Timbers Announce Broadcast Partners for 2011

PORTLAND, Ore.— The Portland Timbers announced today their comprehensive television and radio broadcast partnerships for their inaugural Major League Soccer season in 2011. Combined with eight nationally televised games currently scheduled, all 34 regular-season matches will be broadcast live on both television and radio with today’s announcement of ROOT SPORTS™, KPTV FOX 12 and Estrella TV (KGW 8.3) as the club’s television partners, and Sportsradio 95.5 The Game (KXTG 95.5 FM) and La Pantera (KWBY 940 AM) as the team’s radio partners.

The Founding Partnership with ROOT SPORTS (the new brand identity for FSN Northwest beginning April 1) will include 16 regular-season games on the five-state regional sports network. ROOT SPORTS’ coverage of the Timbers’ inaugural season begins Saturday, March 19, as the team takes on the defending MLS Cup-champion Colorado Rapids live from Dick’s Sporting Goods Park at 6 p.m. (PT). ROOT SPORTS will deliver Timbers games to cable and satellite homes in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.

Eleven Timbers matches will be featured over the air on FOX 12 or FOX 12’s sister-station, KPDX TV. Additionally, Timbers matches will be televised in Spanish on Estrella TV in 2011. KPTV will also feature a weekly recap and highlight show, “Timbers in 30,” each Sunday during the season at 6 p.m. (PT) as the official over-the-air television partner of the team.

Sportsradio 95.5 The Game will continue to be the club’s flagship station; the all-sports FM station has broadcast Timbers matches since 2009. Occasional games (including the season opener at Colorado) will be broadcast on News Radio 750 KXL, 95.5’s sister station, over the course of the season. La Pantera 940 AM becomes the home for the Timbers’ Spanish-language broadcasts, and through a simulcast on KSND 95.1 FM, will reach fans from Southwest Washington south to Eugene, Ore.

In addition to game broadcasts, 95.5 The Game is also the home of the Timbers’ weekly, two-hour show, “Talk Timbers.” Hosted by John Strong, “Talk Timbers” features interviews with coaches, players and team representatives as well as the latest club news. La Pantera plays host to a one-hour soccer talk show, featuring regular Timbers content.

The team of broadcast talent for Timbers television and radio will be announced at a later date.

Note to media: As a result of today’s broadcast announcement, the Timbers’ home match against the New York Red Bulls on June 19 has been moved to a 7 p.m. (PT) start to accommodate TV. It was originally scheduled for 4 p.m. (PT). 

About ROOT SPORTS
ROOT SPORTS (the new brand identity of FSN Northwest that will officially launch on-air on April 1, 2011) is the cable home of the Portland Timbers, Seattle Mariners, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders FC, Washington Huskies, Washington State Cougars, Oregon State Beavers, Gonzaga Bulldogs and Seattle University Redhawks. The network delivers more than 350 live events each year – all of which are also available in high definition on FSN HD – to more than 3.7 million cable and satellite homes in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. ROOT SPORTS is owned and operated by DIRECTV Sports Networks LLC, which operates regional sports networks in the Northwest, Pittsburgh and Rocky Mountain regions. The three networks combined reach more than 8.7 million viewers across 18 states and own exclusive programming and distribution partnerships with more than 25 teams and conferences. DIRECTV Sports Networks is a controlled subsidiary of DIRECTV, the world’s most popular television service.

About KPTV FOX 12
FOX 12 is the oldest television station in Oregon with a longstanding commitment to covering local issues/stories in both Oregon and Southwest Washington. FOX 12 is owned by Meredith Corporation, one of the nation's leading media and marketing companies with core competencies in magazine and book publishing, television broadcasting, integrated marketing and interactive media.

About Estrella TV
Estrella TV is a full service 24-hour channel that provides programming uniquely serving Mexican American viewers. The programming is delivered in Spanish and features hit programs produced for the Mexican American audience such as Alarma TV, Secretos, A Que No Puedes and Noticias. The national network is owned by Liberman Broadcasting, Inc., the largest privately held, minority-owned Spanish-language broadcaster in the United States. The channel is carried locally on KGW 8.3 and on Comcast 307.

About Sportsradio 95.5 The Game (KXTG 95.5 FM)
95.5 The Game is the flagship station for the most successful sports organizations in the Northwest. The Portland Timbers, Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks and Seattle Seahawks provide our listeners the highest game profiles while 95-5 provides the most up-to-date information on their favorite teams. In addition to Play By Play, 95.5 The Game provides more local sports talk programming than any station in the western United States providing Insider Reports and pre/post game shows. 95-5 listeners have unprecedented access to the most live and local team coverage in the Pacific Northwest.

About 94 Country (La Pantera KWBY 940 AM)
94 Country Inc. is the locally owned parent company of KWBY 940 AM La Pantera, KSND 95.1 FM Recuerdo, and KCKX 1460 AM Cowboy Country. KWBY was Oregon’s first Spanish language radio station, having aired Spanish language programming since 1963 and on a 24-hour basis for 16 years. KWBY airs a Regional Mexican music format and also airs Chivas de Guadalajara. KSND is Oregon’s first Spanish language FM station that airs the Recuerdo format, which is Spanish Adult Hits of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. KCKX airs Classic Country & Western and Bluegrass. 94 Country Inc. is heavily involved with the Hispanic Community in the Portland/Salem Metro Area, participating in over 20 events annually.

2011 Portland Timbers Broadcast Schedule (home matches in bold, CAPS)

* - station to be announced at a later date

Dates and times subject to change.