PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC announced today that all 11 of the club’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) home matches will be broadcast on Freedom 970 AM, with all 22 matches available via live web stream at www.portlandthornsfc.com.
All NWSL home teams will provide live streaming video of their matches, which will be made available on www.portlandthornsfc.com for the club’s home and away games. All games at JELD-WEN Field will be streamed in high definition. On the road, the host team’s web stream will be provided.
Starting with Portland’s inaugural home match on April 21 against Seattle Reign FC, veteran sports broadcaster Ann Schatz will provide play-by-play with former University of Portland All-American goalkeeper Angela Harrison adding analysis as the broadcast team on Freedom 970 AM.
Schatz joins the Thorns FC broadcast team with more than 30 years of experience in the sports broadcasting field. After moving to the Rose City in 1989, Schatz worked at KOIN-TV before becoming the sideline reporter for Portland Trail Blazers basketball from 1999 until 2005. She turned her focus to the college ranks working with CBS Sports and, most recently, the Pac-12 Network calling women’s soccer, basketball and softball games. Originally from Omaha, Neb., Schatz played both basketball and softball at Creighton University, where she earned a degree in journalism and mass communications.
Harrison, a standout goalkeeper for the University of Portland from 1996-99, joins the Thorns FC broadcast team after three years as a radio analyst for the Pilots. Playing under the direction of Clive Charles, Harrison finished her collegiate career ranked sixth all-time in the program’s record books in both saves (132) and shutouts (24.5). A Soccer Buzz All-America selection in 1997, Harrison went on to win two USL W-League championships with the Boston Renegades in 2001 and 2002. She returned to Portland and was awarded an MBA from the University of Portland in 2005. In addition to broadcasting, Harrison has been a longtime youth soccer coach, developing numerous goalkeepers for the youth national team and college ranks. She currently serves as the director of operations for the Oregon Premier League.
