Comments on: ABC Gets 3.1 Overnight Rating For Spain-Germany Final: So What’s Next For ESPN?

By: TV Shows

TV Shows — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:05:47 +0000

People in the U.S. are just starting to wake up to Soccer..err…football. It is an exciting sport, and physical. ABC TV is just starting to get people involved as and their ratings are showing for it. My tv show blog shares little insight on sports like you, but more on ABC television and their standard programming. Europe and the U.S. eventually will feel the excitement like the World Cup. Baby steps with the MLS.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:16:23 +0000

Phil… I have DSL through Qwest, which provides telephone and internet services to 14 states in the Rocky Mountain region.

What happens to me when I try to access 360.com is as Ryan described in his post.

By: Kartik

Kartik — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:40:56 +0000

Telefutura’s HD coverage of MLS, Mexico and Superliga is awesome.

By: eplnfl

eplnfl — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:10:15 +0000

Pompey:

As soon as you see 360, you will be hooked, it’s expanded and better now. BTW, HD makes all the difference.

It’s the one thing that FSC/Setanta/Gol TV all must do to stay in the game as ESPN soccer coverage grows.

By: AtlantaPompey

AtlantaPompey — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:46:09 +0000

HD. That’s the tipping point. I’m almost tempted to watch MLS in HD.

I said almost…

I haven’t tried ESPN360 yet, but will defintely check it out as I have AT&T service.

By: Kartik

Kartik — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:44:23 +0000

Traffic Sports owns the rights for English language for both the Gold Cup and Copa America. My guess is ESPN will want the Gold Cup for the US but might pass on the Copa. A problem does exists that didn’t for the Euros with both events:

Both the Gold Cup and Copa America are broadcast over the air on Univision and Telefutura leaving ESPN to concentrate on secondary markets. FSC and GOL TV I believe picked up fans who were from non top 40 markets than did not have univision or telefutura affiliates.

ESPN already splits US National Team telecasts with the Univision family of networks (who have exclusive rights to all US National Team matches in Spanish) and I know they have been unhappy that they cannot put any US matches on Deportes as they try and build that brand.

My guess is the Gold Cup is a possibility but Copa stays with Traffic and is sold to GOL TV or FSC.

Keep in mind in the U-20 WC of 2007 ESPN had to split US games with telefutura, and I understand that some hard feelings came from that as ESPN felt they had some exclusivity to the event and were shocked so many US fans opted to watch the match in Spanish. (As I did for the HD feed which ESPN was NOT providing for the U-20s)

By: Jeff Hash

Jeff Hash — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:33:50 +0000

Phil, I can answer that one. He’s either refering to Comcast or Time Warner. I know becuase I’m on the same boat.

Quick lesson on ESPN360: ESPN is treating the thing as being similar to it’s cable channels. An ISP provider has to pay ESPN in order to offer the service to its customers. If an ISP doesn’t want to pay, they don’t get access to the service.

So far, Comcast and Time Warner have both balked at this, feeling it’s an added cost that they don’t need to sell their service. ESPN’s response has been to try and stuff everything they’ve got into 360 and hope customers complain often or switch to other providers enough to get the two to back down. For the moment, it remains a stalemate.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:25:03 +0000

My ISP is Charter and when I go to ESPN 360 it says sorry your cable provider does not carry espn 360, when I go to a friends house who had AT&T it works like a charm and the picture is fantastic.

By: Phil McThomas

Phil McThomas — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:25:12 +0000

Name names, Charlie. Who’s your ISP? What happens when you try to access the site?

My advice to ESPN would be to partner with FSC/Setanta to show the highlights show on ESPN in a regular time slot. Or, produce their own highlights show with American announcers and an ESPN presentation. Maybe two per weekend, a Saturday and Sunday night fixture.

Most Brits would point to Match of the Day highlights, rather than live games, as the way we cut our teeth on football. Let’s face it, any single game can be boring but a weekend guarantees some great action and great goals.

A highlights show is the gateway drug, something most people need to get hooked on the real thing.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:03:12 +0000

I’m sure ESPN360.com is great — if your ISP is among those are “allowed” to let you view the service. My ISP — which is one of the bigger Internet providers out there — is not.

This is one of the things that worries me when I read “ESPN” and “Premier League TV Rights” in the same sentence.