Barca vs. Chelsea return leg Exclusively on ESPN Deportes

[dustcowpoke]

Why do they do this? Will it even be shown delayed?

I don't understand why when the two best teams in the world are playing ESPN doesn't show the game!

[PsychedelicCeltic]

That's not what ESPN2's programming schedule says.

[dustcowpoke]

That's not what ESPN2's programming schedule says.
Well Derek Rae said the match will be exclusively on ESPN Deportes.

[Sachsen]

Well Derek Rae said the match will be exclusively on ESPN Deportes.

Which makes your thread title erroneous.

[TarheelJTK]

I heard that as well but ESPN's listings don't agree. If that is the case though will there be any game shown live that day?

[blackjack]

If this is true I am very angry about it.

The rationale, though, is fairly clear. They want ESPN Deportes in more homes. They know that one large audience it will draw is CL viewers. Therefore, they hope that they can make enough people call their providers (as Derek Rae encouraged us to do at least 5 times) that one or two new providers will pick it up. They're willing to sacrifice our ability to watch the match for that possibility.

[stevewhit0]

If this is true I am very angry about it.

The rationale, though, is fairly clear. They want ESPN Deportes in more homes. They know that one large audience it will draw is CL viewers. Therefore, they hope that they can make enough people call their providers (as Derek Rae encouraged us to do at least 5 times) that one or two new providers will pick it up. They're willing to sacrifice our ability to watch the match for that possibility.
I'm guessing the game will be Setanta.

[bbsbt]

If this is true I am very angry about it.

The rationale, though, is fairly clear. They want ESPN Deportes in more homes. They know that one large audience it will draw is CL viewers. Therefore, they hope that they can make enough people call their providers (as Derek Rae encouraged us to do at least 5 times) that one or two new providers will pick it up. They're willing to sacrifice our ability to watch the match for that possibility.Spot on.

[DC_Red]

Don't think it will be able to make it to ESPN Deportes.

As far as i've read, ESPN2 has first choice then Setanta has 2nd choice. Logic would dictate that even if ESPN2 doesn't pick up the game the Setanta will definitely take it. Doesn't make sense to me that ESPN would allow Setanta to get their hands on it so I reckon it will be on ESPN2.

[Sachsen]

Don't think it will be able to make it to ESPN Deportes.

As far as i've read, ESPN2 has first choice then Setanta has 2nd choice. Logic would dictate that even if ESPN2 doesn't pick up the game the Setanta will definitely take it. Doesn't make sense to me that ESPN would allow Setanta to get their hands on it so I reckon it will be on ESPN2.

It was announced during the broadcast today that the return leg would be exclusively on ESPN Deportes.

What part of the words "exclusively" and "ESPN Deportes" do you not understand?

Y'all need to quit your whining. There will be other CL games on ESPN2. Did you ever stop to consider that maybe, just maybe, there are fans that want to watch games that feature other teams besides just Chelsea and Barcelona? Sheesh.

You want to see EVERY Chelsea and EVERY Barcelona game, you're going to have to pony up some big satellite bucks in this country. If you're not willing or able to do that, you take what you get.

[superdave]

Yeah, let's face it, in that group, Chelsea and Barca are going through. I'd rather see a match that MEANS something.

[DC_Red]

I wasn't whining you Dick. Personally I could give a toss which game(s) are on ESPN2 and contrary to your uninformed opinion I don't want to see Chelsea and barca games. If you'd bothered your dumb ass to see what team I support you'd see it is United. I have Setanta and see a great range of games if I want.

What I was saying is that my understanding of the contractual agreements is that ESPN2 has first choice and Setanta has second choice. Logic (to anyone but you it seems) would dictate that [I]if[I] ESPN2 does not pick up the Chelsea Barca game then Setanta would as such a high profile game would boost their opportunity to obtain additional viewers/subscribers.

It was announced during the broadcast today that the return leg would be exclusively on ESPN Deportes.

What part of the words "exclusively" and "ESPN Deportes" do you not understand?

Y'all need to quit your whining. There will be other CL games on ESPN2. Did you ever stop to consider that maybe, just maybe, there are fans that want to watch games that feature other teams besides just Chelsea and Barcelona? Sheesh.

You want to see EVERY Chelsea and EVERY Barcelona game, you're going to have to pony up some big satellite bucks in this country. If you're not willing or able to do that, you take what you get.

[MasterShake29]

Yeah, let's face it, in that group, Chelsea and Barca are going through. I'd rather see a match that MEANS something.

Well, if Chelsea beats Barcelona in the return match, then it gives Werder Bremen a shot to take second. But you're likely right.

If they want to show a different match than Barca/Chelsea, I don't see that as so horrible. There's no divine right to see that game, though if you have ESPND (or maybe Setanta) you'll be able to see it anyway.

[BocaFan]

Why do they do this? Will it even be shown delayed?

I don't understand why when the two best teams in the world are playing ESPN doesn't show the game!

:rolleyes: What do you care? You can watch the game online and save $15/month, remember?

[TarheelJTK]

What I was saying is that my understanding of the contractual agreements is that ESPN2 has first choice and Setanta has second choice. Logic (to anyone but you it seems) would dictate that [I]if[I] ESPN2 does not pick up the Chelsea Barca game then Setanta would as such a high profile game would boost their opportunity to obtain additional viewers/subscribers.

