LOS ANGELES: Major League Soccer and NBC have agreed on a new deal that will see American soccer on the network beginning next season, which is expected to double the number of viewers of the games in an effort to increase exposure of the sport. The package currently on Fox Soccer Channel will move mainly to the NBC Sports Network, Versus' new name beginning January 2. The cable channel will air 38 regular-season games, three playoff games and two US men's national team matches each year. NBC will broadcast two regular-season MLS games, two playoff games and two national team appearances under the three-year contract announced Wednesday. “It shows our sport is ready for prime time,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said. The deal became possible after Comcast, Versus' parent company, officially took over NBCUniversal in January. Not only will a handful of games be available to a broader audience on NBC, but Garber is confident soccer will get invaluable exposure through advertising during the network's coverage of other sports, from “Sunday Night Football” to the Stanley Cup playoffs to the Olympics. “NBC is really famous for promoting their partners, and that's a big driver in our decision to do a deal with them,” Garber said. BM
