Soccer TV Broadcast

[Footballer]

Umm, normally, I only post at the referees forum, but while watching US women vs. Brazil women just now, I couldn't take it anymore ...

It is an utter embarrassment that whenever a soccer game is broadcast on network television, I have to hear the following:

"Brought to your UNINTERRUPTED by XYZ brand"

Listen, I know soccer isn't huge here in terms of getting ratings. But by now even the MOST novice sports fan must know soccer does not have time outs, therefore, it can't stop for commercials.

If you look at it the other way, some people might find it utterly enchanting that they don't have to watch commercials while trying to catch a sporting event. What a novel concept! You can actually gauge when a match is going to finish and when you can go do other things. It even makes taping games that much easier!

Sorry I had to vent ...

[billward]

Have you been watching much Olympic football? They cut away for commercials all the time, typically at a goal kick or injury. Only the big games are uninterrupted. But yeah, it's sad.

[copaantl98]

If something as little like that can annoy the crap out of you, then it doesn't seem like your very focused on watching soccer are you?

[styilmaz1980]

this is what i had to say to espn about broadcast:
Hello,
I would like to start my message by saying that I have been a loyal fan to your network for more than 10 years.I love all sports and appreciate the kind of coverage you have on them. With a BIG Exception on the coverage of European Soccer.I am certain that with all the Europeans and Latin descent people in this country there is at least 10-15 million people that are die-hard soccer fans. I am NOT talking about MLS or any low-level uncompetitive soccer. I am talking about the pinnacle of soccer which is played in Europe-all over it.I, along with millions of others in this country are deprived of what is the greatest sport today and in history for no apparent reason at all.There is more billiards,table tennis,and badminton games on your networks than there are soccer games.Trust me, the MLS package is not in the interest of soccer fans of this country, nor any other country in the world,(they are just too new and uninvolved in the big competitions!)
I have been in this country for 15 years now and have faced this problem the whole time. In the greatest country of the world ,with all the technological capabilities we have available, this simply should not be happening.You will understand the depth of this problem with millions of others if you just take the time to visit the numerous soccer forums and websites on the internet.Everytime a major competition game is on, we are all scrambling to find a way to view it, like it is illegal or something.We simply shouldn't be treated like it is a minority sport and not have the opportunity to fully enjoy these great games.
The majority of this letter I am writing to you has to do with one main idea; Champions League. I know that your company has the broadcasting rights over this event which is the pinnacle of the sport besides the World Cup. Every soccer fan would die to be able to view these games at the comfort of their homes. Unfortunately it seems that ESPN has bought the rigths for these games not for its customers viewing pleasure, but solely for the selling profitability.This is not an honorable method to use such earned rights in a sporting field which is the most popular in all of the world.It is unfathamably mind boggling to know you are only showing 1 Champions League game per week out of a possible 16! Just 1!What kind of coverage is that?If it is all about money then put the covergae on pay-per-view at least!This is the most popular event in the world-You guys keep forgetting that.It may not be as popular here , but it still has millions of fans that reside in the U.S. Instead of subcontracting these games to other latin networks or pushing them on your spanish ESPN channels.(which most of us can't get and wouldn't understand if we did)At least be considerate after years of repeating the same mode of approaching the most competitive and elite show in all of sporting culture. Give us the right to view the games.If not, give someone else the opportunity. Why would you give the minimum to your viewers? Not EVERYBODY has to love baseball or American Football DO THEY? You know these Champions League events attract a large crowd, even in the U.S so please give us the games.Either come up with a full soccer networks channel viewable through regular satellite or cable companies, OR ON THE DAYS WHEN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GAMES ARE BEING PLAYED-DEVOTE THE WHOLE 2 DAYS(or most of it!)A WEEK TO THOSE GAMES WITH GOOD ENTHUSIASTIC SHOWS THAT HAVE A SOLID COVERAGE. Please change your policy on this and you will immediately see results in your ratings and customer satisfaction.At least give up the rights and make the soccer fans happy.Do what you say you do-Bring sports to those who love them- indepth.It's has been long enough where your network has paid no attention to us.,IT'S TIME TO CHANGE AND GIVE SOCCER FANS SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THIS BORING ROUTINE.THANK YOU!
P.S: This message and your reply is being posted on a major soccer forums so you will be adressing thousands of soccer fans in the U.S.A.


send them a line : askespn@espn.twdc.com

[blazsovszkyc]

That was impressive, nobody could have written it better. I, for sure will write them. Thanks

[nigerianman]

P.S: This message and your reply is being posted on a major soccer forums so you will be adressing thousands of soccer fans in the U.S.A.


send them a line : askespn@espn.twdc.com

This is so great. I wonder if they ever get to read these emails. I have sent about 10 emails to them and never got a response. They keep forgetting they cant keep the whole trapped in front of their tvs to watch a silly 60minutes game for 4hrs. Not everyone enjoys watching overweight dudes push eachother around for 10secs and get a 30minutes break in between each push or those silly kids that cant shoot a ball into the basket but can drive around in million dollar cars.

What annoys me is whenever they show this 1CL game a week, the announcers make it a point of duty to announce other games that are available to their non-us residents. They actually think its funny to torture us with that crap - well dudes, am not laughing. I sent one of them a nasty email after the real madrid vs roma game cos he just wouldnt shut up about it and he kept laughing too.

Just so espn knows - those pathetic 4hr games they televise and call the nfl, i record it on my tivo while its on and i watch other channels, once they are done, it takes me less than 30mins to skip thru the whole game so am not watching every silly down, officials meeting (review my ass) and those damn commercials but i watch every minute of that 1 CL game a week. since i am not home when its played - i start my recording 15mins earlier and 30minutes later. How you like me now?

Bottomline, you have made so much money now give us what we want or let someone else do.

[servotron]

I'm sorry to say it, but when it comes down to what's being shown... MONEY TALKS. It always has and always will.

The bottom line is, they will not make as much money broadcasting 16 soccer games on ESPN or ESPN2 as they would broadcasting what they currently do. Period. If it were the other way around and they'd make more money broadcasting lots of soccer..THEY WOULD. Period.

[Cassano]

I'm sorry to say it, but when it comes down to what's being shown... MONEY TALKS. It always has and always will.

The bottom line is, they will not make as much money broadcasting 16 soccer games on ESPN or ESPN2 as they would broadcasting what they currently do. Period. If it were the other way around and they'd make more money broadcasting lots of soccer..THEY WOULD. Period.

But have you seen what they put on instead of Soccer? Are they getting more money from broadcasting Pro Brass Fishing, Table Tennis, Darts, Pro Bowling, Billiards, World's Strongest Man competition, and Wire to Wire (A horse racing review show). Soccer brings in more than those put together. Period.

[Dave141]

But have you seen what they put on instead of Soccer? Are they getting more money from broadcasting Pro Brass Fishing, Table Tennis, Darts, Pro Bowling, Billiards, World's Strongest Man competition, and Wire to Wire (A horse racing review show). Soccer brings in more than those put together. Period.


In answer to your question, probably yes. Those programs are in all likelihood either time buys, where ESPN/ESPN2 receives money to air the program, or they draw enough of a niche audience to justify the purchasing of commercial time by those advertisers who want that segment of the public.

As noted by servotron, if it made sense economicaly to air more soccer, they would do it without hesitation.

[DAGSports]

In answer to your question, probably yes. Those programs are in all likelihood either time buys, where ESPN/ESPN2 receives money to air the program, or they draw enough of a niche audience to justify the purchasing of commercial time by those advertisers who want that segment of the public.

As noted by servotron, if it made sense economicaly to air more soccer, they would do it without hesitation.
Correct.

Beer companies (especially Anheuser-Busch and Sam Adams), Southwest Airlines, and DaimlerChrysler have made a decent return on advertising on hockey telecasts for years.

MLS works because RadioShack (and probably Adidas too in the future) buys presenting sponsorship, which reduces any losses incurred by SUM/MLS in buying the air-time (it is a "barter" but SUM is basically paying all the production costs).

There's nobody who will pick up the costs to show La Liga or Champions League. There's no substantial niche audience to draw on. Which is why Gol TV and Setanta, respectively, now own the rights (Gol TV with La Liga) or show most of the games (Setanta with the CL). Gol TV needs lots of soccer products to reach enough different niche audiences to sell subscriptions.

FSW reaches everyone it needs to with EPL and MLS.

ESPN really only needs baseball, college basketball and college football to sell subscriptions. NFL and every other big product (golf, tennis, horse racing, NBA etc.) is gravy, added to get high subscription fees.

[da_cfo]

But have you seen what they put on instead of Soccer? Are they getting more money from broadcasting Pro Brass Fishing, Table Tennis, Darts, Pro Bowling, Billiards, World's Strongest Man competition, and Wire to Wire (A horse racing review show). Soccer brings in more than those put together. Period.

WRONG.

The 20th RE-AIR of a poker tournament gets 3 to 5 times the audience compared to a live UEFA Champions League match telecast on ESPN2.

That's correct.

UEFA Champions League telecasts on ESPN2 draws a tiny fraction of the audience compared to poker re-runs.

That's why ESPN2 would rather air poker re-runs over and over again instead of airing international soccer.

Even the NHL is getting marginalized because it can't draw a big enough audience. The NCAA Women's Softball Championship got a higher rating than the Stanley Cup ice hockey final on ESPN in 2004.

Team sports that have not established itself in the US simply don't sell, period.

Champions League does NOT belong on ESPN2. It doesn't belong on ESPN Deportes either. It belongs on the Setanta Channel and various ethnic channels.