Everybody else has had their say on the MLS-on-NBC (or NBCS... isn't it odd that "BCS" are in the initials?). Let's ponder the possibilities for our quaint little tournament, due to the rampant speculation on whether NBC will try to acquire more soccer properties. They might look at this and say, "hmmm... sometime totally unique to American culture... let's give it a go." The "100% superb" possibility is that USSF would expand the tournament, to have 16 MLS sides in the round of 32, where NBCS would air at least one match per round for the R-32, R-16, and QF's, both SF's, and the F. They might even jumble the format a little, to have a "final four" weekend, or even have four-team brackets for the R-32 and R-16. (I've always disliked the tournament being on 6 disjoint Tuesday's. Let's make it "look" more like a traditional American tourney.) (I have in the back of my mind that they might want to air matches from the NCAA tournament, also, but just wondering-out-loud on this point.)
I don't see what the motivation for NBC would be to pick up USOC games. They are already going to be airing 40 something MLS games per season, why would they pick up more? At best you might see FSC making a run for USOC just to fill out their suddenly wide open summer schedule, but even then I'm doubtful as they probably get better ratings airing old EPL games than they would airing USOC games.
Right now the US Open Cup is not in this deal. I think after the league & NBC does well with this intro contract, other things will be added after 2014.
Hopefully NBC can convinced that the USOC and CCL (not the same competition obviously, but both are competitions that MLS clubs compete in) are both worth showing. FSC has proven it does not deserve the CCL since it is willing to let Christian Miles broadcast it. And FSC only ever shows the USOC Final.
NBC might be more easily convinced if MLS fans were convinced that the competitions were worth watching.
Thread over. TV coverage of matches played in front of empty seats or on desolate lower division fields isn't going to make people want to go to the matches. People actually going to the matches in huge numbers, on the other hand, will give NBC reasons to consider covering the USOC.
true but fans would consider the competitions worth watching if the clubs played their best players in them. last year la galaxy left off donovan, beckham, rickets and a cpl others and got thumped by Puerto rico in consecutive games
Except they did play Donovan in the first game and Donovan and Ricketts in the second. And while they did lose 4-1 in the first game, they won the second 2-1.
As everyone knows I love the US Open Cup. I want all games and all rounds televised just as badly as all of you do. But I think we have to be honest right now. Saying it and doing it are two seperate things. This is a combination of bad on both sides of the isle. Networks who barely care about it and those of us who believe this should be an automatic like what happens in Europe. This is the sort of thing that should go hand in hand. Clubs promoting it, we as supporters of the game attending them much better as well. When those two things are working well, then the third part of the machine when connected properly does alot better. This is not me screaming at all of you or going against this idea. You all know I care about this cup competition just as much as all of you do. The reality of it is simple, we need to get everyone interested and fill up the smaller stadiums in the lower levels, then the supporters (outside of Portland & Seattle ) needs to do a better job of filling up their MLS stadiums. I think as of right now these games will be mid-week games as there is not enough weekend dates to take a break in MLS league play. They are already showing respect for World Cup Qualifying. But I think it would be better to have them on Wednesday's, not Tuesday's. Once everything works and at the same time US Soccer gives a damn starting next season, then NBC could put the US Open Cup on their Sports Network and since they will be showing the NHL on Monday's & Tuesday's, The Wednesday times will work alot better. But once again saying it and doing it are two seperate things. Show NBC you want these games on TV by going to your stadiums and filling the seats. Doing our part helps us get the US Open Cup on TV.
Not a bad post, but I think it would've been closer to perfect if you'd typed "England" instead of "Europe." Back in the days of Fox Sports World, they'd show matches from the Coppa Italia: Some of matches looked like MLS matches in Foxboro or Soldier Field. Attendance in the final has been growing, but it's still nowhere near what the FA Cup is. Same with the Copa del Rey: it seems to get a big crowd at the final, but the matches leading up to it are under-attended compared to league matches.
Copa de el rey is 2 games per round, so when a big team goes to a lower division home those games do pretty good (much smaller stadiums). I do believe that only the final is 1 game.
Thanks. Honestly I've talked to alot of people and how we act as supporters on their feelings of "This should happen right away" talk. To some degree it's true. But there are those of us that have blogs, podcasts and of course live internet shows. Sometimes the push has to come from us as well to show that these things do matter. I could've said England, but I felt that an entire continent was much better to discuss these things. We all want the US Open Cup to get tons of coverage and while www.thecup.us does a great job, more needs to be done. I've said that phrase like a broken record "MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE", but it's true. More needs to be done to get everything to matter.
Not in Oct,Apr, May and half of June. Versus/NBC added Wednesday NHL broadcasts to the schedule this year. And VS/NBC will have exclusive coverage of the NHL playoffs with the 2nd round on next year. Meaning in Apr/May there will be a game every night.
Probably for the playoffs, but let's not forget that the US Open Cup Rounds proper will start in June. World Cup Qualifying dates that matter to CONCACAF are June 8th & 12th. Round 1 Proper is June 13th, Round 2 Proper is June 19thth, Round 3 Proper is June 26th. The Stanley Cup Finals should be around that time and can also be on NBC National. But one thing you forgot is this revsrock. This intro contract doesn't have the US Open Cup. All they are concentrating on is the MLS on it's own. Once this intro contract is done, then a new one comes that can implement the US Open Cup at the end of 2014.
Does the league even care enough about the tournament to try to force it into one of their tv deals? It isn't their tournament, it is the federation's. I get the feeling that the tournament is just something they kind of have to participate in to keep the federation happy. I wouldn't be surprised if in future years as MLS fills out that they don't try and pull a PP move to force pretty much the entire tournament during the June internationals opening slots before and afterwards for more league games (with the top players available).
No MLS contract will have US Open Cup games involved. In the Stanley Cup games 1,2,5,6,7 are on NBC. And 3 and 4 are on Versus. My point was if the USOC was to be in April, May and early June Versus will not be able to show any games. They will have a hockey game or 2 every night. Then when the finals start the pre/post games are on Versus.
You are correct about that. Vs./NBC Sports Network would be doing post game shows for NHL playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals. So I guess that means either get FSC to show the whole thing or it's only the final again.
That is absolutely correct. Even some of the better USL sides are getting smaller crowds for the USOC clashes with MLS sides. If you love the USOC go to the games and bring your friends ... use twitter and fbook to share your passion. Just look at this forum there are just us few diehards who are working this. ... Also send a few shekels to thecup.us for all their good work.
I wouldn't want the Open Cup on NBC, it would be a bad advertisement for the league. This seems like something that would be perfect for Fox Soccer Channel. It's not like they have much live programming for the midweek nights when it airs. And the fans that actually care enough to watch are the people that would pay for a dedicated soccer channel. But at this point, the competition doesn't garner enough interest for FSC to be interested until probably the final, which gets televised anyway. Alas.
Good point, FSC should show more US Open cup games, Maybe tell them that they can keep the final for free but they most show at least 1 game each Cup Tuesday.