Confirmed: MLS TV deal set to be announced at 1PM Eastern, Noon Central

According to numerous sources, MLS and US Soccer are set to announce an eight year, $720 million television rights deal which includes ESPN, Fox Sports and Univision. The bulk of the $95 million per year will come from the combined coverage from ESPN and Fox Sports at $37.5 million each (this number is a guesstimate), with the remainder coming from Univision at $15 million.

The previous television rights deal was set to expire in 2015, and seems paltry in comparison at $27 million per year. This is also in-line with what other soccer leagues are getting in their US-based TV rights deals. For example, Premiere League's TV deal is at $83 million per year.

We've included the press conference Youtube stream at the bottom of this story!

The highlights of what each network is getting and providing in the deal:

ESPN

- At least 34 exclusive regular seaon broadcasts each year, almost all of which will air at 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Sundays on ESPN2, and digital rights to all of those broadcasts on all platforms and devices

- Exclusive rights to online distribution for MLS games not nationally broadcast, via ESPN3.com (more on that below)

- Shared rights to the MLS Cup Playoffs with Fox for all games except two each year on Univision networks

- Alternating rights on a year-by-year basis with Fox for the MLS Cup Final and MLS All-Star Game

- Split rights to U.S. national team games with Fox, the details of which have not yet been confirmed

- Rights to the MLS SuperDraft and other events

- Rights to MLS broadcasts on ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes

- Opportunity for ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes Radio to air MLS matches

Fox Sports

- At least 34 exclusive regular-season broadcasts each year, almost all of which will air at 7:00 p.m. on Sundays on Fox Sports 1, and digital rights to all of those broadcasts on all platforms and devices

(There is not a requirement that all games must be on Fox Sports 1, which means some games could air on the much-less-distributed Fox Sports 2)

- Shared rights to the MLS Cup Playoffs with ESPN for all games except two each year on Univision networks

- Alternating rights on a year-by-year basis with ESPN for the MLS Cup Final and MLS All-Star Game

- Split rights to U.S. national team games with Fox, the details of which have not yet been confirmed

- Opportunity for Fox Sports Radio to air MLS matches

Univision

- At least 34 exclusive regular-season broadcasts each year, on Friday evenings at either 7:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m. Eastern on UniMás

- Between five and seven Friday doubleheaders on Univision Deportes on consecutive weeks in May and June, with two hours of ancillary programming around the games

- A weekly MLS wrapup show on Sundays, and a condensed match of the week

- Two exclusive MLS Cup playoff broadcasts

- All U.S. men's national team games

- At least four U.S. women's national team games

- An English-language commentary feed for all MLS and U.S. soccer games via the SAP button on your remote control

- Digital rights to all MLS and U.S. national team games it airs, including an English-language audio option on all live game streams

Also important to note is Univision will also carry an English language feed, which is a godsend for those matches they will cover. There will finally be a set day and time each week for select matches with Major League Soccer hoping to draw casual fans by finding consistency in coverage and broadcasts. Friday nights are Univision, and Sunday nights will be either ESPN2 or Fox Sports 1.

Another tidbit is the ESPN3 coverage of the matches. This will replace the existing MLS Live offering, which beginning next season will be no more. Fans have already voiced their concerns as currently only those with cable or internet providers who offer WatchESPN in their package can actually view content, even when some streams are on ESPN3 (which is separate from WatchESPN).

There are heavy rumors, and something which has been hinted at and practically confirmed by Chris Schlosser, there will be a subscription available for ESPN3 for fans of MLS to view match streams without a cable or internet provider giving access.

We will try to cover the press conference at noon Central as best we can, but surely we will miss something. Feel free to use the comments to voice your concerns or enthusiasm, and offer any additional tidbits we may have missed.