Well it is time to start making your MLS travel plans and just in time is the 2013 RSL schedule. We knew a couple weeks ago that RSL would open the road on March, 3rd at the San Jose Earthquakes, then travel to the East coast to take on D.C. United on March, 9th. The home opener for RSL will be on March, 16th when the Colorado Rapids come to town, the time for the match is still up in the air as NBC Sports will be in town to broadcast the 1st leg of the Rocky Mountain Cup.
Speaking of National TV, RSL will be on NBC Sports 4 times (3-16 vs. Rapids, 4-6 @ Rapids, 8-30 vs. Portland, and 9-13 @ Seattle), and ESPN once (8-3 @ Rapids). Those 5 appearances will be a high mark for RSL on national TV, clearly the rivalry of the RMC is getting noticed. All of the rest of the Real Salt Lake matches in MLS action will again be featured on local TV thanks to the partnership with ABC/CW, as well as MLS Live and Direct Kick (remember RSL doesn’t black out their local broadcast matches).
Well that didn’t last long, from a draft schedule this morning to just 3 National TV matches when released, or 4 depending on what version of the MLS schedule you look at.
As you look at the full schedule (click here to see the full schedule). Here are the notes from the RSL front office about the upcoming schedule:
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Kicking off March 3 at Supporters Shield winner San Jose, as part of 5 of first 7 games on road (7 of next 10 at home starting April 20)
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March 16 home opener v Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado, the only one of 3 meetings v Rapids on Wasatch Front as RSL seeks 7th consecutive bragging rights in the regional competition
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Holiday home games at Rio Tinto Stadium on Memorial Day weekend v Chicago, Independence Day July 3 v Philadelphia, Pioneer Day weekend July 20 v Kansas City and Labor Day Weekend Aug. 30 v Portland
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Western elite teams Los Angeles Galaxy (back-to-back MLS Cup champs), Seattle Sounders (RSL playoff rivals each of last 2 seasons) and San Jose Earthquakes each visit Wasatch Front for 2 of the 3 regular-season meetings (as will Chivas)
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Conversely, RSL will travel 2 out of 3 times to Colorado, Dallas, Portland and Vancouver
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6 of 8 games between May 25 & July 20 will take place at Rio Tinto Stadium, where RSL has dropped only 11 of its last 92 games in all competitions (4 of 5 on road following that home stand)
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All 34 games will be heard live on ESPN700, with all 31 non-National TV games seen locally on KTVX ch. 4 or KUCW ch. 30
Now for some really exciting news
Yes that was kinda mean of me, so you have seen on Twitter and Facebook that RSL is in the running for hosting the March USMNT World Cup qualifying match, and while I believe that is very much alive still, I don’t think it will happen as RSL is also in the running for a Gold Cup double header on either July 6th or 13th that would feature the USMNT as well as another match. I expect that we will get the Gold Cup double header or the WC Qualifier, but I doubt we will get both. Still it will be nice to have the USMNT back in the fold.
I will post more thoughts later, but here is your complete RSL schedule for 2013:
| (kickoff times subject to change) | |||
| GM | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (MT) |
| PRE | Wed., February 13 | v NY Red Bulls | 7:00 |
| PRE | Sat., February 16 | v SEA Sounders FC | 4:00 |
| PRE | Wed., February 20 | v NE Revolution | 5:00 |
| PRE | Sat., February 23 | 3v4 / 1v2 | 4:00 / 6:00 |
| 1 | Sun., March 3 | @ San Jose Earthquakes | 8:30 |
| 2 | Sat., March 9 | @ D.C. United | 5:00 |
| 3 | Sat., March 16 | Colorado Rapids | TBD – NBCSN |
| FIFA | March 22-26 | ||
| 4 | Sat., March 23 | @ FC Dallas | 6:30 |
| 5 | Sat., March 30 | Seattle Sounders FC | 7:00 |
| 6 | Sat., April 6 | @ Colorado Rapids | 1:30-NBCSN |
| 7 | Sat., April 13 | @ Vancouver Whitecaps FC | TBD |
| 8 | Sat., April 20 | Chivas USA | 7:00 |
| 9 | Sat., April 27 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 7:00 |
| 10 | Sat., May 4 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 7:00 |
| 11 | Wed., May 8 | @ New England Revolution | 6:00 |
| 12 | Sat., May 11 | @ Montreal Impact FC | TBD |
| 13 | Sun., May 19 | @ Chivas USA | 8:30 |
| 14 | Sat., May 25 | Chicago Fire | 7:00 |
| USOC | Tue/Wed., May 28/29 | ||
| 15 | Sat., June 1 | San Jose Earthquakes | 7:30 |
| FIFA | June 4, 7-11, 14-18 | ||
| 16 | Sat., June 8 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 7:30 |
| USOC | Tue/Wed., June 11/12 | LHUSOC Rd of 16 | |
| BYE | Sat., June 15 | ||
| U-20 | June 21 – July 13 | LHUSOC Quarters | |
| 17 | Sat., June 22 | Seattle Sounders FC | 7:30 |
| USOC | Tue/Wed., June 25/26 | ||
| 18 | Sat., June 29 | @ Toronto FC | TBD |
| GC | July 7-28 | ||
| 19 | Wed., July 3 | Philadelphia Union | 8:00 |
| BYE | Sat., July 6 | ||
| GC | Sat., July 13 | ||
| 20 | Sat., July 13 | @ FC Dallas | 7:00 |
| 21 | Sat., July 20 | Sporting Kansas City | 8:00 |
| EXH | Wed., July 24 | INT’L EXHIBITION? | |
| 22 | Sat., July 27 | @ New York Red Bulls | 5:00 |
| ASG | Wed., July 31 | at&t MLS All-Star Game | |
| 23 | Sat., August 3 | @ Colorado Rapids | 7:00 – ESPN |
| USOC | Tue/Wed., August 6/7 | LHUSOC SemiFinals | |
| 24 | Sat., August 10 | Houston Dynamo | 7:30 |
| 25 | Sat., August 17 | @ Los Angeles Galaxy | 8:30 |
| 26 | Wed., August 21 | @ Portland Timbers FC | 9:00 |
| 27 | Sat., August 24 | Columbus Crew | 7:30 |
| 28 | Fri., August 30 | Portland Timbers | 8:00 – NBCSN |
| FIFA | Sept. 6-10 | ||
| BYE | Sat., Sept. 6 | ||
| 29 | Fri., Sept. 13 | @ Seattle Sounders FC | 8:00 – NBCSN |
| 30 | Sat., Sept. 21 | San Jose Earthquakes | 7:00 |
| 31 | Sat., Sept. 28 | @ Vancouver Whitecaps FC | TBD |
| USOC | Wed., Oct. 1 | ||
| 32 | Sat., Oct. 5 | FC Dallas | 7:00 |
| FIFA | Oct. 11-15 | ||
| BYE | Sat., Oct. 12 | ||
| 33 | Sat., Oct. 19 | @ Portland Timbers FC | 8:30 |
| 34 | Wed., Oct. 23 | Chivas USA | 7:00 |
| BYE | Sat., Oct. 26 | ||
| 4/5? | Wed/Thu, Oct. 30/31 | ||
| QF | Sat/Sun, Nov. 2/3 | ||
| QF | Wed/Thu, Nov. 6/7 | ||
| SF | Sat/Sun, Nov. 9/10 | ||
| FIFA | Nov. 14-20 | ||
| SF | Thu-Sun, Nov. 28-Dec.1 | ||
| CUP | Sat/Sun, Dec. 7/8 | ||
That’s How I See It.Enjoy and start making those travel plans.
