Comments on: How Fox Soccer Channel Can Improve Its Summer Programming

By: jared

jared — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 23:36:31 +0000

fox soccer channel can emprove there self by bring more games on a saturdays

By: SSReporters

SSReporters — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:35:12 +0000

Really? I think FSC is a little too Serie A biased…

Come on, in the summer time they have aired more Italian games than Premiership games.

By: CFTV

CFTV — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:01:11 +0000

I think FSC has become more balanced the past year or so in comparison between coverage of the Prem and the rest of the leagues they broadcast. FSC has been showing a ton of classic Barca matches this summer. Will FSC show the league games from this season on delay or is it just the Champions League games on delay that are going to be shown? I have seen an advert for Ronnie coming to Milan aside from the Jose promo. Adding those 2 personalies will make Serie A all the more interesting on and off the field. The Serie A highlight show is a joke when compared to the Premiership Review Show which is top notch. The length of Serie A hinders it because it really doesn’t allow you to get a feel for all the teams in the league like the Premiership version.

It will be interesting to see how FSC’s schedule looks in comparison now and in 2 years time when all the different TV rights are up for bid.

By: JP

JP — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:28:29 +0000

Right, because FSC doesn’t give enough attention to the Prem already? Come on now, FSC might as well change it’s name to Fox English Speaking Soccer Only Channel. The way they promote the Prem compared to any other league aside from the MLS is hugely different. For a channel that also carries Argentine football and Serie A, it is ridiculous to see just how much FSC pours into it’s Premier League coverage while treating their other leagues as nothing more than pathetic sideshows. For example, the adverts promoting the upcoming season for the PL are intense, with an epic score sweeping through the 2 min. spot. Almost completely contrast to that advert is their two Serie A adverts: one of which is just a few shots of Mourinho with a reporter’s voice-over, and the second one is about a minute long with stereotypical Italian gondola music playing. FSC’s website and the vast majority of their programming already are Premier League-centric. I’m surprised that you (generalizing there) guys are actually complaining about a lack of PL programs in the summer months. Every time I turn on the channel, its PL this and PL that. And during the actual football season, it’s even more PL-centric. I would say the best way for FSC to improve it’s programming would be to show a bit more attention to the other leagues it can offer, rather than focusing on the leagues that speaks English just because it’s easier for them to relate to.

By: Kartik

Kartik — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:08:53 +0000

Red,

It’s simple. FSC is targeting an anglocized soccer community. The Copa Lib doesn’t fit their model. Really a pity. If some of the readers of this site watched the knock out rounds Copa Lib they may even think the UEFA Champions League is second rate.

The Superliga issue is complicated. I’ve been told Telefutura is given exclusive US rights because otherwise the MLS package was not worthwhile for the Univision family of networks. They failed with MLS once before as did Telemundo. Giving them exclusive Superliga rights (which forces dominant English speakers like myself to watch TF for the event, though I don’t mind totally since I get TF in HD) which did get excellent ratings last year is what you would call a pay off to the network.

So in other words without Superliga, Univision/Telefutura never would have taken the MLS package to begin with a few years back after having failed with it at a time when the league had bigger stars than when they acquired the package for a second time.