The 2011 Union schedule has been released and there are more than a few key dates you’ll want to highlight on your calendar. Among them are April 9, when the Red Bulls come to town, followed the next Saturday by Seattle Sounders. The team will host LA Galaxy on May 11, New England on August 28 and DC United will be the visitors on September 29. League champions Colorado Rapids will visit on July 30.

But the first date you’ll want to mark on your calendar is February 16, because at 10am on that day group and individual tickets will go on sale. Before that, on Friday, February 11, the specific matches included in each partial season ticket plan will be announced.

Prime dates for traveling to away matches include July 2 when the Union are away to DC United and the final match of the season against the Red Bulls on October 20.

All but seven matches fall on a Saturday this season.

Five of the Union’s games will be nationally broadcast: three on ESPN2, including both matches against the Red Bulls and the away match against DC United, and two on the Spanish-language Galavision. The press release on the Union website says, “MLS remains in discussions with other potential national broadcast partners in the United States and Canada and will release details soon.” Whether the “other potential national broadcast partners” are Fox Soccer Channel, Versus or someone else remains to be seen.

No word yet on who will be handling the local broadcast of each game.

In related news, while there has been some speculation that season ticket sales some MLS clubs may have suffered as a result of the delay in announcing the 2011 schedule, this is not a problem for the Union. Aimee Cicero, Manager of Communications for the club, told the PSP, “While we can’t go into exact numbers, we are well ahead of pace of where we were this time last year and based on demand we plan to expand our season ticket cap that we had last year to help sellout some of those games that just missed a sellout last season.” Which is great news, indeed.

All of which means this: If you haven’t done so already, it is time to buy some Union tickets!

2011 Philadelphia Union Schedule

March 19: Houston v Philadelphia, 8:30pm
March 26: Philadelphia v Vancouver, 4pm
April 2: LA Galaxy v Philadelphia, 10:30pm
April 9: Philadelphia v New York Red Bulls, 7pm ESPN2
April 16: Philadelphia v Seattle Sounders, 4pm
April 23, Real Salt Lake v Philadelphia, 9pm
April 30: Philadelphia v Earthquakes, 4pm
May 7: Portland Timbers v Philadelphia, 10:30pm
May 11: Philadelphia v LA Galaxy, 7:30pm
May 14: Dallas v Philadelphia, 8:30pm
May 21: Philadelphia v Chicago, 8pm Galavision
May 28: Toronto v Philadelphia, 7pm
June 4: Colorado v Philadelphia, 9pm
June 11: Philadelphia v Real Salt Lake, 4pm
June 18: Vancouver v Philadelphia, 7pm
June 22: Philadelphia v Kansas City, 7:30pm
June 25: Philadelphia v Chivas USA, 7:30pm
July 2: DC United v Philadelphia, 7:30pm
July 9: San Jose v Philadelphia, 10:30pm
July 16: New England v Philadelphia, 7:30pm
July 23: Seattle v Philadelphia, 10pm
July 30: Philadelphia v Colorado, 7:30pm
August 3: Chicago v Philadelphia, 9pm
August 6: Philadelphia v Houston, 7:30pm
August 13: Philadelphia v Dallas, 7:30pm
August 20: Columbus v Philadelphia, 7:30pm
August 28: Philadelphia v New England, 7pm Galavision
September 10: Philadelphia v Portland, 7:30pm
September 17: Philadelphia v Columbus, 7:30pm
September 24: Kansas City v Philadelphia, 8:30pm
September 29: Philadelphia v DC United, 8pm ESPN2
October 2: Chivas USA v Philadelphia, 8pm
October 15: Philadelphia v Toronto, 7:30pm
October 20: New York Red Bulls v Philadelphia, 8pm ESPN2