ESPN/ESPN2 Coverage of Euro 2012: Like it or not?

I'd like to go beyond the Michael Ballack bashing that will undoubtedly start soon (EDIT: seems to have started already) and have a more general thread about the quality (or possible lack thereof) of ESPN/ESPN2's coverage of the Euros.

Overall, big thumbs up for the Bristol boys on this first day of the tournament as far as I'm concerned. The production is top-notch, the Drake-McManaman duo works really well, and while yes, Ballack is a big question mark (why didn't they ask Roberto Martinez back?), I like Bob Ley and (to a lesser extent) Alexi Lalas in the studio. Also, excellent decision to stick with Euro between the two games and not cut away to ESPN News or a filler program. So far, so good--keep it up ESPN!

What do you guys think?

Don't like Keller announcing.
The studio part is ok, Ballack clearly needs to improve though. There's going to be a lot of awkwardness if he can't and Lalas has to carry the show lol.

I love watching in beautiful HD though. Enjoying it so far.

ESPN's Coverage looks great. Great image quality and no big, flashy obtrusive graphics in-game. Good post-game highlights of both matches after Russia - Czech Rep. That's all I care about.

In studio, Ballack just wasn't getting some of the questions. He clearly hasn't been speaking much English since he went back to Leverkusen.

Rae is too boring and too bland. Ballack is always wispering like a golf announcer and Keller is ok...

I enjoy the fact that I can stream it while at work via ESPN3 and Watch ESPN on my phone. Both worked very well for me today and I used Watch ESPN on both wireless as well as 3G.

Ballack is not even close to Roberto Martinez as a guest analyst. At least he's not Taylor "Why doesn't everyone play 4-4-2" Twellman.

Good first Euro 2012 Tonight show with a really sharp Rebecca Lowe, asking pointed questions and Ballack already a bit more comfortable than earlier in the afternoon. Overall, a solid first day on ESPN.

Ballack was drowned out by Lalas and Keller during the 1st segment of Euro 2012 Tonight.

The producer made an adjustment during the 1st break by removing Keller in order to give Ballack a chance.

Ballack is not used to the aggressive nature of American punditry/analysis. He needed to be prompted by Rebecca Lowe before making his comments.

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Any reaction to the choice of Rebecca Lowe as host of Euro 2012 Tonight?

Having someone such as Lowe (British, female) host a studio show for the U.S. audience during a major international soccer event was unthinkable 6 years ago. Times have changed, market conditions have changed, and attitudes have changed.

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On Saturday and Sunday, Euro 2012 Tonight will air at 5pm ET on ESPN.

Euro 2012 Tonight is re-aired at 11:59pm ET each night on ESPNEWS. Consistent time slot through July 1.

I don't see this on the schedule. Is this an unannounced airing?

ESPN coverage was pretty good. I wasn't as put off by Keller as most people and I do appreciate ESPN banging the Dutch racism thing. But, as usual with ESPN's cup coverage, there's no interaction with fans on the street/outside the stadiums with the exception of the big aerial shots of the fan zones. Even the field pieces, for which they were so lauded for in South Africa, were nowhere to be seen.

DISCLAIMER: I've not watched Euro 2012 Tonight yet so maybe there's more there. Hoping the announced 7:30am replay on ESPN2 actually materializes.

Euro 2012 Tonight is re-aired at 11:59pm ET each night on ESPNEWS.

Consistent time slot through July 1.

I don't see this on the schedule. Is this an unannounced airing?

LB: Taken from the ESPN Euro 2012 Press Release which was on
the ESPN Mediazone.com website on Thursday -

Euro 2012 Tonight - A 30-minute, news, highlights and analysis program
recapping the days match and looking ahead to the next day. 19 editions
of the program will air on match-days across ESPN and ESPN2 and at a
consistent time (12:00 pm ET – 12:30 am ET) on ESPNEWS.

LB: So it was announced - just the schedules in some places haven't yet
been updated.

Go behind the scenes of ESPN's Euro 2102 Open The Fire Within -

When EURO 2012 kicks off today in Poland and Ukraine, ESPN’s coverage will
begin (at 11:30 am ET) with an opening video, The Fire Within, aimed at helping
ignite the passion that fans have for this world-class event.

ESPN’s Creative Content Unit and Emerging Technology group worked with Victory
Pictures -the production company behind ESPN’s themedMondayNight Football and
FIFA World Cup 2010 opens - as well as a group of staff and students from Full Sail
University in Winter Park., Fla., to produce the opening video.

But getting the project done wasn’t easy.

http://frontrow.espn.go.com/2012/06/go-behind-the-scenes-of-espns-euro-2012-open-the-fire-within/

Opps! that should read 12:00 am ET-12:30 am ET - for some reason I
changed the am to pm there when I went to space out the info above.

LB: So it was announced - just the schedules in some places haven't yet
been updated.

Update - My on-the screen TV guide - which is TVGuide based - does show
that ESPN News will have Euro 2012 Tonight from 12:00 am ET to 12:30
am ET - daily when matches are played the previous day. I know it wasn't
there when I checked on Friday morning - "Highlight Express" was listed.
So it looks like schedules have been updated. Anyway, nice to know theres
a replay scheduled in case I miss an earlier showing.

