The match against Henny Derby rivals Forward Madison FC will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network and be the Kickers’ first national broadcast since 2018

TAMPA, Fla. and RICHMOND, Va. – USL League One and the Richmond Kickers announced, Tuesday, that the Kickers’ home match on July 3, 2024, against Henny Derby rivals Forward Madison FC will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network. Kickoff for the match is set for 8 p.m.
The match will mark the first national broadcast for the Kickers since the 2018 season. It also marks the first time The Henny Derby, a supporters-led rivalry between the Kickers and Madison that celebrates and embraces Black soccer culture, will be spotlighted on national television.
Originating from a wager over social media for a bottle of Hennessy between Kickers supporter Elliot Barr and Madison supporter Kyle Carr ahead of the first-ever meeting between the clubs in 2019, the rivalry has grown over the last five USL League One seasons into one of the premier lower-league rivalries in American soccer complete with a trophy and fan gatherings during Henny Derby weekends.

Season Tickets are now available for the 2024 season! Fans can unlock massive savings, access to exclusive events, a complimentary CityStadium+ Membership and so much more. Be a part of every out-of-your-seat experience in 2024 with Season Tickets! Additional information can be found at richmondkickers.com/seasontickets.
Stay up to date with all of the Kickers news at RichmondKickers.com and on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!
Full USL Release:
TAMPA, Fla. — The United Soccer League released today the national television broadcast schedule for the 2024 USL Championship and USL League One seasons. This season sees a record number of national broadcasts for the USL, with 35 combined regular season and playoff matches to be televised across the league’s two national media rights partners: CBS Sports and ESPN.
Louisville City FC-Indy Eleven Rivalry to Feature in USL’s First Network Television Broadcast
One of the most passionate rivalries in the USL will take centerstage on the CBS Television Network as Louisville City FC hosts Indy Eleven in the Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest (LIPAFC) on Saturday, April 6. LouCity holds the edge in the series with 10 wins to Indy’s five, with the clubs finishing even six times across 21 prior meetings across all competitions. For hosts Louisville, 24-year-old Wilson Harris is tracking to become the youngest-ever player to record 50 goals in USL Championship history after recently signing a new multi-year deal with LouCity. Indy, meanwhile, will arrive with a new head coach in Sean MacAuley and with new striker and Sierra Leone international Augustine Williams front and center after he scored 31 goals over the past two seasons. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
2023 USL Championship Final Rematch on ESPN2
Defending title-winners Phoenix Rising FC will host the Charleston Battery in a rematch of the 2023 USL Championship Final on ESPN2 on Saturday, June 22. A lot has changed since that match last November, with both undergoing impactful roster and coaching changes. Each side has reinforced during the offseason, including the Battery adding two-time Championship All-League selection Aaron Molloy in midfield and Phoenix bringing aboard 19-year-old Italian youth international Guilio Dorattioto from Juventus’ Academy, as both teams takes aim at a similar charge back to the USL Championship Final this November. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET.
Western Conference Classic on CBS; Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Phoenix Rising FC Two Western Conference heavyweights go head-to-head as Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC hosts Phoenix Rising FC on CBS on Saturday, August 3. Fans can expect beauty on and off the pitch at the recently built Weidner Field with downtown Colorado Springs as the backdrop to two of the top attacking sides in the league. The Switchbacks recently added a major piece to their frontline with the acquisition of 2021 USL Championship Final MVP Ronaldo Damus, while Rising FC will look to keep the attack quiet with Argentina U-23 international goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo minding the net after earning USL Championship Final MVP honors last season. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
USL League One Standouts on CBS Sports Network
A pair of enticing USL League One matchups will be on display during the first year of the league’s partnership with CBS Sports. On Wednesday, July 3, one of the two longest continually operating professional clubs in the United States, the Richmond Kickers, are set to host League One original Forward Madison FC at a raucous City Stadium on CBS Sports Network. The Kickers – who led League One in average attendance in 2023 – will make their first national broadcast appearance since 2018, while the ‘Mingos will be making their national television debut in one of the league’s most exciting and significant rivalries: the Henny Derby. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
On Wednesday, Sept. 4, this season’s League One expansion side Spokane Velocity FC hosts two-time Players’ Shield winners Union Omaha on CBS Sports Network. Velocity’s momentum has been building for years; Spokane leads the league in season ticket membership heading into 2024, and the club’s new home, ONE Spokane Stadium, is set to welcome more than 5,000 fans to downtown Spokane after opening in Sept. 2023. After setting league records in points (65), goals (61) and goals per match (1.91) in 2023, defending USL League One Coach of the Year Dominic Casciato and Los Búhos will make their first national television appearance since the 2021 regular season. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET.
