Fox Soccer Channel HD is expected to launch on DirecTV on August 11, sources confirmed to EPL Talk on Tuesday.

It’s been a long and anxious time for soccer fans in the United States who have been waiting for news regarding the announcement. Fox Soccer Channel HD began broadcasting in HD in late January and then originally launched on DISH Network in early February. Slowly but surely, Fox Soccer Channel HD has been added to TV providers across the United States. But the largest satellite provider, DirecTV, hasn’t added the 24/7 soccer network as of yet, but will now do so in August, six months after the launch of Fox Soccer Channel HD.

DirecTV is also working on adding Fox Soccer Plus in HD in the near future.

As of press time, there is no word from Comcast regarding when they, as one of the largest TV providers, will add Fox Soccer Channel HD to its programming. But as soon as we get news, EPL Talk will report it here. In the meantime, please reference How to Demand Your TV Provider Adds Fox Soccer Plus or FSCHD.

In addition to the expected launch of Fox Soccer Channel HD on August 11, sources advised that GolTV HD is supposed to be added to DirecTV on August 4.

In the past decade, we’ve seen plenty of changes but one of the biggest ones has been that middle men have seen their power stripped away because of the Internet. Record companies are no longer as powerful as they used to be. Authors are self-publishing their books. Filmmakers are releasing their movies online.

The next giant to fall, I believe, will be the cable and satellite providers.

Out of the 300 plus channels that you have on your television, how many of them do you watch regularly? For me, the answer is seven (Fox Soccer Channel, GolTV, ESPN2, BBC America, Comedy Central, TBS and HBO). Instead of paying more than $50 per month to my cable company who provides me a wire to bring channels into my home, what if I could make a deal directly with HBO, Fox Soccer Channel or any of the other networks to watch their content for a monthly fee over the Internet to my TV set or computer?

And how much would you pay for each channel per month? Five dollars sounds fair to me. Plus by dealing directly with Fox Soccer Channel, HBO and other channels, I’m not stuck in a one-year or two-year contract with my satellite provider. Plus I don’t have to pay a monthly fee to rent a DVR or a remote control from my cable company. And with the a la carte option, I get the self satisfaction in paying for what I want instead of paying for boring channels that don’t interest me at all.

This future isn’t going to happen overnight, but it’s definitely heading that way. It’s one of the reasons why I believe Comcast bought NBC so that instead of just being the cable company, they now have quality assets that people actually want — programming. Even ABC and CBS are reportedly contemplating a deal with Apple to provide their programming via a subscription model over the Internet.

For networks such as Fox Soccer Channel and GolTV, cutting out the middle man allows them to not being held hostage by Time Warner Cable and DISH Network respectively.

Plus with Setanta Sports, who have been trying to expand their reach for years and still haven’t been able to get on as many cable providers as they would like, this would help bring Setanta Sports directly to consumers instead of dealing with the archaic multiple system operator (MSO) set-up that cable companies have where they’re structured on a regional basis instead of being nationwide. Imagine how much further along Setanta would be as a business if they didn’t have to expend so much energy just trying to get on a cable platform for people to watch their channel.

Would you be in favor of a system where you could pick and choose only those networks you’d like to subscribe to and then deal directly with those providers to subscribe to their programming? Or not? Click the comments link below to share your feedback. I’m very interested in what you have to say on the matter.

How many times have you read comments or discussion threads about how the public hate their cable company? Customer Service departments at cable companies probably hate it. Before the Internet, it was difficult to discern how many others had the same passion of hatred as you did. Now it’s relatively easy to find those insults and to add fuel to the fire.

But if you had a choice, only one choice, of what cable, satellite or IPTV provider you could choose from — which would it be? Vote now.

Slowly but surely, it’s getting easier and easier to subscribe to Setanta Sports via your cable and satellite provider. Just last week, Comcast in Boston, Massachusetts added Setanta Sports to its selection of channels to choose from.

Comcast now carries Setanta Sports in Allston, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Brighton, Brookline, Charlestown, Downtown Financial, East Boston, Fenway, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Hyde Park, Dorchester, North End, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, South End, and West Roxbury. To receive Setanta Sports, channel 761, in the Boston area call 1-800-COMCAST.

Back in October, we here at EPL Talk reported that Comcast was dragging its feet in New England, the Bay Area and Illinois in regards to adding Setanta Sports to its programming. Now that New England has added Setanta, now is the time for you to call your local Comcast office and demand that Setanta Sports is added. Learn more about how to get Setanta on Comcast here.

In just the past few months, Setanta has been added to AT&T U-Verse, Cox Cable (in Virginia) and Verizon FIOS. It’s already available on DirecTV and DISH Network on satellite. But if the network can get added on to regional Comcast Cable companies nationwide, it’ll finally be a giant step closer to being available in the mainstream.

Setanta Sports is now available on AT&T U-Verse, as of this week.

U-Verse is AT&T’s Internet protocol television (IPTV) solution that starts at $44 per month and is available nationwide. Setanta Sports is available for $15 per month.

U-Verse also offers Fox Soccer Channel and GolTV, so if you’re unable to get DirecTV and you want to move away from DISH Network, AT&T U-Verse may be worth considering. Learn more about U-Verse today.

Setanta Sports is now available on DirecTV, DISH Network, Verizon FIOS, Cox (in Virginia), NextTV, WorldTV, AT&T U-Verse and other carriers.

If you’re a Comcast Cable customer and you want to get Setanta, learn what you can do to get Setanta on cable.

If you’re a Comcast Cable customer and you want Setanta Sports, the time to act is now.

I just spoke with a source inside Comcast Cable who confirmed that their head office in Philadelphia has signed a contract with Setanta Sports so that local Comcast Cable companies have the green light to add the 24/7 soccer network.

Comcast will likely debut Setanta Sports in three of their local markets first: Illinois, New England and the Bay Area. BUT these regional MSOs (multiple system operators) are dragging their feet and will be unlikely to add Setanta anytime soon unless they hear from you, the Comcast customers.

Here’s how to get Setanta Sports on Comcast Cable:

Whether you live in Illinois, New England, the Bay Area, or any other part of the country, you need to let Comcast know that you want your Setanta Sports. The more voices and e-mails they receive, the more likely they’ll add Setanta Sports sooner rather than later.

To find the contact information for your local Comcast Cable provider, visit the Cable Provider Locator tool and enter your zip code. The locator tool also includes pre-written e-mails to send to your local provider. But if you have a choice between making a phone call or sending an e-mail, a phone call will always be more convincing.

Sometimes the only way to get things done is to take action. If you want Setanta Sports, get your soccer friends to call and e-mail Comcast and spread the word.