17 Chicago Fire games to be broadcast

Radio Shack backs off voodoo doll promotion

By Luis Arroyave | Tribune reporter

9:24 PM CST, January 28, 2009

You could say the camera loves the Fire.

Cuauhtemoc Blanco and company will have 17 of their 30 regular-season games broadcast on national television this year.

Fire fans will be able to catch their team on ESPN (one game), ESPN2 (five games), Fox Soccer Channel (five games) and Telefutura (six games). WPWR-Ch. 50 will broadcast the Fire's regional games.

Here are five games to watch on the Fire's schedule, which was released on Wednesday:

Fire at FC Dallas, March 21: The Fire has watched Dallas hold the Brimstone Cup trophy for the last seven seasons. To reclaim the rivalry trophy, the Fire likely needs to start its season series against Dallas with a victory or draw. It won't be easy. The Fire is 0-3 in season openers against Dallas.

New York Red Bulls at Fire, April 5: The Toyota Park crowd will be buzzing for the Fire's home opener against last year's MLS Cup runner-up. The Fire players should be just as excited—especially since they have outscored the Red Bulls 11-3 in their last three meetings.

Fire at Seattle Sounders FC, July 25: It's not every day you see three ex-Premier League players in one MLS game. The expansion Sounders have former Arsenal star Freddie Ljungberg and U.S. national team goalkeeper Kasey Keller. The Fire boasts Brian McBride, who played with Keller at Fulham, and Blanco. If David Beckham stays at AC Milan, as has been rumored, this could become MLS' most star-studded match-up.

L.A. Galaxy at Fire, Aug. 19: If Beckham doesn't stay with Milan and comes back to the Galaxy, "Fire-Galaxy" remains the biggest matchup on the MLS schedule. Of course, that's a big "if."

Fire at Columbus Crew, Sept. 20: Don't be surprised if this late-season match has playoff implications. The Fire finished second behind the Crew in the Eastern Conference standings last season and lost to the Crew in the conference final.

Voodoo don't RadioShack Corp. has reversed course and will no longer sponsor a Mexican newspaper's promotional campaign inviting fans to buy and prick voodoo dolls to boost the nation's soccer team in a Feb. 11 World Cup qualifier against the United States at Columbus, Ohio.

larroyave@tribune.com