It’s official – Major League Soccer and Fox Soccer Channel are back together again, at least for one more year.

The two sent out a press release today trumpeting the agreement which will see 31 regular season games and three playoff games (including one conference final) broadcast by the cable channel.  Fifteen of the matches are Saturday night, and 14 are on Fridays.  The new schedule does result in 15 matches being moved, so break out your erasers if you have penciled your club’s schedule into your calendar.  And all are in high definition, if you are lucky enough to have it.

“FOX Soccer has been a tremendous partner for MLS for many years and we are very happy that we have been able to extend the relationship,” said MLS President Mark Abbott in the release. “Through both its news coverage and its extensive schedule of MLS games, Fox Soccer allows MLS fans across the country to follow their club as well as their rivals.”

What does the press release tell us?  We’ll still have conference championships to determine the MLS Cup participants, but that doesn’t surprise anyone.  The four clubs that will not be seen on ESPN (Columbus, Dallas, Toronto, and Vancouver) will be seen on FSC.   Other than that, you can begin to plan your TV viewing schedule and rest assured that you can watch some MLS on TV this year.

I think Fox Soccer is also missing an opportunity with this announcement.  My hope, and that of many other MLS fans, is that the eventual channel for MLS would also have pre-game segments, weekly segments, and special MLS programming.  That could still happen on FSC in the future, but I think the announcement of some of these types of programs could have really generated some excitement around a new season of MLS on Fox Soccer Channel.

The Fox Soccer Channel schedule is listed after the break.  What do you think?

March

Saturday, March 19
Colorado Rapids vs. Portland Timbers
9 p.m.

Friday, March 25*
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Houston Dynamo
10 p.m. (excl.)

April

Friday, April 1*
Columbus Crew vs. FC Dallas
7:30 p.m. (excl.)

Friday, April 8*
FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids
9 p.m. (excl.)

Saturday, April 16
Toronto FC vs. D.C. United
7 p.m.

Friday, April 22*
Colorado Rapids vs. Seattle Sounders FC
9:30 p.m. (excl.)

Saturday, April 23
LA Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers
11 p.m. (excl.)

Friday, April 29*
Houston Dynamo vs. D.C. United
8:30 p.m. (excl.)

May

Friday, May 6*
Portland Timbers vs. Philadelphia Union
10:30 p.m. (excl.)

Saturday, May 14
Real Salt Lake vs. Houston Dynamo
9 p.m.

June

Friday, June 3*
LA Galaxy vs. D.C. United
11 p.m. (excl.)

Friday, June 10*
New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution
8:30 p.m. (excl.)

Saturday, June 11
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
10 p.m.

Friday, June 17*
Sporting Kansas City vs. San Jose Earthquakes
8:30 p.m. (excl.)

Saturday, June 25
San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy
11 p.m. (excl.)

July

Saturday, July 2
D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union
7 p.m. (excl.)

Saturday, July 9
LA Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire
10:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 16
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Colorado Rapids
4 p.m. (excl.)

Friday, July 29*
Philadelphia Union vs. Colorado Rapids
7:30 p.m. (excl.)

Saturday, July 30
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. LA Galaxy
7:30 p.m.

August

Friday, August 5*
Colorado Rapids vs. Columbus Crew
9:30 p.m. (excl.)

Saturday, August 13
Sporting Kansas City vs. LA Galaxy
8:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 20
Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
10 p.m.

Saturday, August 27
Chivas USA vs. Real Salt Lake
10:30 p.m. (excl.)

September

Friday, September 9*
LA Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids
11 p.m. (excl.)

Friday, September 16*
Portland Timbers vs. New England Revolution
11 p.m. (excl.)

Friday, September 23*
Sporting Kansas City vs. Philadelphia Union
8:30 p.m. (excl.)

October

Saturday, October 1*
Toronto FC vs. New York Red Bulls
7:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 15
Seattle Sounders FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes
10:30 p.m. (excl.)

* indicates date or time change from schedule as originally announced

(excl.) – exclusively broadcast on FSC.