MLS, FSW nearing agreement

[myshap]

Originally posted by JaguarCRO
The key here is Tivo. It is the very best thing that you can add to your entertainment center. You choose the shows and then you watch them anytime you want. Heck my wife and I lament when we have to watch things live. There are no if-and-buts about it, Tivo is the only way that makes TV likable.

http://www.tivo.com/

(I am a proud owner of a series one player and will soon be changing to a Series 2 Dual-Tuner Tivo with DirecTV so that we can tape two shows at the same time and watch a 3rd!)


I have a Tivo too and it's great. However if you have a series 1 there's not much difference from a series 2

Here's the FAQs on Series 2:
FAQS (http://www.tivo.com/1.1.1.2.asp)

As for Dual-Tuner:
Can I record more than one program at a time? Is there more than one tuner in a TiVo Series2 DVR?

No. The TiVo Series2 DVR has one tuner. You may watch a pre-recorded program as a new program is being recorded.

Multi-tuner would be great and I'm really surprised they don't have it.

[Tea Men Tom]

Originally posted by jdonnici
Apparently, Comcast has an ownership stake in the Outdoor Channel, which they see as a competitor (what the?!).

Has anyone gotten Fox Sports World's take on this situation?

Has anyone in upper management at FSW commented on why this situation has been occuring and maybe given some insight on what they're doing about it?

This has to be a big impediment to their growth.

[jdonnici]

Originally posted by JaguarCRO
The key here is Tivo.

Truer words have rarely been spoken. Set up a "category wishlist" for soccer and you know instantly what's being broadcast for the next two weeks, customized for the channels you receive. It's like soccertv.com, customized for your television.

It's especially useful if you have little ones around the house... because as soon as there's a PK awarded in any game that I really care about, that's a sure sign that my daughter will wake up crying from her nap. I love that "pause" button!

[Toffees_rule]

Originally posted by Tea Men Tom
Has anyone gotten Fox Sports World's take on this situation?

Has anyone in upper management at FSW commented on why this situation has been occuring and maybe given some insight on what they're doing about it?

This has to be a big impediment to their growth.

Huh! You would think someone would have said 'e-mailed FSW to see if the rumours floating around are true.'

[JaguarCRO]

Originally posted by myshap
I have a Tivo too and it's great. However if you have a series 1 there's not much difference from a series 2

Here's the FAQs on Series 2:
FAQS (http://www.tivo.com/1.1.1.2.asp)

As for Dual-Tuner:
Multi-tuner would be great and I'm really surprised they don't have it.

Ahhh but it is available, at least in the DirecTV Series 2 Tivo. Here is a link.

http://www.orbitsat.com/cyberstore/product.asp?PID=HDVR2

The key is you have to drop the cable. :-) DirecTV here I come!

This is the package I am looking at buying (Gotta be ready for the HDTV Tivo coming by the end of the year!)

http://www.americansatellite.com/products/viewprod.asp?nav=&SID=RL7HUG63489354H8BVSQJ827K5FZTUCIL&ITEM=831
(Notice the line "Dual Tuner Install" :-)


(Now if we could just have our decision about buidling a house or renting an apartment made before the start of MLS season. :-)

JaguarCRO

[houndguy]

I saw on another board that this rumor has been confirmed, but haven't seen any offical word or link.

Anyone have that?

[Sandon Mibut]

Anyone know how costs and revenue of this deal are being shared between FSW and the league?

Does MLS have to buy the time and pay production costs like it does with its ESPN deal?

Is there, dare I say, a right's fee, even small, for MLS?

Will MLS be in charge of hiring the announcers and contacting the technicians, as it is with its local broadcasts? (Because I could sure do with less quality productions from Winner Communications.)

Will these broadcasts be in just English on Fox Sports World or will they also be done in Spanish on FSW-Espanol? (Be nice for the league to have broadcasts in Spanish again.)

