Comments on: How ESPN Could Get the Champions League Back — And Much More http://www.epltalk.com/how-espn-could-get-the-champions-league-back-and-much-more/5745 Daily News & Analysis of the English Premier League Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:17:39 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Footballer http://www.epltalk.com/how-espn-could-get-the-champions-league-back-and-much-more/5745#comment-43091 Footballer Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:14:13 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/?p=5745#comment-43091 Hey Jesse, just call it football. You know that this game is the one and only sport that should be known as football Hey Jesse, just call it football. You know that this game is the one and only sport that should be known as football

]]> By: Jesse http://www.epltalk.com/how-espn-could-get-the-champions-league-back-and-much-more/5745#comment-40917 Jesse Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:21:04 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/?p=5745#comment-40917 Setanta is not a well known brand of any sort in the US, except for Soccer fans and perhaps those that frequent UK-oriented pubs/gastropubs. I personally don't have any friends that are Association Football fans, so if I asked any of them about Setanta they would look at me cluelessly. I would venture most would think I was talking about Santana (e.g. Carlos Santana's band)... That being said, yeah, it's not very well known here. The cost and the fact that its not on most cable networks prevents people being exposed to AF. My personal hope is that ESPN can buy Setanta and make AF more mainstream here in the US. It's a shame that the vast majority of Americans are biased against "soccer." I'll be the first to admit that even though I'm a sports-nut and have been since I was about six years old (obsessed with baseball, american football, basketball, and college sports), I was completely biased against AF/Soccer. It wasn't until I went to London at Xmas 2007 that I really watched a game or considered it viable to watch. My wife and I sat in a pub in Kensington and drank and watched a match and I really enjoyed it. I really think that if more Americans actually sat and watched a game unbiased (alcohol helps too) they'd really enjoy it. I've been trying to get a friend of mine to watch, but I'd need to get him to watch a 5-4 or 4-3 match for him to even consider watching. Americans unfortunately are so used to offense in sports, that a thrilling 1-0 or 1-1 tie (GASP!) would turn off most casual or potential fans. It does in baseball. Setanta is not a well known brand of any sort in the US, except for Soccer fans and perhaps those that frequent UK-oriented pubs/gastropubs. I personally don’t have any friends that are Association Football fans, so if I asked any of them about Setanta they would look at me cluelessly. I would venture most would think I was talking about Santana (e.g. Carlos Santana’s band)…

That being said, yeah, it’s not very well known here. The cost and the fact that its not on most cable networks prevents people being exposed to AF.

My personal hope is that ESPN can buy Setanta and make AF more mainstream here in the US. It’s a shame that the vast majority of Americans are biased against “soccer.” I’ll be the first to admit that even though I’m a sports-nut and have been since I was about six years old (obsessed with baseball, american football, basketball, and college sports), I was completely biased against AF/Soccer. It wasn’t until I went to London at Xmas 2007 that I really watched a game or considered it viable to watch. My wife and I sat in a pub in Kensington and drank and watched a match and I really enjoyed it. I really think that if more Americans actually sat and watched a game unbiased (alcohol helps too) they’d really enjoy it. I’ve been trying to get a friend of mine to watch, but I’d need to get him to watch a 5-4 or 4-3 match for him to even consider watching. Americans unfortunately are so used to offense in sports, that a thrilling 1-0 or 1-1 tie (GASP!) would turn off most casual or potential fans. It does in baseball.

]]> By: Dave http://www.epltalk.com/how-espn-could-get-the-champions-league-back-and-much-more/5745#comment-40551 Dave Sat, 11 Apr 2009 16:22:00 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/?p=5745#comment-40551 Is Setanta a well known brand in the US and around the world? and do they hold the rights to the EPL in the US? ESPN did put a bid in for the one of the packages to be broadcast in the UK but they lost out to Sky Sports, our biggest sports broadcaster. There have been many rumours about ESPN taking over Setanta but to date nothing has materialised. Setanta even went to the trouble of displaying a one off billboard directly outside of ESPN UK offices stating 3 million customers, but this still did not entice them! ESPN is the only sports broadcaster who has the deep pockets to take on Sky Sports, and to beat them they would have to dig deep, without its football rights Sky would struggle and they would fight tooth and nail to keep them. Is Setanta a well known brand in the US and around the world? and do they hold the rights to the EPL in the US?

ESPN did put a bid in for the one of the packages to be broadcast in the UK but they lost out to Sky Sports, our biggest sports broadcaster.

There have been many rumours about ESPN taking over Setanta but to date nothing has materialised. Setanta even went to the trouble of displaying a one off billboard directly outside of ESPN UK offices stating 3 million customers, but this still did not entice them!

ESPN is the only sports broadcaster who has the deep pockets to take on Sky Sports, and to beat them they would have to dig deep, without its football rights Sky would struggle and they would fight tooth and nail to keep them.

]]> By: Tesfay http://www.epltalk.com/how-espn-could-get-the-champions-league-back-and-much-more/5745#comment-40482 Tesfay Sat, 11 Apr 2009 07:50:27 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/?p=5745#comment-40482 hello, i completely agree with the idea that the champions league title is in the hand of man utd. I am not telling you this coz i an man utd's fan but it is from the real thing that we can see how man utd players deal with it and how they can be fit for any opponent they face. about 90% of the clubs that are going to meet in the final are Man Utd vs Barcelona hello,
i completely agree with the idea that the champions league title is in the hand of man utd. I am not telling you this coz i an man utd’s fan but it is from the real thing that we can see how man utd players deal with it and how they can be fit for any opponent they face.
about 90% of the clubs that are going to meet in the final are
Man Utd vs Barcelona

]]> By: Lud http://www.epltalk.com/how-espn-could-get-the-champions-league-back-and-much-more/5745#comment-40462 Lud Sat, 11 Apr 2009 03:59:52 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/?p=5745#comment-40462 Yeah Setanta on DirecTV satellite service in the US is an extra $50 a month iirc. I have mixed feelings about ESPN taking over Setanta as it would likely mean an end to their rugby, gaelic sports, and aussie-rules coverage, but at the same time a more affordable international sports channel wit Tommy Smyth and the bhoys would be cool with me. Yeah Setanta on DirecTV satellite service in the US is an extra $50 a month iirc. I have mixed feelings about ESPN taking over Setanta as it would likely mean an end to their rugby, gaelic sports, and aussie-rules coverage, but at the same time a more affordable international sports channel wit Tommy Smyth and the bhoys would be cool with me.

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