One Knoxville SC will have a chance to showcase its young club, new stadium and growing fan base to a national audience Sunday, Sept. 27 when ESPN2 broadcasts its match against Westchester SC.
The match, set for 7 p.m., comes with high stakes as One Knox continues its push toward the USL League One playoffs. It also will be the first nationally televised event at Covenant Health Park
since the downtown stadium opened in 2025."It's a fantastic occasion," assistant coach James Thomassaid. "It's a testament to not only the club and its growth, but how much the sport has grown in the U.S. as well."
One Knox can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Westchester and a loss by AC Boise this weekend.
Knoxville has 47 points and sits in fourth place, the
final spot that comes with home-field advantage in the USL1 playoffs. The top eight teams qualify for the postseason.
What's different about an ESPN2 match for One Knox?
Covenant Health Park, whose primary tenant is the Knoxville Smokies Double-A baseball team, will look different than it usually does for a soccer match.
Now that the baseball season is over, the foul-ball netting will be lowered to enhance the viewing experience inside the park. The change will not only give fans a clearer view of the action, but also a better view for the ESPN2 broadcast, which will include two additional field-level cameras for a total of four.
Fans at the game will also be treated to "a couple of fun surprises," One Knox owner Drew McKenna told Knox News in July when the game was announced.
What's at stake on ESPN2 for One Knox SC vs. Westchester SC?
One Knox played its first-ever matchfour years ago. The club, which started in the pre-professional USL League Two, didn't have a professional park to play in at the time and shared Regal Soccer Stadium with the University of Tennessee.
The team has since moved into Covenant Health Park and up to the professional USL1, winning the Player's Shield and a championship in 2025.
Sunday's match will mark One Knox's third national television appearance of the season and first at Covenant Health Park. One Knox played on CBS Sports Network in a March 31 win at Asheville City FC and made its ESPN2 debut with a win at AC Boise on July 2.
One Knox had not been featured on national television prior to this season. The 2025 USL title match at Covenant Health Park was broadcast on CBS Sports Golazo Network, a streaming-only service.
"It's a massive testament to how the club has run things," Thomas said, "and hopefully an indicator of where it's going to go."
The broadcast puts more eyes on the sport, and on One Knox, while making the match easier for fans and families to watch. For midfielder John Murphy Jr., "I know my family and grandparents are happy."
"They don't have to log into three different accounts (to watch the game)," he said.
What ESPN2 match means for One Knox SC's postseason chances
The national spotlight is a big opportunity for One Knox, but so are the three points that come with a win. Knoxville is just one point ahead of fifth-place Boise and needs to finish in fourth place or better to host postseason soccer, with just five regular season matches remaining.
"We're thinking, 'Why can't we just win out?'" Murphy said. "We got five games left. We feel like we could win all of them."
Westchester is on the outside looking in. The squad from Mount Vernon, New York, is 13th in the league standings with 29 points. Fort Wayne FC currently holds the eighth and final playoff spot with 37 points, so a three-point outcome Sunday is just as crucial for Westchester's postseason chances.
Westchester is currently on a two-match win streak, while One Knox enters Sunday having lost its most recent match, 2-1 on the road Sept. 19 against league leader Union Omaha. It was Knoxville's first loss since Aug. 1.
One Knox SC dipping into a big weekend for Knoxville sports
Sports are having a moment this weekend, led by No. 13 Tennessee hosting No. 1 Texas at Neyland Stadium on Saturday. "College GameDay" will be on campus with Johnny Knoxville as the guest picker, and President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the game.
Lady Vols volleyball also hosted No. 7 Texas on Friday night. Mississippi State soccer was in town Thursday to face Tennessee, which hosts No. 3 Vanderbilt on Sunday − the same day One Knox gets its national TV showcase.
"It's something that we're excited about," Thomas said. "But come kickoff time Sunday night, I'm sure our guys won't be focusing on that. They'll be thinking about the three points."
Trevor McGee covers the Knoxville Smokies and One Knox SC for Knox News. Email: trevor.mcgee@knoxnews.com; X: @TrevorMcGee12
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: One Knox introducing Covenant Health Park to a national TV audience Sunday
