Exactly one week before the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup championship match between host Sporting Kansas City and the history-seeking three-time champion Seattle Sounders, GolTV cable network has announced that it has reached a three-year deal with the United States Soccer Federation to broadcast the tournament final.
The deal makes GolTV the home to what could be two historic championships as the Sounders attempt to become the first club to win the event four consecutive times next Wednesday, August 8 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park (9:00 pm ET). Next year’s event will be the 100th edition of the nation’s oldest national soccer tournament.
The multi-year deal brings the tournament championship back to GolTV for the first time since 2005, marking an end to a six-year run with Fox Soccer. GolTV previously carried the final in 2004 and 2005, coincidentally the only other time Kansas City has been in the final (2004).
The family of Fox networks have been the primary home of the championship match over the years, airing 12 of 17 modern pro era finals. Fox Soccer Channel also carried the final from 2000-03 when the network was previously known as Fox Sports World. Fox Sports Net carried the 1997 and 1998 championships. In 1999, ESPN2 carried the historic final that saw the Rochester Rhinos claim the only title by a lower division club during MLS existence. The 1995 final was shown on Prime Network. The carrier of the 1996 final is unknown at this time.
“Acquiring the broadcast rights to the final of the U.S. Open Cup through 2014 is an important milestone for GolTV as we continue to offer our passionate viewers more soccer content than any other network,” said Rodrigo Lombello, COO of GolTV, in the network’s press statement. “With concerted efforts to expand our portfolio of matches from the Americas, we are tapping into one of the fastest growing markets, as the popularity of the sport in the U.S. continues to reach new heights.”
Championship Match Broadcast Networks – Modern Pro Era
2011 – Fox Soccer Channel
2010 – Fox Soccer Channel
2009 – Fox Soccer Channel
2008 – Fox Soccer Channel
2007 – Fox Soccer Channel
2006 – Fox Soccer Channel
2005 – GolTV
2004 – GolTV
2003 – Fox Sports World
2002 – Fox Sports World
2001 – Fox Sports World
2000 – Fox Sports World
1999 – ESPN2
1998 – Fox Sports Net
1997 – Fox Sports Net
1996 – No broadcast
1995 – Prime network