super slo-mo EVS LSM digital machines

· Two additional 4-channel EVS LSM digital machines

Sound · Numerous fx microphones around the field of play and goal areas

· Four parabolic mics will be on the field and dispersed throughout the stadium

Talent Behind the Scenes · Michael Cohen - Executive producer (8th MLS Cup) ... Emmy award winning producer.

· Mitch Green - Producer (2st MLS Cup) ... Emmy award-winning producer

· Doug Wren - Director (8th MLS Cup) ... Emmy award-winning director.

· Jeff Winn - Pre-game, Half-time Emmy award-winning Director (1st MLS Cup)

· Pete Finarelli - Unit Manager (8th MLS Cup) ... oversees a production/tech crew consisting of more than 80 people

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