KUTV to air 24 RSL games

Real Salt Lake and KUTV-Ch. 2 have finalized a deal that will put two dozen games on local TV this year — all but two on the new digital channel 2.2.

The season-opener at Seattle on March 28 and the July 4 matchup against San Jose will be on KUTV's main channel — the current analog Ch. 2 and digital Ch. 2.1.

KUTV will launch its second digital channel, 2.2, in early April. Digital channels are available on many cable systems as well as over the air to those whose television are equipped to receive digital broadcast signals. (And all broadcasting will be digital as of June 12.)

With six games scheduled on either ESPN2 or the Fox Soccer Channel, the deal means that all 30 of RSL's regular-season games will be available on TV this season.

KUTV's channels will be home to all 15 of RSL's away games and nine of 15 home games. The local CBS affiliate's three-year deal with Real Salt Lake replaces a local TV deal the MLS team had with KSL-Ch. 5.

Ch. 2 sportscasters Dave Fox, David James and Dan Sheldon will share play-by-play duties on a game-by-game basis; former RSL player Brian Dunseth will provide the analysis. As part of the deal, RSL players and/or coaches will appear weekly on the Sunday edition of "Talkin' Sports," which airs at 10:35 p.m.

Real Salt Lake's 2009 TV schedule:

Sat., March 28, at Seattle, Ch. 2.1

Thurs., April 2, vs. Columbus, ESPN2

Sat., April 11, vs. D.C., Ch. 2.2

Sat., April 18, at N.Y., Ch. 2.2

Sat., April 25, vs. N.E., Ch. 2.2

Sat., May 2, at Colorado, Ch. 2.2

Wed., May 6, vs. L.A., Ch. 2.2

Sat., May 9, at Chivas, Ch. 2.2

Sat., May 16, K.C., Ch. 2.2.

Sat., May 23, at D.C., Ch. 2.2

Sat., May 30, at S.J., Ch. 2.2

Sat., June 6, vs. Colo., FSC

Sat., June 13, at L.A., Ch. 2.2

Sat., June 20, at Houston, Ch. 2.2

Sat., June 27, vs. Toronto, Ch. 2.2

Sat., July 4, vs. S.J., Ch. 2.1

Sat., July 18, at Columbus, Ch. 2.2

Fri., July 24, vs. Dallas, Ch. 2.2

Sat., Aug. 1, at Chicago, Ch. 2.2

Sat., Aug. 8, vs. Seattle, Ch. 2.2

Sat., Aug. 15, vs. Houston, FSC

Sun., Aug. 23, at N.E., Ch. 2.2

Wed., Aug. 26, vs. Chivas, Ch. 2.2

Sat., Aug. 29, at K.C., Ch. 2.2

Sat., Sept. 12, Chicago, FSC

Sat., Sept. 19, at Houston, Ch. 2.2

Sat., Sept. 26, at Dallas, Ch. 2.2

Wed., Oct. 14, N.Y., ESPN2

Sat., Oct. 17, at Toronto, Ch. 2.2

Sat., Oct. 24, vs. Colorado, FSC

E-MAIL: pierce@desnews.com