2008/09 Arsenal on T.V. - U.S. Only

[Epikoinos]

Yes, I'm back. Or should I say, we're back, since so many of you help out and point out things I have wrong (like times) or things I've missed. Teamwork at its best.

Here are the first few matches we can deduce from today's announcements from Sky/Setanta. Please note that many, many more matches will be added. Also, I have no inside sources with networks, I just go around the Internet and gather this stuff.

Also, it is believed that the preseason Emirates Cup matches -- Aug. 2 vs. Juventus and Aug. 3 vs. Real Madrid -- will be shown on Setanta, but that has not been confirmed. Kickoff at 11:15 a.m. ET both days.

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SCHEDULES ARE ALWAYS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
(First-run showings in bold)
(Matches from past seasons in italics)

FSC
Sunday, July 20: Dec. 16, 2007 - Arsenal 1, Chelsea 0, 5 p.m. ET
Saturday, Aug. 23: Arsenal at Fulham, 12:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Aug. 30: Arsenal vs. Newcastle, 12:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Sept. 20: Arsenal at Bolton, 12:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Sept. 27: Arsenal vs. Hull City, 12:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, Oct. 26: Arsenal at West Ham United, 10 a.m. ET
Sunday, Nov. 30: Arsenal at Chelsea, 11 a.m. ET

Setanta
Saturday, Aug. 16: Arsenal vs. West Bromwich Albion, 7:45 a.m. ET
Wednesday, Oct. 29: Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 2 p.m. ET
Saturday, Nov. 8: Arsenal vs. Manchester United, 7:45 a.m. ET

[Detlef]

Wow, lots of late kickoffs early in the season.

[Ziegler1988]

From Setanta Ireland's TV fixtures (http://sports.setanta.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/07/11/Irish-live-fixtures/?facets/sport-space/football/great-britain-locale/) it looks like Setanta US will be showing the Blackburn match on September 13 and the Aston Villa match on November 15.

[FabregasTED]

I could only speculate that we have so many late games because of the Emirates. Football under the lights there looks spectacular in HD.

[Rewinder]

I don't think I've ever been able to see any of our games in HD. I thought even the CL games on ESPN2HD are standard defination games shrunk to fit the screen?

[DougG_ATL]

I'm loving the later kickoffs. Those 7:45 a.m. fixtures on Saturdays require me to plan ahead to have bacon, eggs & coffee ready. I can't imagine what you west coasters have to deal with!

[Publius]

I don't think I've ever been able to see any of our games in HD. I thought even the CL games on ESPN2HD are standard defination games shrunk to fit the screen?

They are. The only game shown in HD was the final.

[Papa Burgundy]

is there a setanta hd channel?

[gooner_sf]

Those 7:45 a.m. fixtures on Saturdays require me to plan ahead to have bacon, eggs & coffee ready. I can't imagine what you west coasters have to deal with!

It's not so bad... come home from the pub, have a cigar and whisky, then fix up some bubble & squeak, pour a pint & you're good to go. ;)

[FabregasTED]

Yeah but they're all on HD in the UK... so... don't forget that's still their target audience.

EDIT: and those games on ESPN are still in HD, they're just not in 16x9 aspect ratio. The resolution is still far superior.

[Publius]

Yeah but they're all on HD in the UK... so... don't forget that's still their target audience.

EDIT: and those games on ESPN are still in HD, they're just not in 16x9 aspect ratio. The resolution is still far superior.

Sorry, I don't buy the conclusion of your edit. I'm convinced those CL broadcasts are indeed only in SD, even when shown on the HD channel.

[Henry Porter]

Yeah but they're all on HD in the UK... so... don't forget that's still their target audience.

EDIT: and those games on ESPN are still in HD, they're just not in 16x9 aspect ratio. The resolution is still far superior.

No way it's in HD. It's better than Gol or FSC but it isn't HD.

[coltcannon]

I believe in the UK Sky might have 2-3 games a weekend on in HD, Setanta has none. Though every match is produced in HD.

The ESPN2HD CL matches are difficult.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdtv#High-Definition_Display_Resolutions
Nothing in 4:3 is usually HD, it may be digital though. Majority of the CL games are produced by UEFA who only provide 4:3 SD. Some CL games are produced by Sky in HD. Of those matches ESPN has to pay extra for access of the HD feed, which is why we only see a few. Last season I only remember the final being in HD, the rest in digital SD on ESPN2HD. Im not expecting to see HD EPL here until ESPN takes a shot at the rights package the next time its up.

[Publius]

The fact that Setanta is an SD channel is another one of the reasons I haven't ditched cable for satellite yet. I'm amazed by how poor SD channels look on an HD set. Certain SD channels like the Military Channel display what appears to be a compressed letterbox image that actually looks very good. Then on the other hand the image quality on the MLS Direct Kick broadcasts is so uniformly fuzzy it's like watching an impressionist painting.

[CTGooner]

Last I read in the Spring was that Setanta Us would not have any of the Arsenal TV programming. Has anyone heard anything different since then?

I still miss Arsenal TV on GolTv! Three hours a week, replay of the previous game, recaps, behind the scenes, human interest stories, etc.

[goonermaui]

I'm loving the later kickoffs. Those 7:45 a.m. fixtures on Saturdays require me to plan ahead to have bacon, eggs & coffee ready. I can't imagine what you west coasters have to deal with!
Sucks double big time for me on those ones.....:(
It's right around closing time at the local....and if it's on Setanta, that's the only place I can see it live.
The same applies to any game earlier than a 19:45 GMT kick off...
but, it is a good excuse to go in the next day for cocktails and the re-run.;)
If it's on FSC...no probs. I just have to keep the yelling to a minimum to avoid the wrath of "she that should not be woken in the middle of the night":eek:

I still miss Arsenal TV on GolTv! Three hours a week, replay of the previous game, recaps, behind the scenes, human interest stories, etc.
Yep me too.

[Quentin]

I may have to change up my satellite package if that many arsenal games are on FSC versus Setanta. The nice thing about Setanta is that they get matches from SPL. The picture is really poor, though. Bah. When are they going to start giving us EPL and SPL in HD? Watching Euro '08 in HD this summer was fantastic.

~~Quentin

[Epikoinos]

I may have to change up my satellite package if that many arsenal games are on FSC versus Setanta. The nice thing about Setanta is that they get matches from SPL. The picture is really poor, though. Bah. When are they going to start giving us EPL and SPL in HD? Watching Euro '08 in HD this summer was fantastic.

~~Quentin

Remember that this is just the preliminary schedule. I'd guess when it's all said and done, there will be at least as many matches on Setanta as FSC, if not more. Also, Setanta has Champions League when the game isn't on ESPN2, Carling Cup and I believe will have some FA Cup matches this season, too.

[CTGooner]

I may have to change up my satellite package if that many arsenal games are on FSC versus Setanta. The nice thing about Setanta is that they get matches from SPL. The picture is really poor, though. Bah. When are they going to start giving us EPL and SPL in HD? Watching Euro '08 in HD this summer was fantastic.

~~Quentin

Hopefully it's not and either/or situation for you. I have both FSC and Setanta through DishNetwork, and it's great. I think last year I was able to see every Arsnal EPL match except the last one.

As for HD EPL, I don't think FSC or Setanta US are going to be offering anytime soon. The setup and trasmission costs are too high,and not enough dmand right now. And yes, watching the euros was amazing, but a tease.

[GetEmGooners]

anyone know when FSC will announce their games for the upcoming season?