Harkes Signs on as Host of FSW's "MLS Wrap"

Has there been an official announcement about who'll be calling the MLS on FSW games? I know we have a pretty good idea who is doing PBP, but I haven't seen an announcement anywhere.

 

I wonder about the wording of this, calling Harkes the "host". He has seemed to be a capable analyst, but he's not experienced at being "traffic cop", which you have to be to be the actual "host" of a highlight-type show (is it live or not? Because if it's live, he's even less likely to succeed in a single-host role). As a co-host with a professional broadcaster, I imagine he'd do at least as well as Lalas did on Extra Time and (obviously) he'd be parsecs ahead of Roy Wegerle.

But I had been told that Sean Wheelock was hosting the actual show. If it's Wheelock and Harkes, that's not a bad combination. And I thought Frick and Frack were doing the FSW matches from the studio.

 

I've heard conflicting rumors, and Sean didn't answer my last email... I've heard that Sean was going to be on MLS Wrap, and I've hears that he's going to be doing the broadcasts. It is possible that he'd be doing both.

 

that would rock in my book... wheelock is damn good

 

His animatronic eyebrows kick ass.

 

And THEN there's his odd emphasis OF words that gives the ACTION a very STRANGE rhythm.

 

So I was just at Chris Klein's house yesterday and we were having dinner, and...


...just kidding Sean.

 

And here's the answer....

MLS NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release Contact: MLS Communications: (212) 450-1227

www.MLSnet.com FSW: Veronica Alvarez, (310) 286-6329

John Harkes and Sean Wheelock to co-host

Fox Sports World's "MLS Wrap" on Saturday Nights

Los Angeles, CA (April 10, 2003) - John Harkes, who announced his retirement from Major League Soccer on Saturday, will co-host Fox Sports World's MLS Wrap, a new, weekly highlight show that debuts on April 12 at 12:00 a.m. ET / 9:00 p.m. PT. Harkes will be joined by veteran broadcaster Sean Wheelock on MLS Wrap, which will make its debut following the network's live national broadcast of the Kansas City Wizards-D.C. United match at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Harkes, one of the first players signed by Major League Soccer, played for and captained D.C. United from 1996-98, helping the club win the first two MLS Cup Championships along with the 1996 U.S. Open Cup title. After United claimed MLS Cup '97, Harkes was part of the side that achieved Major League Soccer's first success on the international stage, as United won both the CONCACAF Champions Cup and Interamerican Cup in 1998. Harkes' domestic career also included stints with the New England Revolution and the Columbus Crew.

"I am very excited to be part of this new partnership between Fox Sports World and Major League Soccer," said Harkes. "As a player, I have always been a huge supporter of Fox Sports World and now I have an incredible opportunity to work for them covering MLS. This is a positive step in the right direction for MLS, a most fitting relationship. Although I have been involved with TV before, hosting a show such as this will be something new for me, but I feel I am ready for the challenge."

During his illustrious career, Harkes made 90 appearances as a member of the U.S. national squad including the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cup finals. In 1993, Harkes became the first U.S. player to ever play and score in the prestigious English FA Cup while playing for Sheffield Wednesday. In addition to playing for Sheffield, Harkes also played for Premiership club teams Derby County and West Ham United before joining D.C. United in 1996. Harkes has also gained his share of television broadcasting experience as the co-host of his own show Soccer Sweep in D.C. (1997-1998), a host for MLS Cup '99, and as guest host of ESPN2's World Cup Tonight last summer.

Wheelock, who has been a television broadcaster with MLS since the League's Inaugural Season in 1996, brings a wealth of experience to the MLS Wrap studio. From 1997 to 2002, Wheelock served as the play-by-play voice of the Kansas City Wizards, for whom he also hosted the club's weekly television series "Kansas City Kicks". Aside from the Wizards, Wheelock has called a number of MLS matches for the League's regional and national television packages. Additionally, he served as the 2002 World Cup analyst for Fox Sports Radio and was the lead play-by-play announcer on Fox Sports World's coverage of the United Soccer Leagues last season.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to be a part of Major League Soccer's coverage on Fox Sports World. I am a huge fan of the network and it's really great that I now get to be involved. I think all soccer fans in the country know that this is the right network for MLS," said Wheelock.

"We're pleased to have John and Sean join our team as anchors for the MLS Wrap show," said David Sternberg, General Manager of Fox Sports World. "Their combined expertise will contribute to building the show by offering an in-depth look at MLS, its players and league developments."

Parent division Fox Sports International (FSI) recently announced a four-year agreement with Major League Soccer to nationally televise at least 25 regular-season games and at least eight playoff games per season on Fox Sports World. The games will also be broadcast in Spanish on Fox Sports en Español.

Based in Los Angeles, Fox Sports International is an international sports programming and production entity housed within the Fox Cable Networks Group, one of the major operating units within Fox Entertainment Group (NYSE: FOX) and News Corporation (NYSE: NWS). FSI operates the programming services Fox Sports World and Fox Sports Middle East, as well as a London-based programming syndication sales division, and is partnered with Global Television in Fox Sports World Canada. It joined with Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Inc. and Liberty Media Corporation to form Fox Pan American Sports LLC, the world's largest Spanish-language sports operations and programming venture, spanning North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Through this joint venture, FSI manages the U.S. Spanish-language sports network Fox Sports en Español.

www.MLSnet.com