FOX Sports Names John Strong Lead Play-By-Play Voice for CONCACAF Gold Cup Coverage
Just days after the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015™ crowns its champion on FOX, FOX Sports’ Summer of Soccer continues as attention turns to the U.S. Men’s National Team’s quest to win the crucial CONCACAF Gold Cup, with FOX Sports play-by-play announcer John Strong serving as the tournament’s lead play-by-play voice.
The U.S. team enters the region’s biennial championship coming off huge away wins over European powerhouse Netherlands and World Champion Germany, and FOX Sports televises every match. Competition begins Tuesday, July 7, and runs through the final on Sunday, July 26, which airs in primetime (8:00 PM ET) on FOX Sports 1 live from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
If the U.S. wins the Gold Cup, the team earns a spot in the 2017 Confederations Cup, a high-profile tournament that would give coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s team the luxury of an important tune-up in Russia, host of the following year’s FIFA World Cup.
A play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2015™ coverage, Strong calls all U.S. Gold Cup matches as well as the championship game. Former U.S. and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Brad Friedel joins Strong as the match analyst for USA-Honduras on Tuesday, July 7 (9:30 PM ET) and USA-Haiti on Friday, July 10 (8:30 PM ET). National Soccer Hall of Famer Alexi Lalas works alongside Strong for Panama-USA on Monday, July 13 (9:30 PM ET). Julie Stewart-Binks reports from the sidelines for all three matches, televised on FOX Sports 1.
FOX Sports 1 is home to 11 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup matches, including two quarterfinals, a semifinal and the final. One quarterfinal, Sunday, July 18 (8:00 PM ET,) is scheduled for FOX broadcast network, should the USA qualify, and the remaining matches are carried on FOX Sports 2. All matches feature dedicated studio programming.
In addition to Strong, Steve Cangialosi, Keith Costigan, Glenn Davis, JP Dellacamera and Mark Rogondino also call game action for FOX Sports’ coverage of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Joining Friedel and Lalas as analysts are Warren Barton, Brian Dunseth, Stu Holden, Cobi Jones and Janusz Michallik.
FOX Sports also provides comprehensive access to the entire tournament on tablets and mobile devices via the FOX Sports GO app and online at www.FOXSportsGO.com.
The 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup features the exciting talent and rivalries of the 12 participating nations from North America (Canada, Mexico & USA), Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras & Panama) and the Caribbean (Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica & Trinidad and Tobago). The United States looks to defend its 2013 Gold Cup championship in which it defeated Panama, 1-0, in the final.
FOX Sports’ Summer of Soccer features more than 200 live matches between Memorial Day and Labor Day, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the UEFA Champions League Final, the FA Cup, the UEFA Europa League Final, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Major League Soccer All-Star Game and league matches every Sunday, the International Champions Cup, the debut of the Bundesliga on FOX Sports 1, the FA Community Shield, the Copa Libertadores Final and additional matches featuring both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams.