Gotta agree with @Schapes here. It's actually just a matter of time before UCL staggers their kick-off times at 19h00 and 21h05 CET, in my opinion. Matches in Spain, Portugal and UK would usually/always get the 21h05CET kick-off so this is not a stretch at all. Also no need for games from different groups to kick-off at the same time.
Again, if it is purely a cash play - then NBCSN should show hunting shows ALL the time. If the hunting shows bring in more money (which I am sure they do as opposed to soccer) - just show the hunting show. I am sure Fishing Texas is a HUGE money maker for NBCSN. If so, just show that all day. In the middle of a contract with Dish. Just can't up and leave currently as you suggest. FSC was not an extra charge for me. Currently on Top 250.
Replays would also get eyeballs to the screen. Why would NBCSN replay two full matches last night then?
Would there be a need for the game days to be true "double-headers?" Like you said, the Spanish, Portuguese and UK home matches could start when they currently do. Noon ET in the USA is 8 PM in Moscow. All matches could start at 7:45 PM local time. At least in the USA, there's enough FOX channels (FOX Sports 1, 2, FSN, FS+ and FOX Deportes) to accommodate various kickoff times. It wouldn't surprise me if UEFA would want simultaneous kickoffs for at least Matchday 6, even though in today's internet age, the purpose for having simultaneous kickoffs is obsolete.
I don't understand the last part. Simultaneous kickoffs are essential, whether we're talking about the internet age or before.
Simultaneous kick offs at the WC I see. Champions League - maybe maybe not. Weren't most of the positions already decided by Matchday 6?
The great thing about simultaneous kickoffs is that I can use my fancy option on my DVR called PIP. Or I can watch a match on tv and one on my wonderful laptop on Dishanywhere as I did this past Wednesday.
Just bought a new TV. Didn't come with PIP or a port to plug in a computer. Didn't think these options weren't standard anymore. Thx, Jay!
I am just not a big watching sports on my laptop, iPad or phone. I have watched on my phone occasionally, I am not happy about it. Would rather be watching on my 65 inch screen at home. Lap top - eh. I did it back when Uruguay played Jordan in the first leg - it was better than not seeing it. iPad - again would rather watch on my flat screen. It is very rarely I need to watch (or want to) on my phone, lap top, or IPad.
PIP is an option on many Dish DVRs. My Dish hopper even has a side-by-side view in which the screens of both matches can be viewed as an equal size on the TV screen. Well, to each his own. I like PIP and I also like Dishanywhere on my Laptop/Phone so the simultaneous matches don't bother me as much.
Well, I dunno. Why did most La Liga matches kick-off at the same time until 2-3 years ago? Why did the UEFA Cup/EL wait so long before staggering their kick-offs? Why did UCL wait 50 years before having games on both Tuesday and Wednesday and their final on a Saturday? Who knows. All I know is there is a gradual but steady move towards staggered kick-off times.
Can you output from a computer through HDMI? I thought you (or at least my laptop) could only output from a 24 pin plug. Thx, Jay!
I have problem when the announcers verbally announce the scores of other matches. I have no problem with the scores being shown in the crawling banner at the bottom of the screen. Just set my tv to one level of zoom and that banner disappears without affecting much, if at all, the viewing of the game. Scores being shown on the top right corner is harder to deal with since it requires a higher level of zoom to make it not appear.
1) Turn the volume down, problem solved. 2) Fold a magazine over the top corner of the screen and the top of your TV. Problem solved. Unfortunately these are the "unavoidables" when watching a game. You can only do what you can do on your own end. The broadcaster is not going to change what they do. If anything, they are going to make scores harder to avoid. Thx, Jay!
I look forward to a This is Sportscenter commercial where a geeky fan shows up to their offices to complain about score-spoiling because they want to sit at home and watch taped sports all day. Then Stuart Scott, Hannah Storm and a random college mascot just laugh their asses off at him.
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/...Champions-League-Match-Day-1-TV-schedule.html says he will call United tomorrow.
Yeh wondered myself why they don't stagger the times during the group stage the round of 16, and Quarterfinals. Could have the first kickoff at 6pm UK time, (7 in Western Europe) and second at 8:15. Obviously you would try and have eastern European teams playing the earlier kickoff but worst came to worst a 6pm kick off isn't a disaster. You would have double headers and wouldn't have a round of 16 that lasts 4 weeks.
The Round of 16 lasts 4 weeks because it happens during two rounds of the Europa League, which has a Round of 32 after the Group Stage. The alternative would be to have no Champions League games during the Europa League Round of 32 and then have the Round of 16 be played in the same weeks for both competitions.
That would still be a better alternative since it would free-up 2 midweeks for top division clubs to make-up games which may have been snowed-out during the winter or postponed for some other reason. For e.g. you wouldn't have the problem where Man City has 2 games-in-hand on their nearest fellow title challengers.