[BenchRobSmith]

Originally posted by mbrossetti
Is for DirecTV Para Todos. $31.99/month, no premium or sports stations save your local ones. FSW will cost another $12, total $43.99. For $1 extra, you get access to ESPN Deportes, which if rumour and conjecture is true, will go from Sundays only to 24 hours in September and will show at least 4 Champions League games each matchday come next seasons competition.

A question about DirecTV Para Todos:

How does the price compare to the Anglo-oriented DirecTV package, and what's the difference in programming?

I subscribe to Total Choice Plus with my local stations, the sports pack, and MLS Shootout.

Hypothetically, if I was to change to DirecTV Para Todos, would I be paying more? Would I lose any of the channels I currently receive?

Is there any reason not to change over to DirecTV Para Todos? Would I need to buy new equipment?

[Preston North End]

Originally posted by jmeissen0
from the information that was being passed around before this article came to light... mls was looking for a channel to show the matches that weren't aired anywhere else... espn2, local feeds, shootout

and i believe that fsw wouldn't want to do these games if you could get them another way here in the states... it simply wouldn't make much sense to either party

Sure it would.

MLS televised the 2002 Columbus v. San Jose playoff game that was in Columbus this way. I don't know if it was sent back to the Bay Area on KICU (or is it KCIU? Whatever), but on the shootout package it had John Schader (sp?) doing PBP. John S. was at the game.

The feed was provide by the "Electronic News Gathering" (ENG) equipment at the stadium. I think it is just two, three, or four cameras. Something simple for highlights on the news.

This is what might be in the works for Fox Sports World. MLS provides the ENG feed and a team of Bretos/Hopkins does PBP from the studio in LA. Just like they do for the Germany, Spanish, Argentine, and Brazilian games.

->27 games on ABC/ESPN/espn2
->X games provide via shootout. This is somewhere around 100 games. These are all the local feeds and hopefully DISH will be back to their 2001 allotment instead of the 2002.
->23 games on Fox Sports World.

All 150 regular season games televised! If no local broadcaster picks up the games in the playoffs and none are on a "Mouse Network", FSW could, in theory, receive the ENG feed for these as well.

I would imagine SUM/MLS will handle the production costs from the stadium end and FSW would handle it from the studio end. Ad revenue could be split accordingly.

Originally posted by Arisrules
So what about times? Would Fox Sports World matches be on at at different time each saturday from the ESPN broadcasts? Anyway I think this is a good thing.

I would guess the "Mouse Network" games wouldn't get competition from other MLS games. I think it only happenend once or twice last year and I'm sure that had to do more with stadium availability.

IIRC, MLS games will kick-off at 1PM/4PM on the "Mouse Networks" and then at 7:00 or 7:30 pm local time for the other games.

Originally posted by JaguarCRO
The key here is Tivo. It is the very best thing that you can add to your entertainment center. You choose the shows and then you watch them anytime you want. Heck my wife and I lament when we have to watch things live. There are no if-and-buts about it, Tivo is the only way that makes TV likable.

http://www.tivo.com/

(I am a proud owner of a series one player and will soon be changing to a Series 2 Dual-Tuner Tivo with DirecTV so that we can tape two shows at the same time and watch a 3rd!)

Before people go off and get DirecTV, Dish also has a digital video recorder (DVR) that works like TiVo.

With the DirecTV TiVo there is a lifetime - or monthly - subscription fee to use TiVo. However, with the Dish DVR there is no monthly or lifetime fee.

Dish has a new DVR that records up to 90 hours (more than TiVo) and can record two programs at once (like TiVo).

With both the dual-tuner TiVo and Dish DVR you can record two programs at once, but can't watch a third one live (otherwise it would have three tuners not two). You can watch a program that has already been recorded, however, while two programs are in the process of being recorded.

I think TiVo has a better "search" capability than the Dish DVR. The way TiVo "learns" to record what you watch is cool. Dish doesn't have anything like that yet, but I've not missed a soccer game yet (of course I can't watch 144 hours of soccer in a day, so I'm a bit behind at the moment). You can search for specific events (Premiership Soccer) or people (an actor) with the Dish DVR.

By the way, HDTV broadcasts will require a separate tuner to the TiVo or Dish DVR boxes.

Originally posted by ElJefe
Fox has started these new regional digital channels for digital cable. They're sort of like the low-rent answer to the satellite TV's having all the various regional sports networks from all over the country.

They're Fox Sports Atlantic, Fox Sports Central, and Fox Sports Pacific.

What they carry is all the stuff that you'd get if you got the regional sports networks on the satellite that wouldn't be blacked out -- coach's shows, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, minor sports, and stuff like that. What you don't get are the sporting events that would be blacked-out: MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS games, major college football and basketball games, and stuff like that.

However, are not the "out of market" live games blacked out, to protect the packages such as MLS Shootout, NBA LeaguePass?

I have Dish and get all the regional sports networks, but the NBA or NHL games shown on MSG or Fox Sports Net - Southwest are blacked out. The same applied to MLS games last year. Games replayed are not blacked out.

[DigitalTron]

Originally posted by monster
I wouldn't be surprised if it was available on the Shootout. After all, this is probably an MLS deal with MLS people just using FSW as the conduit. I think what we are seeing is using FSW as the test for SUM's own station. Interesting. I know SUM was looking into this possibility but I had not heard what precipitated this deal or how it has affected the possibility of a future SUM Soccer Channel. With the onset of GolTV--which has plans to eventually split into two channels, one Spanish and the other English--to augment/challenge FSW in the marketplace, this is a good time to make inroads into getting more games televised.

I wholeheartedly agree about getting Comcast onboard with MLS, but they've been approached and simply aren't interested. They have rights for partial ownership of any team that starts in Philly, as that's their home cluster. IMHO, Comcast is the single biggest media company that MLS needs.

-Tron

[JaguarCRO]

Originally posted by Preston North End

By the way, HDTV broadcasts will require a separate tuner to the TiVo or Dish DVR boxes.

[/B]

I think this was directed at my reply, and my desire to get the triple LNB "oval" dish was so that I can add this in the future. The item I pointed to was only for "traditional" TV as I am waiting for the HDTivo before jumping into the HDTV morass.

Although I have never owned a Dish PVR, every review I have read says it isn't quite up to the level of Tivo. Here are a few examples.

http://www.techtv.com/freshgear/products/story/0,23008,3407811,00.html

Quote:
"The difference in features between the two are not insignificant. The DishPVR 501 won't let you watch live TV while recording another channel and there's no keyword searches, theme channels, or "Season Pass" recording capability. There is a new two-tuner DishPVR 721 available, but it's still not TiVo and right now the price is way too high. But as in all things tech, the price is bound to come down in time."

And another one
http://electronics.cnet.com/electronics/0-6342371-1305-7487590-1.html

Quote:
"If you're just now choosing a satellite service and want a combination satellite receiver/DVR, the DishPVR 501 won't sway you over to Dish Network. DVRs with the TiVo or UltimateTV service that are compatible with the DirecTV service have more bells and whistles and more attractive user interfaces. "

Hopefully Dish will get better on the MLS Shootout front, otherwise I personally don't even consider them an option.

Just my opionon though

[monster]

Originally posted by Preston North End
Sure it would.

MLS televised the 2002 Columbus v. San Jose playoff game that was in Columbus this way. I don't know if it was sent back to the Bay Area on KICU (or is it KCIU? Whatever), but on the shootout package it had John Schader (sp?) doing PBP. John S. was at the game.

The feed was provide by the "Electronic News Gathering" (ENG) equipment at the stadium. I think it is just two, three, or four cameras. Something simple for highlights on the news.

This is what might be in the works for Fox Sports World. MLS provides the ENG feed and a team of Bretos/Hopkins does PBP from the studio in LA. Just like they do for the Germany, Spanish, Argentine, and Brazilian games.

->27 games on ABC/ESPN/espn2
->X games provide via shootout. This is somewhere around 100 games. These are all the local feeds and hopefully DISH will be back to their 2001 allotment instead of the 2002.
->23 games on Fox Sports World.

All 150 regular season games televised! If no local broadcaster picks up the games in the playoffs and none are on a "Mouse Network", FSW could, in theory, receive the ENG feed for these as well.

I would imagine SUM/MLS will handle the production costs from the stadium end and FSW would handle it from the studio end. Ad revenue could be split accordingly.

1. It was Dwight Burgess' radio feed that they used for commentary that night. It went over the SHootout. The feed they used was the one put together for the stadium board. It cost them - IIRC - 15K to do it, but they were very happy with the results, someone at MLS told me.

2. I just ask a simple question - why, if Fox didn't jump at a contract last year, if Fox didn't jump at doing extra games last year, if Garber is on record that SUM wants its own channel - would they cut FSW in at all? I said it before: I bet 10 American dollars that the usual FSW crew gets nowhere near this. They don't do the USL games and they won't do this. This will be a SUM production.

3. A Dish Network brochure I checked out yesterday had MLS Shootout at $49.95. Looked like a new piece of literature.

[FlashMan]

Originally posted by monster
1. It was Dwight Burgess' radio feed that they used for commentary that night. It went over the SHootout. The feed they used was the one put together for the stadium board. It cost them - IIRC - 15K to do it, but they were very happy with the results, someone at MLS told me.



I could have swore it was an Earthquakes guy who did the commentary for that game.

My memory could be doin' the fruit loop though.

[CrewToon]

if this is true, here's hoping that FSW actually sends announcer to the sites (wishful thinking).

[Preston North End]

Originally posted by JaguarCRO
I think this was directed at my reply, and my desire to get the triple LNB "oval" dish was so that I can add this in the future. The item I pointed to was only for "traditional" TV as I am waiting for the HDTivo before jumping into the HDTV morass.

A "HDTV TiVo" would be nice. It's amazing the technology that keeps coming out.

Originally posted by JaguarCRO
Although I have never owned a Dish PVR, every review I have read says it isn't quite up to the level of Tivo. Here are a few examples

http://www.techtv.com/freshgear/products/story/0,23008,3407811,00.html

Quote:
"The difference in features between the two are not insignificant. The DishPVR 501 won't let you watch live TV while recording another channel and there's no keyword searches, theme channels, or "Season Pass" recording capability. There is a new two-tuner DishPVR 721 available, but it's still not TiVo and right now the price is way too high. But as in all things tech, the price is bound to come down in time."

I've already alluded to some of these features as being better, specifically the ability to "learn" what your favorites are.

The "Season Pass" recording thing is pretty cool as well.

Both TiVo and the Dish DVR's have search features. The DishPVR 501 does have keyword searches. What this reviewer says is incorrect. It doesn't have theme channels - which is a drag - but can search by genre - which is similar.

The two-week program guide is also nice on the TiVo's (Dish only has a 7 day program guide).

The only difference is the "Season Pass", "Learning" capabilities, and the two week guide. For an additional $4.99 per month this all you get. For some - like you - it is worth while.

Price on the DishPVR 721 is substantial and I won't be purchasing one since I have two DishPVR 501s.

Originally posted by JaguarCRO
And another one
http://electronics.cnet.com/electronics/0-6342371-1305-7487590-1.html

Quote:
"If you're just now choosing a satellite service and want a combination satellite receiver/DVR, the DishPVR 501 won't sway you over to Dish Network. DVRs with the TiVo or UltimateTV service that are compatible with the DirecTV service have more bells and whistles and more attractive user interfaces. "

The DishPVR 501 is "obsolete" due to the DishPVR 721 that has just come out.

With the "501" you couldn't watch a program while recording another. With the "721" you can; which is what TiVo does.

Both the "721" and TiVo can record two programs at once as well, but you can't watch another live program at the same time.

The "721" can record 90 hours of programming. The newest DirecTV TiVo is at 35 hours, IIRC. The Dish "501" is at 35 hours.

I'm looking for a DVR that will record more and am not really worried about the bells and whistles that you have to pay for with TiVo.

What I really want is a recordable DVD player and will probably be getting one of those this year, instead of the DishPVR 721. The benefits of both the Dish DVR's and TiVo only go so far; such as the amout of hard disk space they have.

Originally posted by JaguarCRO
Hopefully Dish will get better on the MLS Shootout front, otherwise I personally don't even consider them an option.

In 2001 Dish had a better MLS Shootout package than DirecTV, I think in part to DirecTV's satellite capabilities. In 2002 both were supposed to carry the same number of games, but for some reason every game was available on DirecTV.

This is from the 2002 MLS press release outlining the Shootout package...

DIRECTV - package includes all regional broadcasts on major regional networks (MSG, Comcast, FOX Sports Net)

Dish Network - package includes all Saturday regional broadcasts (regardless of the originating network)

...Hopefully MLS will do a better job in 2003 at making sure the programmers (see DirecTV and InDemand) stick to the agreement.

In 2001 I had the InDemand MLS package on my digital cable. The number of games offered were more than what DirecTV had and the same as Dish Network. In 2002 I switched to Dish because InDemand wasn't on board when the season started and Dish had the better package in 2001, as well as in 2000 IIRC.

It was a big bummer, when DirecTV went ahead and showed every game, including those not on the "major" regional networks (see KCAL in Los Angeles or the cable channel in Columbus).

Originally posted by JaguarCRO
Just my opionon though

That's fine.

For what I'm looking for - recording and watching multiple soccer games - either would work for me. I also think the DishPVR 501 is good enough for that, thought he 721 would be better.

I'm not into watching movies and many "regular" television shows, so I don't need TiVo or UltimateTV helping me out. I guess I'm a special - basket - case.

Do I think people should get a Dish DVR instead of TiVo? No, not really. Should they get a TiVo? Sure, why not. To me the opposites are true too.

I'm just offering another opinion, though not geared towards either.

What would be really nice is a direct feed from each MLS stadium into your home, along with five (until expansion) televisions and DVD recorders.

[Preston North End]

Originally posted by monster
1. It was Dwight Burgess' radio feed that they used for commentary that night. It went over the SHootout. The feed they used was the one put together for the stadium board. It cost them - IIRC - 15K to do it, but they were very happy with the results, someone at MLS told me.

2. I just ask a simple question - why, if Fox didn't jump at a contract last year, if Fox didn't jump at doing extra games last year, if Garber is on record that SUM wants its own channel - would they cut FSW in at all? I said it before: I bet 10 American dollars that the usual FSW crew gets nowhere near this. They don't do the USL games and they won't do this. This will be a SUM production.

3. A Dish Network brochure I checked out yesterday had MLS Shootout at $49.95. Looked like a new piece of literature.

I really think it was the San Jose announcer in Columbus last year. I remember saying to myself, man couldn't they have found someone else - say Burgess - to do this, but then, low and behold, he (John S.) was better by himself than when he is with John Doyle. For how much they spent - the report $15k - the production was great.

I don't think FSW will do the production at the MLS stadium. I've already opined on this. SUM/MLS will. FSW could provide the announcers (in the LA studio) or as is the case with some of the USL games, local announcers can be brought in. Keep in mind, most guys used by the MLS clubs are free-lancers.

If San Jose is in Kansas City and nobody (Metro Sports or KICU) is picking up the game, by all means have FSW show the game using the ENG feed with Sean Wheelock doing PBP in a single-man booth.

FSW can't afford to send a production crew to the games. They don't do it for USOC games unless the game is in Fullerton (or soon to be the NTC). The A-Leagues clubs handle the production at the USL games.

I also really don't believe the exclusive contract was up last year. This is just an opinion, however.

