Ridge Mahoney lays into ESPN

[YanksFC]

I received my latest issue of Soccer America on Saturday. In it, there's a little side-bar column from Ridge Mahoney in which he lambasts ESPN for failing to cover MLS on SportsCenter. I, of course, share his frustration.

Just wondering if anyone else read the article and what you thought if you did.

[chayes]

Originally posted by YanksFC
I received my latest issue of Soccer America on Saturday. In it, there's a little side-bar column from Ridge Mahoney in which he lambasts ESPN for failing to cover MLS on SportsCenter. I, of course, share his frustration.

Just wondering if anyone else read the article and what you thought if you did.

It does a lot of good to preach to the choir.

[Playable Back]

It took a soccer writer that long to do a piece on that?

[ramckay]

Thank goodness. I'm glad someone had the courage to step up and say something.

I'm sure all the readers of SA in Bristol will stand up and take notice now.

[YanksFC]

Originally posted by chayes


It does a lot of good to preach to the choir.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Thought the same thing when I read the article.

[Topo]

You're right. ESPN doesn't cover MLS on Sportscenter. I'd never noticed. I think I will become angry now and write diatribes on the issue to other soccer fans.

[AndyMead]

Originally posted by ramckay
I'm sure that Bob Ley, the only reader of SA in Bristol, will stand up and take notice now.

Fixed your post.

[dawgpound2]

Originally posted by Topo
You're right. ESPN doesn't cover MLS on Sportscenter. I'd never noticed. I think I will become angry now and write diatribes on the issue to other soccer fans.

Hey, it's a soccer message board. Quit being a wimp.

[AndyMead]

Originally posted by dawgpound2


Hey, it's a soccer message board. Quit being a wimp.

Looked like sarcasm to me. Of course, your reply could've just been a sardonic reply to his sarcasm.

Who can tell?

[falcon6]

soccer is the Marty Mcfly of ESPN.

[dawgpound2]

I must just say, the moderator here is doing his/her job.

[RhinosBoy21]

Originally posted by YanksFC
I received my latest issue of Soccer America on Saturday. In it, there's a little side-bar column from Ridge Mahoney in which he lambasts ESPN for failing to cover MLS on SportsCenter. I, of course, share his frustration.

Just wondering if anyone else read the article and what you thought if you did.

Problem is, how many people read Soccer America?

No one working in or with ESPN even prolly knows theres such a magazine out there. When SI does this kind of story then we can talk.

[Northside Rovers]

The story may get picked up by Yahoo MLS.

And even if it is preaching to the choir, the truth still needs to be told.

[Rocket]

If enough respected soccer people like Ridge Mahoney point out how poorly MLS is treated by ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 maybe the MLS suits in New York will eventually realize it as well.

And with any luck in a few years time when MLS' TV contract is up they'll seriously look into trying to work out a deal with Fox or NBC instead of Disney.

[HalfManHalfAmazing]

How obscure of a sport do you need covered before you are satisfied? Can I bitch because Major League Lacrosse isn't covered? %99 of the people watching sportscenter don't care about soccer, and thus there are no results covered. It got run during the World Cup. That was surprising enough for me.

[falcon6]

Originally posted by HalfManHalfAmazing
How obscure of a sport do you need covered before you are satisfied? Can I bitch because Major League Lacrosse isn't covered? %99 of the people watching sportscenter don't care about soccer, and thus there are no results covered. It got run during the World Cup. That was surprising enough for me.

Based on that logic they should never cover hockey, wnba, or tennis.

[Playable Back]

I didn't read the article but before getting coverage on SportsCenter...how about getting game scores at least posted on the ticker with some regularity first?

[BenReilly]

Originally posted by Northside Rovers
The story may get picked up by Yahoo MLS.

And even if it is preaching to the choir, the truth still needs to be told.

Agreed.

And something is better than nothing.

[CeltTexan]

Halfmanhalfamazing,

Say partner, by that logic of the 99% or whatever, WHY NOT COVER SOCCER, that's what the producers of Sportscenter should be thinking IMO.

Its the most popular sport in the world for a reason. If I worked at Bristol I would at least be asking myself...well there's got to be something about this damn sport that makes it so popular. If we let our veiwers grow into it we could have a ratings explosion not unlike the NBA and hoops in the early 80's.

Money and advertising $'s drive their decisions this we know....not growing a Cash Cow addictive sport like the beautiful game is what I think fustrates us diehards and seems to detour from a TV Stations goal of making more money.

[monster]

Originally posted by vw
If enough respected soccer people like Ridge Mahoney point out how poorly MLS is treated by ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 maybe the MLS suits in New York will eventually realize it as well.

And with any luck in a few years time when MLS' TV contract is up they'll seriously look into trying to work out a deal with Fox or NBC instead of Disney.

1. You think MLS doesn't realize it? That's just silly. Go back and actually read things Garber has said before about his dissatisfaction with ESPN in this regard, then come back here.

2. They did look into dealing with others last years. Others weren't interested. They just had a contract up for the offering. What makes the "Go to Fox or NBC people" think those people have ever had any interest? And if they haven't had interest in the past, why should anyone assume they will be a good broadcast partner in the future.

Besiudes, NBC has unequivocally stated they do not want to be involved in team sport ventures where a rights fee is involved. And what does MLS want? A rights fee. You should be smart enough to make the deduction.