Orlando Pride to Play in Seven Nationally Televised Matches

The Orlando Pride will have seven of their 24 matches in the 2017 National Women’s Soccer League season televised nationally on the Lifetime Network. A deal was reached earlier this year by the league and A+E Networks, which includes a nationally televised Game of the Week each weekend during the season. This is a huge step for the league after only six matches in the past two years have been nationally televised.

Right away the Pride will find themselves in the national spotlight as their opening weekend match against the Portland Thorns will be the first nationally televised match of the season.

Five of the seven matches nationally televised will be home fixtures, including the home opener against the Washington Spirit on April 22, which will be the first time the club plays in Orlando City Stadium. Coincidentally, the Spirit will also be featured in seven nationally televised matches, as the two clubs are tied for the most appearances in nationally televised matches in the NWSL.

All NWSL games of the week will have a pregame show that will air on Lifetime 30 minutes before kickoff. The crew that will handle the matches this season will include Jen Hildreth, Aly Wagner, and Dalen Cuff, with former World Cup winner Kate Markgraf occupying the sideline reporter role.

The matches can be watched with live and on-demand streaming via the Lifetime iOS and Android apps and online at MyLifetime.com. If you are watching from outside the United States, then you can watch the matches on NWSLSoccer.com.

Here are the seven Pride matches that will be televised on the Lifetime Network:

Saturday, April 15: Portland Thorns vs. Orlando Pride, 3 p.m.

Saturday, April 22: Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit, 4 p.m.

Saturday, June 24: Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash, 4 p.m.

Saturday, July 22: Chicago Red Stars vs. Orlando Pride, 4 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 12: Orlando Pride vs. Sky Blue FC, 4 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 2: Orlando Pride vs. Boston Breakers, 4 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 9: Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign, 4 p.m.