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MLS Ticker: League seals Canadian TV deal, Ferrari on trial with Fire and more

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By AVI CREDITOR

Major League Soccer and Canada's The Sports Network have reached a six-year deal to broadcast the league's games nationally north of the border.

TSN will carry 24 MLS games this season, all of them featuring Toronto FC or the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps. When the Montreal Impact joins the league in 2012, the channel will carry 30 MLS games per season through the end of the deal in 2016.

TFC and Vancouver will each be featured 13 times in 2011, with both head-to-head matchups being part of the broadcast schedule.

As part of the agreement, TSN also has the rights to the MLS All-Star Game, MLS playoffs and MLS Cup.

Here are a few more items from around the league:

FERRARI ON TRIAL WITH CHICAGO

Former United States U-20 striker Gabriel Ferrari is on trial with the Chicago Fire in an effort to jump-start his once promising career.

After making the U.S. U-20 World Cup team in 2007, Ferrari signed with Sampdoria as an 18-year-old in 2008. He has been beset by injuries, though, and he was loaned throughout Italy's lower divisions before making a move to Switzerland last year. He was released by Swiss second division side FC Wohlen last month.

RAPIDS DEFEAT CREW

Goals by Sanna Nyassi and Steven Emory powered the Colorado Rapids to a 2-0 preseason victory over the Columbus Crew at the Reach 11 Complex in Phoenix on Monday.

Nyassi scored in the 66th minute off a run-cut-shoot sequence from the right wing, and Emory, a trialist, doubled the lead 11 minutes later by finishing off a cross from Omar Cummings.

GALAXY SIGNS DRAFT PICKS

The Los Angeles Galaxy added five draft picks to its official roster, coming to terms with Paolo Cardozo, Hector Jimenez, Daniel Keat, Ryan Thomas and Dustin McCarty.

Cardozo and Jimenez were selected in the SuperDraft, while Keat, Thomas and McCarty were all supplemental draft choices.

DYNAMO INKS 3RD KEEPER

The Houston Dynamo signed supplemental draft pick Evan Newton, augmenting Dominic Kinnear's option at goalkeeper.

With Pat Onstad's retirement, the only keepers on the roster had been expected 2011 starter Tally Hall and homegrown player Tyler Deric. Newton, an Old Dominion University product, figures to back them both up while providing a safety cushion in case of injury.

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What do you think about the Canadian TV deal? Do you hope Ferrari sticks with the Fire? Can you see Nyassi building on his 2010 success with the Rapids? Impressed with the Galaxy's draft haul? Do you think the Dynamo will suffer without Onstad between the pipes?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Too bad all if the games on Directv would be blacked out, they do it with all of the NHL and NBA games. They want you to pay for the specific sports package. So even if TSN was made available, you’d have to pay for Direct Kick to watch the games. I hate this, it renders the regional sports channels useless if you ask me.

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  9. Oh man that brings me back–I grew up 30 minutes from the Canadian border and spent more of my youth than I’d like to admit hearing Alanis Morissette and Tragically Hip on the radio.

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  12. It’s only promisisng if these guys play well here. Both need a jumpstart, both should be great for the overall quality of the league, but they gotta score goals, too. Except against Chivas USA.

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