What I'm assuming is happening is that ESPN is picking that game as first choice and then putting it on Deportes only. Setanta will then get their usual choice and finally ESPN2 will get the third best game of the day. I would think that ESPN as the rights holder could choose the best game and air it on whichever station they saw fit. I'm not an expert on their contracts or anything so you I could be way off.

Does anyone know for a fact that there will in fact be a game shown on ESPN2 that day? The schedule for that day does not currently have a champions league game scheduled although there is the normal CL time block scheduled as Programming TBD. I thought I remembered reading at some point that ESPN was contractually obligated to show a certain number of games on ESPN2.

[Visca...]

What I was saying is that my understanding of the contractual agreements is that ESPN2 has first choice and Setanta has second choice. Logic (to anyone but you it seems) would dictate that [I]if[I] ESPN2 does not pick up the Chelsea Barca game then Setanta would as such a high profile game would boost their opportunity to obtain additional viewers/subscribers.
The language makes the difference. Setanta will get it in English and it will be on ESPNDeportes in spanish.

[MasterShake29]

What I'm assuming is happening is that ESPN is picking that game as first choice and then putting it on Deportes only. Setanta will then get their usual choice and finally ESPN2 will get the third best game of the day. I would think that ESPN as the rights holder could choose the best game and air it on whichever station they saw fit. I'm not an expert on their contracts or anything so you I could be way off.

Does anyone know for a fact that there will in fact be a game shown on ESPN2 that day? The schedule for that day does not currently have a champions league game scheduled although there is the normal CL time block scheduled as Programming TBD. I thought I remembered reading at some point that ESPN was contractually obligated to show a certain number of games on ESPN2.

They are, but I think it's one game per match day (17 total), and they'll easily make that.

That is the other possibility, that some college football game or some event means no live CL that day.

[joebloe888]

They are, but I think it's one game per match day (17 total), and they'll easily make that.

That is the other possibility, that some college football game or some event means no live CL that day.

Contract between ESPN Int'l and TEAM Marketing AG has always required 13 LIVE games on ESPN2 (USA) each season ever since UEFA CL discontinued the 2nd group stage. That part of the contract remained the same with the renewal this past off-season (for 3 seasons, through 2008-2009.)

ESPN2 (USA) has already aired 6 live games this season, which means that ESPN2 (USA) doesn't have to air another live game through December if ESPN2 (USA) has other programming commitments.

I understand that the sublicense agreement between ESPN Int'l and Setanta Sports North America allows ESPN2 (USA) to have the first pick of LIVE games each day, followed by Setanta Sports USA, then followed by ESPN Deportes.

If ESPN2 (USA) has other programming commitments on a particular day, then ESPN2 (USA) would have to pass on its first pick.

October 31 and November 1 are part of the "November sweeps". It is possible that ESPN2 (USA) might have decided that UEFA CL group stage games don't draw enough viewers (about 200,000 households, or about 140,000 targeted viewers in the 18-49 age group) compared to other taped programming (i.e. poker re-runs, which draw 50% more targeted viewers in the 18-49 demographic compared to UEFA CL group stage games on ESPN2) so that ESPN2 (USA) would skip airing UEFA CL games during sweeps month.

We will know by Friday what ESPN2 (USA) will end up airing on October 31 and November 1.

[BocaFan]

There was a huge full-page ad in the New York Daily News yesterday advertising "Chelsea v Barcelona exclusively on ESPN Deportes October 31st"

[DAGSports]

Contract between ESPN Int'l and TEAM Marketing AG has always required 13 LIVE games on ESPN2 (USA) each season ever since UEFA CL discontinued the 2nd group stage. That part of the contract remained the same with the renewal this past off-season (for 3 seasons, through 2008-2009.)

ESPN2 (USA) has already aired 6 live games this season, which means that ESPN2 (USA) doesn't have to air another live game through December if ESPN2 (USA) has other programming commitments.

I understand that the sublicense agreement between ESPN Int'l and Setanta Sports North America allows ESPN2 (USA) to have the first pick of LIVE games each day, followed by Setanta Sports USA, then followed by ESPN Deportes.

If ESPN2 has other programming commitments on a particular day, then ESPN2 would have to pass on its first pick.

October 31 and November 1 are part of the "November sweeps". It is possible that ESPN2 might have decided that UEFA CL group stage games don't draw enough viewers (about 200,000 households, or about 140,000 targeted viewers in the 18-49 age group) compared to other taped programming, so that ESPN2 would skip airing UEFA CL games during sweeps month.

We will know by Friday what ESPN2 will end up airing on October 31 and November 1.
That could well be, although it hasn't really stopped ESPN2 from doing one live game in the past. Otherwise, they would have had to show additional quarterfinal and semifinal games to reach the contractual minimum. They added games anyway in some years, but not others.

Also, this would justify NOT showing games in February, which is also a sweeps month.

The semifinals and final have sometimes done much better ratings (the 2006 final was the most watched ever in the US, with about 600,000-700,000 viewers), so that neutralizes the significance of May being a sweeps month, too.

I assume ESPN has again guaranteed four quarterfinal games and one complete semifinal to Setanta. So they could not simply show all the semifinal games live in lieu of group stage games.