UEFA Champions League 3rd Round Qualifying

[nick4545]

I am not sure where to ask this except for this board. Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

I was looking for any information on tv broadcasts for the Third Round UEFA Champions League Qualifying matches. The first legs are August 14th and 15th. With teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Werder Bremen, Sevilla, Valencia, Celtic, Ajax and a lot more great teams plus the 2nd round qualifiers (which are currently going on) joining the competition it's going to be something I want to see. This is my first year with Setanta Sports and the schedules on my DirecTV and Setanta website don't go that far ahead. So I'm not sure what to expect. What I'm trying to ask is if anyone knows or has heard anything about these being broadcast on Setanta Sports perhaps? I know ESPN joins in on the group stages which are approaching very soon.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help. I'll appreciate any help you can give me.

[HDSports]

I am not sure where to ask this except for this board. Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

I was looking for any information on tv broadcasts for the Third Round UEFA Champions League Qualifying matches. The first legs are August 14th and 15th. With teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Werder Bremen, Sevilla, Valencia, Celtic, Ajax and a lot more great teams plus the 2nd round qualifiers (which are currently going on) joining the competition it's going to be something I want to see. This is my first year with Setanta Sports and the schedules on my DirecTV and Setanta website don't go that far ahead. So I'm not sure what to expect. What I'm trying to ask is if anyone knows or has heard anything about these being broadcast on Setanta Sports perhaps? I know ESPN joins in on the group stages which are approaching very soon.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help. I'll appreciate any help you can give me.


What Setanta does and does not pickup is often beyond rationale (such as, why are they not picking up the Amsterdam and Rotterdam tournaments this week Thurs-Sun involving Arsenal and Liverpool?), but my past experience is that they pick up a UCL qualifier or two involving English teams only. There has also been a game or two shown on delay the following Saturday on Telemundo involving teams from Spain. I remember, for example, watching both the Villarreal v. Everton qualifying matches, each game on one of the two aforementioned networks.

Incidentally, during the first qualifying round this summer, Setanta had listed a Champions League qualifying match live for two consecutive Wednesdays with "teams to be confirmed" (I assumed it would be either the Irish or Wales teams that were competing), but as the date approached, the listings were changed with the UCL qualifier games removed.

One thing for certain...any game featuring Celtic will be on Setanta Premium.

[nick4545]

What Setanta does and does not pickup is often beyond rationale (such as, why are they not picking up the Amsterdam and Rotterdam tournaments this week Thurs-Sun involving Arsenal and Liverpool?), but my past experience is that they pick up a UCL qualifier or two involving English teams only. There has also been a game or two shown on delay the following Saturday on Telemundo involving teams from Spain. I remember, for example, watching both the Villarreal v. Everton qualifying matches, each game on one of the two aforementioned networks.

Incidentally, during the first qualifying round this summer, Setanta had listed a Champions League qualifying match live for two consecutive Wednesdays with "teams to be confirmed" (I assumed it would be either the Irish or Wales teams that were competing), but as the date approached, the listings were changed with the UCL qualifier games removed.

One thing for certain...any game featuring Celtic will be on Setanta Premium.

First things first, thank you very much HDSports for the reply. I appreciate the information you provided. I was mainly hoping to see Liverpool and Arsenal's qualifiers most importantly. So if they are shown I'll be very happy. I'll have to stay posted for the Telemundo games (not even sure if I have that channel). I too was wondering why the Amsterdam/Rotterdam tournaments were not being broadcasted. I'm almost positive last year Manchester United played in the Amsterdam tournament and it was shown on Setanta. But I can't complain after the massive amount of programming and pre-season fixtures Setanta has given me thus far. Thanks again for the reply.

[HDSports]

I too was wondering why the Amsterdam/Rotterdam tournaments were not being broadcasted. I'm almost positive last year Manchester United played in the Amsterdam tournament and it was shown on Setanta. But I can't complain after the massive amount of programming and pre-season fixtures Setanta has given me thus far. Thanks again for the reply.



That's the way it is with Setanta...while you sometime question their choices in programming, you know in the end they will have Premiership games each week, multiple UEFA Champions League contests each match day, Euro 2008 Qualifiers, etc. , so when they put on something else that you wished they would add, think of it as a bonus. My biggest surprise from watching last season was how much I enjoyed Carling Cup coverage, since, unlike FSC's coverage of the FA Cup, they show it from the beginning rounds and all the games are shown live (or on a short delay if there is, for example, a weekday Premier League game on that day) up through the final, which was a wild game last year.

If I see any listings for televised qualifiers, I will post them on this thread.

[nick4545]

Thanks a lot HDSports. I must say you are a wealth of knowledge. If I want to know something about football on TV then I know where to go. Thanks for the heads up on the Carling Cup too. I'm looking forward to that. And like you said, anything Setanta show like the Coca Cola Championship (which I love as well), Scottish Premier League and Carling Cup is a huge bonus. Thanks again for the help.

[rangers00]

The ESPN family only owns the rights of the CL proper. As a result, CL qualifying rounds are fair game. Any channels can pick them up and broadcast these games in America.

In the past, Fox Sports World had picked up some CL qualifying games, like Rangers X Parma in 1999-2000. But your best bet would be the ethnic channels. Keep an eye on RAI International, the Israeli Network, RTPi and TV Romania International. The latter two ethnic channels are available on Ku-band Free-to-Air satellites...

[roykeanes_safc]

I can shed light on the Amsterdam/Rotterdam tournaments, Sky have the rights this year therefore will be shown on SKY Sports instead of Setanta