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View Full Version : TV helps ease Fusion loss


sounderfan
05 Nov 2006, 01:06 PM
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/sfl-sprusnak05nov05,0,4227943.column


Without the Fusion, South Florida has become a different soccer region than it was from 1998-2001. No longer part of a league that serves as the primary engine for America's soccer future, we are home to a sporadic schedule of friendly games, the second-tier Miami FC and three cable TV channels devoted almost entirely to domestic leagues in Europe and South America.

It's not the trade I'd prefer, but it's been made much more palatable by those channels on the upper reaches of the cable dial, namely Fox Soccer Channel, GolTV and Fox Sports Espaņol. On consecutive weeks in October, derby matches between River Plate and Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Real Madrid, and Inter Milan and AC Milan all aired on a weekend afternoon. Today, London clubs Tottenham and Chelsea play on FSC; and Brazilian leader Sao Paulo plays third-place Santos on GolTV.

Goodsport
05 Nov 2006, 07:08 PM
But, while forgiving the league its newness, it faces an uphill climb to win over viewers in non-league cities who just want great soccer, and quite often get it elsewhere.

This is so true that it's not even funny!

In any case, hopefully the Miami Fusion FC and the Tampa Bay Mutiny will return to MLS sooner rather than later. :)


-G