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LAFC finalizes deal for games to be broadcast on KCOP-TV and Bally Sports SoCal

LAFC midfielder Corey Baird and Seattle Sounders midfielder Josh Atencio vie for the ball.
LAFC midfielder Corey Baird, left, and Seattle Sounders midfielder Josh Atencio vie for the ball during the first half on April 24 at Banc of California Stadium.
(Ringo H.W. Chiu / Associated Press)
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LAFC has a new local broadcast partner — two, actually — as the MLS team announced Thursday it has finalized a deal for games to air in Southern California on KCOP-TV Channel 13 and Bally Sports SoCal.

The first of 18 broadcasts split between the two outlets will air Saturday when Ch. 13 shows LAFC’s game with the Colorado Rapids. Max Bretos will continue to handle the play-by-play for both broadcasts.

Pre- and post-game shows will air 30 minutes before and immediately following all matches on both channels with Mark Rogondino serving as the host and Katia Castorena as the sideline reporter.

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LAFC’s local Spanish-language broadcasts will continue to be aired on Estrella TV.

LAFC’s three-year jersey and broadcast deal with founding sponsor YouTube TV expired at the end of last season and president Larry Freedman said the team wanted to move away from a subscription streaming service to a more conventional broadcast partner.

“You’re going to be able to tune into the games without subscribing to something new and different. We think it’s going to be exceptionally well received by the fan base. And I think it’s a great way to gain exposure,” he said. “You just sit in front of the box and you’re changing the channel, looking for something. If you didn’t have the YouTube TV platform, you couldn’t [see] one of our games in English.”

LAFC is struggling, but coach Bob Bradley still wasn’t ready to promise Carlos Vela would start Saturday against the surging Colorado Rapids.

LAFC has been in negotiations with KCOP and Bally Sports for months, part of a larger rebranding that has seen German toolmaker Flex replace YouTube TV as the team’s primary shirt sponsor. Mattress company Nectar has its name on the club’s practice uniforms and training center at Cal State L.A.

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LAFC still is seeking a new naming-rights sponsor for its Exposition Park stadium. Banc of California, the team’s original partner, asked out of the agreement as part of a recent restricting, although it gave the team $20.1 million last year to leave its name there until a replacement is found.

LAFC 2021 Broadcast TV Schedule:


DATE

OPPONENT

VENUE

NETWORK

TIME (PT)

Saturday, May 22

Colorado

LAFC

KCOP

7:30 PM

Saturday, May 29

NYCFC

LAFC

Unimás

2:00 PM

Saturday, June 19

Houston

LAFC

Unimás

8:00 PM

Wednesday, June 23

Dallas

LAFC

Bally Sports SoCal

7:30 PM

Saturday, June 26

Kansas City

Kansas City

ESPN

2:00 PM

Saturday, July 3

Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake

KCOP

7:00 PM

Wednesday, July 7

Austin

Austin

Bally Sports SoCal

6:00 PM

Saturday, July 17

Real Salt Lake

LAFC

KCOP

7:30 PM

Wednesday, July 21

Portland

Portland

Bally Sports SoCal

7:30 PM

Saturday, July 24

Vancouver

TBD

KCOP

7:30 PM

Wednesday, July 28

Minnesota

LAFC

Bally Sports SoCal

7:30 PM

Wednesday, Aug. 4

Kansas City

LAFC

Bally Sports SoCal

7:30 PM

Sunday, Aug. 8

San Jose

San Jose

KCOP

4:00 PM

Sunday, Aug. 15

Atlanta

Atlanta

ESPN

1:00 PM

Saturday, Aug. 21

Vancouver

TBD

KCOP

7:00 PM

Saturday, Aug. 28

Galaxy

LAFC

FOX

5:00 PM

Friday, Sept. 3

Kansas City

LAFC

Unimás

7:00 PM

Sunday, Sept. 12

Real Salt Lake

LAFC

KCOP

7:30 PM

Wednesday, Sept. 15

Austin

Austin

Bally Sports SoCal

6:00 PM

Sunday, Sept. 19

Portland

Portland

FS1

3:00 PM

Saturday, Sept. 25

San Jose

San Jose

KCOP

7:00 PM

Wednesday, Sep 29

Portland

LAFC

FS1

7:00 PM

Sunday, Oct. 3

Galaxy

Los Angeles

ESPN

5:00 PM

Saturday, Oct. 16

San Jose

LAFC

Univision

12:30 PM

Wednesday, Oct. 20

Dallas

Dallas

Bally Sports SoCal

5:00 PM

Saturday, Oct. 23

Minnesota

Minnesota

KCOP

5:00 PM

Tuesday, Oct. 26

Seattle

LAFC

ESPN

7:30 PM

Monday, Nov. 1

Vancouver

TBD

Bally Sports SoCal

7:30 PM

Sunday, Nov. 7

Colorado

Colorado

KCOP

3:00 PM
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