Sporting Kansas City closes out the 2016 MLS regular season Sunday at 3 p.m. CT when the club hosts the San Jose Earthquakes at Children’s Mercy Park. SKCTV and 38 The Spot will televise the monumental Decision Day clash as Sporting Kansas City looks to secure a club-record sixth straight playoff berth with a victory.
Major League Soccer announced coverage details for the highly anticipated Decision Day last night. All 20 MLS teams will kick off simultaneously at 3 p.m. CT with 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoff spots, Supporters’ Shield honors and the Golden Boot scoring title all on the line.
Just as in Week 33, flex scheduling allowed ESPN and FS1 to select the most impactful matches on the playoff landscape. ESPN will air Real Salt Lake at Seattle Sounders FC, while FS1 will broadcast Shield leaders FC Dallas at LA Galaxy.
In addition to the national telecasts, the “MLS Decision Day Whiparound” show on ESPN2 will provide two hours of dramatic Decision Day coverage beginning at 3 p.m. CT, bringing viewers every goal, save and key moment from the final day of action.
Following a 0-0 draw at Real Salt Lake in Week 33, Sporting Kansas City (12-13-8, 44 points) enters the last match day knowing a win would guarantee a playoff berth. Manager Peter Vermes’ men, currently sixth in the Western Conference standings, could still finish anywhere between fourth (and a home playoff game) and seventh (and no playoff appearance). The eighth-place Earthquakes (8-11-14, 38 points) are already eliminated from postseason contention and will look to embrace the spoiler role as their 2016 campaign draws to a close.
While they share identical records with 44 points apiece, Sporting Kansas City holds a goal differential tiebreaker over the seventh-place Portland Timbers. Both of these teams, however, would clinch playoff spots with wins on Sunday. That’s because Real Salt Lake (46) and Seattle (45) face each other, meaning one of the two will finish with 46 points or fewer. Click here for Sporting Kansas City’s playoff scenarios heading into Decision Day.
For the second straight week, MLSsoccer.com will provide an hour-long pregame and postgame show as a precursor to Sunday’s 10 matches. The “MLS Matchday Live — Decision Day Pregame Show” will air at 2 p.m. CT on the MLS Facebook Page and YouTube channel. Immediately after the final whistle. “MLS Matchday Live — Decision Day Postgame” will return to the same digital platforms.