SUM/MLS may want their own channel, but this won't happen for another few years - say in 2007. Wouldn't MLS want as many of the games - like all - on T.V. before then?

Isn't FSW looking for programming, or do they want to stay in the informercial business forever?

Maybe FSW could rebroadcast some of the games shown on the regional networks (Fox Sports Net Whatever) during the week, much the same as the regional networks rebroadcast EPL games shown by FSW.

[ElJefe]

Originally posted by Preston North End
Before people go off and get DirecTV, Dish also has a digital video recorder (DVR) that works like TiVo.
That's a bit like saying that a Volkswagen works like a Ferrari. They both have an engine and four wheels. But there IS a difference.
With the DirecTV TiVo there is a lifetime - or monthly - subscription fee to use TiVo. However, with the Dish DVR there is no monthly or lifetime fee.
If you get a DirecTV receiver with built-in TiVo (DirecTiVo), the monthly fee is $4.95. That fee is waived if you subscribe to Total Choice Premier (DirecTV's highest programming package). There is no lifetime fee for DirecTiVos anymore.

However, if you get a stand-alone TiVo, the monthly fee is $12.95, and the lifetime fee is $249, but will go up to $299 on March 1.
I think TiVo has a better "search" capability than the Dish DVR. The way TiVo "learns" to record what you watch is cool. Dish doesn't have anything like that yet, but I've not missed a soccer game yet (of course I can't watch 144 hours of soccer in a day, so I'm a bit behind at the moment). You can search for specific events (Premiership Soccer) or people (an actor) with the Dish DVR.
What makes TiVo a totally kick-ass PVR are the Season Pass feature and the Wish List feature.

With Season Passes, you can record every episode of a TV show. If it changes time or day, TiVo will notice the change in scheduling and adjust its recording schedule accordingly. If there's a special longer episode of that show (NBC is fond of "Super Sized" episodes of their Must See TV shows), TiVo will adjust accordingly. You can even tell it to record all episodes or tell it to skip repeats.

Wish Lists let you look for keywords, for actors, for categories, and even for directors. TiVo will search across all its listings for the programs that fit each Wish List and show them to you. You can even have TiVo auto-record the programs that a particular Wish List finds. For example, I have a Wish List that searches for programs categorized as "soccer" that contain the keyword "Tottenham" and auto-records those programs. Presto! All the Tottenham Hotspur games on Fox Sports World are automagically recorded, no matter what obscure hour they're on, and without my involvement whatsoever.
However, are not the "out of market" live games blacked out, to protect the packages such as MLS Shootout, NBA LeaguePass?

I have Dish and get all the regional sports networks, but the NBA or NHL games shown on MSG or Fox Sports Net - Southwest are blacked out. The same applied to MLS games last year. Games replayed are not blacked out. You misunderstand me. The new Fox Sports digital regional channels have everything BUT those out-of-market games. Those channels only show the various Regional Sports Reports (like the Southwest Sports Report, the Southern California Sports Report and so on), the coach's shows from all over the country, and so on.

Imagine all the programs on all the Fox Sports Net networks that you get with DISH, take out all the stuff that's blacked-out, scrunch all those programs together onto three channels, and you've got Fox Sports Atlantic, Fox Sports Central, and Fox Sports Pacific. They're carried on some digital cable networks.

[JaguarCRO]

Originally posted by Preston North End
A "HDTV TiVo" would be nice. It's amazing the technology that keeps coming out.


It's coming, the question is will it make it out before the end of this year??

http://www.tivo.com/5.3.1.1.asp?article=164


The only difference is the "Season Pass", "Learning" capabilities, and the two week guide. For an additional $4.99 per month this all you get. For some - like you - it is worth while.
From the pictures I would argue the full screen guide over Live TV that TiVo has is better, but after reading your full reply I see why there isn't as much need for these features for you.

As for the fee, well we are curently paying $12.99 a month and we both think it is well worth it. We will be glad to reduce that to $4.99 but still not sacrifice any of the features.