I'm already dreading Fox's handling of the WC starting in 2018. ESPN has spoiled us with coverage of these big tournaments, ever since '08. Euro 08 laid the groundwork for bringing in outside talent and giving the event its due, they continued it with really good coverage of the Confederations Cup the next year...and we all know how incredible 2010 was. This production seems certainly comparable, though understandably pared down a bit. I missed yesterday's matches but caught Euro Tonight and it was great.

It's good that we still have ESPN on these tourneys until 2018, though I wonder how much of their heart will be in 2016, with no WC to build up to.

In this business everyone who works at ESPN could be at Fox by 2018. You just never know.

Indeed. We can only hope.

I forgot my one little complaint about the Euro coverage so far. They're using the same theme from 2010--which is clearly supposed to sound African. It just doesn't fit. They should have kept the same tune but re-arranged it to sound Eastern European.

Bingo.

About the only one who will NOT move from ESPN is Bob Ley, who is a "lifer" at ESPN and will probably stay in Bristol until he decides to retire on his own terms.

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No complaints about Rebecca Lowe so far. Whatever mental barriers that may have existed 6 years ago is now gone. Having an intelligent and sharp British female presenter host a studio show for the U.S. audience during a major international soccer tournament does not present an issue to the audience or the media critics.


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Don't forget about Qatar Media's new beIN Sports USA TV network, which will need to ramp up English-language production from Miami by August 2013 if it were to end up with EPL in the next cycle (in an expected partnership with NBCUniversal i.e. NBC Sports Group and Telemundo.)

A nightly news program on beIN Sports USA will require a rotation of 4 news anchors (I recommended the VP of Production, with whom I have done business since 1995, to hire all females and put them behind a transparent desk a la Central FOX.)

Not to mention that beIN Sports USA will need 2 studio hosts on a typical Saturday if Big East Conference sports were also in the mix starting January 2014 (via a barter deal with NBC Sports Group) in addition to EPL, Serie A, and La Liga. One host for EPL from 7:30am ET to 2:30pm ET, and another host from 2:30pm ET to possibly as late as 2am ET (at the end of the Big East football game hosted by San Diego State or Boise State.)

Remember that Max Bretos is from Miami. Max's deal with ESPN will expire in December 2012.

I posted in another thread that beIN Sports USA is considering a candidate similar to background and qualification as Rebecca Lowe: former CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International World Sport anchor/reporter Candy Reid, who still lives in the Atlanta area (and works as a tennis club pro) with her family (British husband who owns an Atlanta-based IT consulting firm specializing in IBM mid-range hardware and database software, 5-year-old son, 3-year-old daughter.) Candy is a former all-SEC tennis player at Tennessee. She was born in London and is a big Liverpool fan. She got her big break in May 2001, when the primary anchors of World Sport were at the UEFA Champions League final and she filled in as anchor one evening, at the age of 23. She quit last December after 12 years at CNN, presumably because the brutal work hours (6pm-3am on Fridays and Saturdays plus 3 days of reporting on the road each week) was affecting her health and her ability to raise her children correctly. (candyreadsports.com, @CandyReadsports on Twitter.)

Rebecca Lowe will host Euro 2012 Tonight on both Saturday and Sunday at 5pm ET on ESPN (U.S.), with re-air at 11:59pm ET on ESPNEWS Network.

Rebecca will have the day off on Monday. Max Bretos will host.

why do english commentator have to always insert epl in everything but no other league. rvp tha plays for arsenal but never robben that playes for bayern

Great coverage, both on tv and radio. I turn the tv and listen to the radio just like when we were back in our birthplace.

Fox, will do a good job with the world cup. They have plenty of assets in place to do a great coverage.

In terms of ESPN's coverage it may be because ESPN has some rights to the Premier League so they believe that tying the two together will hopefully transfer viewers of the Euros to the Premier League next season. No reason for them to pump up the Bundesliga since they don't have the rights.

Actually, I just heard one of the commentators state that Robben drives inside all the time for Bayern. They just commented that Poulsen for Denmark plays with Jozy at AZ.

Fox has plenty of assets to do a great job with the Champions League final and have yet to do so. Strahan's segment from a couple years ago was terrible.

that could be because they are not saying affalay kjaer van bommer or snijder are playing in serie a or la liga. snijder is former ajax player not inter player. and i agree this has something to do with bein taking la liga and serie a

Darke and Macca are great together.

Your not listening - they did mention Allefalay plays for Barcelona and had a injury filled season. They mentioned Von Bommel had a good year with AC Milan and Sneijder had an injury filled season with Inter. They also mentioned that the Goalkeeper for Denmark plays for Evian with 3 others and Erikson plays for Ajax, Huntelaar plays for Schalke, etc.. They are not mentioning players who just play in EPL

ESPN, Inc. certainly has moved the bar WAY UP since 2008. The resources are certainly available, the audience skews young, and the premium advertising is selling.

Other than Michael Ballack, every one else on and off camera brought their A-Game to Bristol.

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FOX has 3 years to get its act together for Women's World Cup 2015. The American viewing public now demand 1st class coverage.

(Don't expect Telemundo to do much production with the Women's World Cup because 1st generation Spanish-dominant Hispanics don't connect with that product.)

Keller