USL to kick off on CBS Sports with theme capturing ‘United Pulse’

The United Soccer League (USL) will introduce its inaugural broadcast theme music, “United Pulse: Heartbeat of the USL,” on Saturday during the league’s first match airing on network television.

Airing on CBS Sports as part of a new four-year media-rights agreement, the USL Championship match between Louisville City FC and Indy Eleven, will mark a key moment in the league’s 14 year history. To mark the occasion, the league, along with its production partners NEP/Vista Worldlink and CBS Sports, will deliver the largest production effort ever for a USL match. The fully onsite production will include a crew of more than 50 people and 16 cameras, along with the creative upgrades.

The USL is a Division II league positioned directly under Major League Soccer in the U.S. soccer hierarchy.

“Bringing to life the USL Championship and USL League One through music was a vital step in elevating the experience for fans in our match broadcasts this year,” said Michael Cohen, EVP of media, USL. “Working with a talented and experienced composer like Joe Sicurella and his team to create the first USL broadcast theme song helped us truly capture the sound of our sport and our leagues. We can’t wait to debut it on CBS on Saturday.”

The theme is a collaborative creation by Emmy-nominated producer Joseph Sicurella and songwriter Nathan Padgett, aiming to encapsulate the vibrancy and intensity of USL matches and the passion of its supporters. This effort to blend music with sport reflects the USL’s ambition to enhance the match viewing experience, providing fans with a more immersive and engaging broadcast.

“My team and I are thrilled to be involved in the first USL theme song, and we worked very hard to reflect the energy of the league and the fans in composing ‘United Pulse: Heartbeat of the USL,’” Sicurella said. “Working closely with the league to shape the sound of the USL on broadcast was an exciting opportunity to create a unique and memorable musical identity.”

Joseph Sicurella brings a notable background to this project, with a history on CBS Sports including the current CBS college football theme and iterations of “The NFL Today” and “NBA on CBS” themes.

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Adam Joseph of Crowd Pleaser Music also worked with the duo on the theme.

The premiere of this will be accompanied by the launch of a new graphics package, developed by CBS Sports’ in-house team, designed to reflect the USL Championship and League One’s dynamism. This package, alongside the new theme music, is part of a broader initiative to enhance broadcast quality and viewer engagement.