SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes, NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California today announced their local broadcast schedule for the 2018 Major League Soccer season. The networks will televise 29 Quakes matches this year, including highly anticipated contests against reigning MLS Cup champions Toronto FC (Aug. 18) and expansion side LAFC (June 9). Plus, the networks will offer live streams of its Quakes matches via NBCSportsBayArea.com and the NBC Sports app.
“We’re very proud of our partnership with NBC Sports and the strong broadcast they’ve provided for our fans over the years,” said Earthquakes Executive Vice President Jed Mettee. “This year’s enhanced coverage and innovative new features will give Quakes fans an even more immersive and comprehensive TV experience.”
“NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California is committed to providing Northern California’s most comprehensive and entertaining coverage across multiple platforms,” said David Koppett, Vice President of Content Strategy, NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California. “We are thrilled to launch live streaming of our San Jose Earthquakes telecasts, and to provide fans with access to our coverage in and out of the home, and on any device.”
NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California will present live streams of its Quakes schedule to NBC Sports Bay Area/NBC Sports California subscribers via NBCSportsBayArea.com and the NBC Sports app. The live-streaming service will be available at no additional cost to authenticated subscribers on mobile, tablet and desktop devices. The service is provided as an added value and is available to all video distributors of NBC Sports Bay Area/NBC Sports California.
The season’s broadcast was subject to a variety of upgrades to further enhance the look and feel of matchday coverage. Additional camera angles will be used to highlight Quakes fans and the beauty of Avaya Stadium.
Another major addition to Quakes home broadcasts will be the inclusion of fan-driven videos. Fans in attendance can now capture and post videos to social media with #Quakes74, which may be pulled and run during the broadcast.
The Earthquakes will also host pregame, halftime and postgame Facebook Live shows at each home match.
Anthony Passarelli and Chris Dangerfield will serve as the broadcast’s play-by-play voice and color analyst, respectively, for the fifth consecutive season. They are joined by analyst Danielle Slaton, a former United States Women’s National Team and Santa Clara University defender, who served as the club’s sideline reporter for the last two seasons.
Passarelli, a four-time NorCal AFTRA award-winning sports anchor and reporter, has provided color commentary and radio play-by-play for San Jose State men’s basketball and Santa Clara University men’s soccer. He is also currently the play-by-play voice of Santa Clara men’s basketball.
Dangerfield, a native of England, enjoyed a great career for the Earthquakes in both the North American Soccer League and Western Soccer Alliance. In the NASL, he was a key midfielder from 1982-84, scoring 14 goals and notching 14 assists for the Quakes. He helped the 1983 Quakes to an undefeated season at home and a semifinal finish in the playoffs. He also played for the Portland Timbers, Los Angeles Aztecs and Team Hawaii, among others.
In addition to Slaton’s work with NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California, she provided commentary for the 2016 Rio Olympics for NBC. She has also worked with the Big Ten Network and FOX Sports, where she served as a match analyst during the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Slaton played for the U.S. Women’s National Team from 2000-2005, earning a silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and a bronze in the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She also played professionally for Olympique Lyonnias in France, after spending her college years at Santa Clara University, where she captained her team to a NCAA championship in 2001. She was three-time All-American and was named the 2001 NCAA Scholar Athlete of the Year.
For a full broadcast schedule of the Earthquakes’ 2018 MLS season, please click here.
About NBC Sports Bay Area/California
NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California, both part of NBC Sports Regional Networks, serve more than four million households in Northern California, Nevada, Southern Oregon and Hawaii. NBC Sports Bay Area, the television home of MLB’s San Francisco Giants, NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and the official regional sports network of the San Francisco 49ers, also features a robust lineup of Emmy Award-winning news, analysis and original programming. NBC Sports California offers live coverage of MLB’s Oakland Athletics, NBA’s Sacramento Kings, NHL’s San Jose Sharks, MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes and is the official regional sports network of the Oakland Raiders. Collectively, these networks deliver more than 600 live game broadcasts per year. NBCSportsBayArea.com and NBCSportsCalifornia.com provide fans with comprehensive digital coverage of the hometown teams with original stories and content from a team of “Insiders,” breaking news, up-to-the-minute game previews/recaps, highlights and multimedia video clips. Follow both networks on social media –Twitter: @NBCSAuthentic; Instagram: NBCSAuthentic; Snapchat: NBCSAuthentic; and Facebook: facebook.com/NBCSAuthentic.
