ESPN Names Adrian Healey Lead MLS Voice; Fox Soccer Hires Dellacamera

 ESPN yesterday named Adrian Healey its primary play-by-play announcer for MLS telecasts starting this season. Healey, who will make his debut with the Galaxy-Sounders season opener on March 15, will pair in the booth with analyst John Harkes. Alexi Lalas returns as a studio analyst for the net's MLS coverage, and Max Bretos will return as studio host and play-by-play commentator. Also returning are reporter Rob Stone and studio/match analyst Taylor Twellman (ESPN). The AP reports Healey's predecessor at ESPN, JP Dellacamera, is moving to Fox Soccer "to become play-by-play man" for its MLS coverage. Dellacamera will work Fox Soccer's 14 Friday night telecasts, "which are exclusive to the network." He also calls games for the Philadelphia Union. Eric Wynalda will host pregame, halftime and postgame shows for Fox Soccer, alongside Christopher Sullivan. Kyle Martino "takes over from Sullivan as the color commentator" alongside Dellacamera (AP, 3/10). A source indicated that Fox Soccer in the coming days also is "expected to announce the return of Allen Hopkins to the channel." Hopkins is expected to call some MLS games for Fox Soccer, where he worked before a five-year stint at ESPN, as well as "matches involving WPS and other properties." By landing Hopkins, Fox Soccer has "added a third member of ESPN's MLS crew from last season to its MLS coverage this season" (GOAL.com, 3/9).

STATE OF THE UNION: In Philadelphia, Kerith Gabriel cites a source as saying that the MLS Philadelphia Union and Comcast are "ironing out a deal" to have Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia "potentially air 18 of 34 league matches." In addition, CSN Philly "will air a weekly soccer show, with the host to be announced." The show "tentatively will be called 'State of the Union,' which was once the name of CSN's Union blog." The Union already have a "long-term deal" with WPVI-ABC, but the source said that the "collaboration with Comcast will eliminate coverage" on WPVI's digital cable channel, the LiveWell Network. The source added that "'programming details and minor scheduling conflicts' are the only issues holding up announcements on both sides" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 3/10).