The "721" can record 90 hours of programming. The newest DirecTV TiVo is at 35 hours, IIRC. The Dish "501" is at 35 hours.

I'm looking for a DVR that will record more and am not really worried about the bells and whistles that you have to pay for with TiVo.

I know what you mean although our current one only holds about 15-20 hours and most of the time we do well with that.

One option at least for Tivo's is an upgrade kit to replace the drive or add a second one.

Here they have a drive kit that can add an additonal 105 hours to the original 35.

http://www.weaknees.com/hughes_hdvr2_tivo_upgrade.html

Cost is $239 for self install.

What I really want is a recordable DVD player and will probably be getting one of those this year, instead of the DishPVR 721. The benefits of both the Dish DVR's and TiVo only go so far; such as the amout of hard disk space they have.

Just a warning on these that contrary to their name they actually won't record store bought DVDs. For what you are describing it should be good (As long as you go through an analog connector to avoid the DRM junk).

In 2001 Dish had a better MLS Shootout package than DirecTV, I think in part to DirecTV's satellite capabilities. In 2002 both were supposed to carry the same number of games, but for some reason every game was available on DirecTV.

I am actually new to MLS as last year was my first year of really paying attention (My wife bought us season tickets and I was hooked from that point on, and they best part is so was she! :-)

I'm not into watching movies and many "regular" television shows, so I don't need TiVo or UltimateTV helping me out. I guess I'm a special - basket - case.
Yeah this is a bit different than my case as my wife actually uses it more than I do. In fact it is used so often that the remote labels are starting to wear off. :-)

Do I think people should get a Dish DVR instead of TiVo? No, not really. Should they get a TiVo? Sure, why not. To me the opposites are true too.

I'm just offering another opinion, though not geared towards either.


Sounds good to me.


What would be really nice is a direct feed from each MLS stadium into your home, along with five (until expansion) televisions and DVD recorders.

Now that is a bit extreme. :-)

[monster]

Originally posted by Preston North End
I really think it was the San Jose announcer in Columbus last year. I remember saying to myself, man couldn't they have found someone else - say Burgess - to do this, but then, low and behold, he (John S.) was better by himself than when he is with John Doyle. For how much they spent - the report $15k - the production was great.

Originally posted by FlashMan
I could have swore it was an Earthquakes guy who did the commentary for that game.

My memory could be doin' the fruit loop though.

http://nas.americakicks.com/archive/msg08016.html

Unfortunately when I changed jobs in October, I lost a year's worth of MLS Confidential files that had the discussion on the cost. Can't find it online anywhere.

I also really don't believe the exclusive contract was up last year. This is just an opinion, however.

http://www.mlsnet.com/content/01/mls0102teleconference.html

From Jan. 2, 2002:

[i]Garber on the exclusivity aspect of the deal:
"The MLS agreement is exclusive with ABC. It is not exclusive with ESPN. We do have the opportunity to find a new home for 'MLS ExtraTime'. We are exploring that. We also have the opportunity for other games that we might want to air. We do have some open windows."

SUM/MLS may want their own channel, but this won't happen for another few years - say in 2007. Wouldn't MLS want as many of the games - like all - on T.V. before then?

Part of the reason they want their own channel is to get all their games on TV. As someone told me, "They have no home once football starts."

I'm still saying 2005 in some way shape or form based on what I have gleaned from last year.

Isn't FSW looking for programming, or do they want to stay in the informercial business forever?

Maybe FSW could rebroadcast some of the games shown on the regional networks (Fox Sports Net Whatever) during the week, much the same as the regional networks rebroadcast EPL games shown by FSW.

That's a possibility. But, again, this backs up what I've been saying - FSW will only be the landlord, not the tenant. There will be SUM/MLS all over this, not FSW. Just an opinion, but I feel an educated one.

[HalaMadrid]

I've said it before and I'll say it again --

Brian Shea: He Knows More Than You