USL Championship and USL League One Finals on CBS Platforms
The USL Championship and USL League One seasons will culminate with each league’s Final airing on CBS platforms. During the postseason, one game per weekend will air on CBS Sports Network throughout the Eastern and Western Conference Finals. The USL Championship Final will then make its network television debut on Saturday, November 23, with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on CBS. The USL League One Final will be televised on CBS Sports Network, date and kickoff time TBD.
Mike Watts and Devon Kerr Return as the Voices of the USL
Returning for their seventh season as the national broadcast voices of the USL are Mike Watts and Devon Kerr, having both signed multi-year contracts with the USL. A broadcasting duo since 2018, both Watts and Kerr bring several years of broadcasting experience in domestic and international soccer. As the play-by-play voice of the USL since the 2015 USL Championship Final, Watts brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the airwaves. In addition to his broadcast work in the USL Championship, Watts has covered prominent domestic and international competitions in the region including the U.S Men’s National Team’s recent triumphs at the Gold Cup and the Nations League Finals, and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Watts also works on ESPN’s soccer portfolio, Cincinnati Bengals television broadcasts, Westwood One’s College Football and NFL coverage, and is a public address announcer at Madison Square Garden.
As the USL’s lead analyst since 2018, Devon Kerr has quickly become one of the most respected soccer analysts in the country. He remains the only lead analyst across three entities – the USL Championship, the NCAA Men’s College Cup, and the CONCACAF Champions Cup. In addition, Kerr is currently an analyst for MLS matches and is a regular voice in coverage of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. He played collegiately at Stetson University and competed in Germany’s Regionalliga with Altona 93.
2024 USL Championship and League One National Broadcast Schedule*
Below is the currently confirmed schedule of broadcasts for the USL Championship and the USL League One regular season. Three additional ESPN broadcasts will be announced at a future date. The 2024 USL Playoffs broadcast schedule will be announced following the conclusion of the regular season.
DATE | HOME | AWAY | TIME (ET) | NETWORK |
Sat. 4/6 | Louisville City Fc | Indy Eleven | 4:00 p.m. | CBS |
Tues. 4/9 | Charleston Battery | Louisville City FC | 7:00 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Sat. 4/27 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | New Mexico United | 7:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Sat. 5/11 | Detroit City FC | Phoenix Rising FC | 6:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Wed. 5/29 | Monterey Bay F.C. | Charleston Battery | 10:00 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Wed. 6/5 | San Antonio FC | El Paso Locomotive FC | 9:00 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Wed. 6/19 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | Louisville City FC | 7:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Sat. 6/22 | Phoenix Rising FC | Charleston Battery | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
Wed. 6/26 | Detroit City FC | Birmingham Legion FC | 7:00 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Wed. 7/3 | Sacramento Republic FC | Las Vegas Lights FC | 10:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Wed. 7/3 | Richmond Kickers | Forward Madison FC | 8:00 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Thurs. 7/4 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | FC Tulsa | 9:00 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Fri. 7/5 | Charleston Battery | Birmingham Legion FC | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
Wed. 7/17 | Birmingham Legion FC | Rhode Island FC | 8:00 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Fri. 7/19 | Phoenix Rising FC | El Paso Locomotive FC | 10:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Sat. 7/20 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | Hartford Athletic | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
Fri. 7/26 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | Las Vegas Lights FC | 9:00 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Wed. 7/31 | Hartford Athletic | Detroit City FC | 7:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Sat. 8/3 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | Phoenix Rising FC | 4:00 p.m. | CBS |
Sat. 8/3 | Sacramento Republic FC | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
Wed. 9/7 | Detroit City FC | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 7:00 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Sat. 8/10 | Louisville City FC | Sacramento Republic FC | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
Wed. 8/14 | Sacramento Republic FC | El Paso Locomotive FC | 10:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Wed. 9/4 | Spokane Velocity FC | Union Omaha | 9:00 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
Fri. 9/6 | Phoenix Rising FC | FC Tulsa | 11:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
Wed. 9/11 | Birmingham | Tampa Bay | 8:00 p.m. | CBS Sports |
TBD | Legion FC | Rowdies | TBD | TBD |
Sun. 9/22 | Detroit City FC | Louisville City FC | 3:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
*schedule subject to change