2002 MLS season

As originally written by Tony Miller:

The seventh season of MLS and the last one where English national telecasts were only on the ESPN networks.

The story has been told that the 2002 MLS season almost didn’t happen, since the owners agreed to fold in November 2001 before Lamar Hunt talked them out of it. That didn’t happen, but both Florida franchises (Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion) folded to reduce the league to ten teams. That resulted in a restructuring from three conferences to two, with the Fire and Crew going east and the Burn going west.

Three teams moved, albeit one of them temporarily:

• The Fire moved from Soldier Field to Cardinal Stadium at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, where they would play for most of two seasons due to renovations.
• The Revolution moved from Foxboro Stadium to CMGI Field, which became known as Gillette Stadium that August and still is.
• The Rapids moved from the original Mile High Stadium to Invesco Field at Mile High.

Home team listed first. Any and all help appreciated.

MARCH

Saturday 3/23:

Crew-Fire, 4:00, ABC. Jack Edwards, Ty Keough, Rob Stone, Veronica Paysse

Saturday 3/30:

DC United-Fire, 4:00, ESPN2. Jack Edwards, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

APRIL

Saturday 4/6:

Earthquakes-Revolution, 4:00, ESPN2. Rob Stone, color unknown

Saturday 4/13:

Wizards-Earthquakes, 4:00, ESPN2. Jack Edwards, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

Saturday 4/20:

Crew-Revolution, 4:00, ESPN2. Rob Stone, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

Saturday 4/27:

Galaxy-Rapids, 4:00, ESPN2. Rob Stone, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

MAY

Saturday 5/4:

Earthquakes-Crew, 4:00, ESPN2.

Saturday 5/11:

Fire-Galaxy, 4:00, ESPN2. PBP unknown, color unknown, Veronica Paysse

Saturday 5/18:

Burn-Rapids, 4:00, ESPN2. PBP unknown, color unknown, Veronica Paysse

Sunday 5/26:

Revolution-Galaxy, 1:00a (taped 7:30 May 25), ESPN2. Rob Stone, color unknown

JUNE

Saturday 6/1:

Rapids-Galaxy, 4:00, ESPN2.

Saturday 6/8:

Galaxy-Fire, 4:00, ESPN2.

Saturday 6/15:

MetroStars-Galaxy, 5:30 (taped 4:00), ESPN2.

Saturday 6/22:

Fire-MetroStars, 4:00, ESPN2.

Saturday 6/29:

Revolution-MetroStars, 4:00, ESPN2.

JULY

Saturday 7/6:

Wizards-Burn, 4:00, ESPN2. Rob Stone, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

Saturday 7/13:

DC United-Crew, 7:30, ESPN2.

Saturday 7/20:

MetroStars-Revolution, 4:00, ESPN2.

Saturday 7/27:

Fire-MetroStars, 4:00, ESPN2. Jack Edwards, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

AUGUST

Saturday 8/3:

MLS All-Star Game at Washington, D.C.

MLS All-Stars-USMNT, 3:30, ABC. Jack Edwards, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse, Rob Stone

Following weather delay, moved to ESPN at 6:00 in 72nd minute.

Saturday 8/10:

Burn-Fire, 4:00, ESPN2. Glenn Davis, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

Saturday 8/17:

Earthquakes-DC United, 4:00, ESPN2. Rob Stone, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

Saturday 8/24:

Rapids-Earthquakes, 4:00, ESPN2. Rob Stone, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

SEPTEMBER

Sunday 9/1:

Galaxy-MetroStars, 1:00a (taped 10:00 Aug. 31), ESPN2. Jack Edwards, Ty Keough, Eric Wynalda

Thursday 9/5:

Burn-MetroStars, 8:00, ESPN2. Jack Edwards, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

Thursday 9/12:

MetroStars-DC United, 7:30, ESPN2. Jack Edwards, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

Thursday 9/19:

DC United-Burn, 7:30, ESPN2. Rob Stone, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

Thursday 9/26:

East semis, g1: Revolution-Fire, 7:30, ESPN2. Rob Stone, Ty Keough, Veronica Paysse

OCTOBER

Sunday 10/20:

MLS Cup: Revolution-Galaxy (at Foxborough, Mass.), 1:00, ABC. JP Dellacamera, Ty Keough, Rob Stone, Veronica Paysse