After a year full of incredibly busy stretches and gaps as long as the offseason itself, D.C. United is set for a much more orderly and consistent 2013, according to the league schedule released on Wednesday.
Moving the season opener up one week might just have done the trick – as long as there are no freak blizzards slated for the first weekend in March.
In any case, United remarkably has just two midweek games total – Wednesday, May 8 vs. Houston at RFK Stadium and Wednesday, July 3 at Seattle – both of which account for the only stretches of two games in the same week. The Sounders match comes in the middle of the only portion of the year where D.C. United will play three times in nine days. Only June and August have five games; the rest of the season’s months have just four.
After last season’s playoff appearance, D.C. United’s television appeal appears to have returned. D.C. will be on national TV 12 times: twice on NBC, six times on NBC Sports Network, three on Telefutura and once on ESPN2. United’s first two showcases come in their first four games, starting with the season-opener at Houston on March 2.
D.C.’s visit to New York for the Red Bulls’ home opener on March 16 is slated for 12:30 p.m., the first game of an MLS triple header on the Peacock family of networks. The rivalry Saturday also includes Chicago at Sporting Kansas City and finishes with Portland at Seattle.
United’s home games vs. Western Conference opponents are March 9 (Real Salt Lake), May 25 (Portland), June 22 (San Jose), June 29 (Vancouver) and Sept. 15 (MLS champion L.A. Galaxy).
D.C. has two away games and one home match against Eastern Conference foes Kansas City, New York, Chicago and New England. Toronto – with Kevin Payne in charge and Ryan Nelsen as coach (he’s available by then, correct?) – visits RFK on June 15.
They’re moving back kickoff at RFK Stadium for non-nationally televised games on Saturday night to 7 p.m.
The season finale on Sunday, Oct. 27 – also against Houston – is slated for 1:30 p.m. With the Marine Corps Marathon taking place that morning, beware of getting to RFK via I-395.
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TELEVISION |
| Saturday, March 2 | at Houston | 8:00pm | NBC Sports Network |
| Saturday, March 9 | Real Salt Lake | 7:00pm | |
| Saturday, March 16 | at New York | 12:30pm | NBC |
| Saturday, March 23 | Columbus | 3:30pm | NBC Sports Network |
| Friday, April 5 | at Kansas City | 8:30pm | |
| Saturday, April 13 | New York | 7:00pm | |
| Sunday, April 21 | Philadelphia | 5:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Saturday, April 27 | at Columbus | 7:30pm | |
| Wednesday, May 8 | Houston | 7:00pm | |
| Saturday, May 11 | at Dallas | 8:30pm | |
| Sunday, May 19 | Kansas City | 5:00pm | TELEFUTURA |
| Saturday, May 25 | Portland | 7:00pm | |
| Sunday, June 2 | at Chicago | 5:00pm | TELEFUTURA |
| Saturday, June 8 | at New England | 7:30pm | |
| Saturday, June 15 | Toronto | 7:00pm | |
| Saturday, June 22 | San Jose | 7:00pm | |
| Saturday, June 29 | Vancouver | 7:00pm | |
| Wednesday, July 3 | at Seattle | 10:00pm | |
| Sunday, July 7 | at Colorado | 9:30pm | |
| Saturday, July 20 | at Chicago | 8:30pm | |
| Saturday, July 27 | New England | 7:00pm | |
| Saturday, Aug. 3 | Montreal | 7:00pm | |
| Saturday, Aug. 10 | at Philadelphia | 8:00pm | NBC Sports Network |
| Saturday, Aug. 17 | at Montreal | TBD | TSN |
| Saturday, Aug. 24 | Toronto | 7:00pm | |
| Saturday, Aug. 31 | at New York | 8:00pm | NBC Sports Network |
| Sunday, Sept. 8 | at Chivas | 9:00pm | |
| Sunday, Sept. 15 | LA Galaxy | 5:00pm | TELEFUTURA |
| Saturday, Sept. 21 | at New England | 7:30pm | |
| Saturday, Sept. 28 | at Toronto | TBD | |
| Friday, Oct. 4 | Chicago | 8:00pm | NBC Sports Network |
| Saturday, Oct. 12 | Philadelphia | 7:00pm | |
| Friday, Oct. 18 | at Kansas City | 8:00pm | NBC Sports Network |
| Sunday, Oct. 27 | Houston | 1:30pm | NBC |
