UEFA Champions League Matchday 1

[corolla]

So, Setanta has released their schedule for Matchday 1:

Tuesday 9/16-
2:40pm-Marseilles v. Liverpool
5:45pm-Pana v. Inter Milan
7:30pm- PSV Eindhoven v. Atletico Madrid


Weds 9/17-
2:40pm- Dynamo Kiev v. Arsenal
5:45pm- Porto v. Fenerbahce
7:30pm- Juventus v. Zenit St. Petersburg

ESPN has not released it's matches but assuming there's no conflict with Setanta's coverage they'll show 2 of the following matches per day:

Tues 9/16-
Chelsea v. Bordeaux
Roma v. Cluj
Werder Bremen v. A. Faragusta
FC Basel v. Shaktar Donetsk
Barcelona v. Sporting Lisbon

Weds 9/17-
Manchester Utd v. Villareal
Steaua Bucharest v. Bayern Munich
Lyon v. Fiorentina
Real Madrid v. BATE Borisov
Celtic v. AaB

I'm assuming ESPN is going with the Chelsea v. Bordeaux/Barca v. Sporting and Man Utd v. Villareal/ Real v. BATE matches but I guess time will tell.

[Real Corona]

If ESPN isn't taking Setanta's games they will show the Chelsea and United matches. They always show British teams and the only one left is Celtic at Arlbourg, which won't get quite the ratings.

[socceraction]

While ESPN's schedule is not released, their sister stations in Canada (TSN, TSN2 and RDS) have released their schedules and are showing the following:

TSN:

Tuesday:
Chelsea - Bordeaux LIVE

Wednesday:
Barcelona - Sporting (1 day delay at 11:30am)
Man United - Villareal LIVE
Real Madrid - BATE DELAYED at 11:00pm

___________________________________
TSN2:

Tuesday:
Barcelona - Sporting LIVE
Chelsea - Bordeaux DELAYED at 4:30 CST

Wednesday:
Real Madrid - BATE LIVE
Barcelona - Sporting REPEAT at 3:45pm
Man United - Villareal DELAYED at 4:30pm

___________________________________

RDS:

Tuesday:
Barcelona - Sporting LIVE

Wednesday:
Man United - Villareal LIVE

___________________________________

What this all translates to is:

Tuesday:
Chelsea - Bordeaux live on ESPN2
Barcelona - Sporting live on ESPN Deportes and delayed at 4pm on ESPN Classic.
Delayed schedule on ESPN Deportes still to be confirmed.

Wednesday:
Man United - Villareal live on ESPN2.
Real - BATE live on ESPN Deportes and delayed at 4pm on ESPN Classic.
Delayed schedule on ESPN Deportes still to be confirmed.

SA

[corolla]

___________________________________

What this all translates to is:

Tuesday:
Chelsea - Bordeaux live on ESPN2
Barcelona - Sporting live on ESPN Deportes and delayed at 4pm on ESPN Classic.
Delayed schedule on ESPN Deportes still to be confirmed.

Wednesday:
Man United - Villareal live on ESPN2.
Real - BATE live on ESPN Deportes and delayed at 4pm on ESPN Classic.
Delayed schedule on ESPN Deportes still to be confirmed.

SA

I guess that also translates to: I made really good predictions or ESPN's coverage is really predictable :D. Either way can't wait until the CL kicks off!!

[Spartak]

I guess that also translates to: I made really good predictions or ESPN's coverage is really predictable :D. Either way can't wait until the CL kicks off!!
It doesn't take a genius to figure out how ESPN programs the CL. On ESPN2 they stick the best game involving an English club(the other English match goes to Setanta). On ESPN Deportes they will show Barca and Real Madrid live. It's old hat now. If you are a fan of a non-English, non-Barca, or non-Real Madrid club you better find an alternate way of watching the CL live.

[Kryptonite]

If ESPN isn't taking Setanta's games they will show the Chelsea and United matches. They always show British teams and the only one left is Celtic at Arlbourg, which won't get quite the ratings.

Clearly Celtic will go back on their Setanta PPV channel.

And ESPN seems to be doing it the right way. Before the launch of Deportes, they piggybacked off ESPN Latin America, which usually showed Spanish vs. Italian teams. It seemed like every week we had Inter, Milan, or Barca on ESPN2. Now, with Deportes available, they stick that game over there. I believe now ESPN2 piggybacks off whatever the Asian viewers are watching, which is usually one of the English teams.

[djpower]

Clearly Celtic will go back on their Setanta PPV channel.

And ESPN seems to be doing it the right way. Before the launch of Deportes, they piggybacked off ESPN Latin America, which usually showed Spanish vs. Italian teams. It seemed like every week we had Inter, Milan, or Barca on ESPN2. Now, with Deportes available, they stick that game over there. I believe now ESPN2 piggybacks off whatever the Asian viewers are watching, which is usually one of the English teams.

I very much dout it if you have ever watch ESPN/Star Sports in Asia they get the English (Sky Sports) feed for Champions league ESPNStar (which is jointly owned by ESPN and Newcorp) I think has there control rooms based in Singapore, my local ESPN station in Australia gets the American commentators and the whole operation is run within the United States. For our Champions league we usually get the same live game that is on ESPN2 followed by the game on ESPN Classic then later on that day they often show replays of 1 or 2 more games. All up ESPN produce about around 10 games per match day in Spanish, Portuguese and in English

[rangers00]

I very much dout it if you have ever watch ESPN/Star Sports in Asia they get the English (Sky Sports) feed for Champions league ESPNStar (which is jointly owned by ESPN and Newcorp) I think has there control rooms based in Singapore, my local ESPN station in Australia gets the American commentators and the whole operation is run within the United States.

The games on ESPN2/ESPN Classic piggyback the one from ESPN PacRim, which covers Australia and NZ. ESPN/Starsports is a different operation, based in Singapore. The CL programs are produced in Singapore with John Dykes being the host. Dykes has nothing to do with the ESPN in Connecticut...

[djpower]

ESPN has just updated there details for the Champions league.

ESPN Pac Rim (please not times in Australian ET)

WEDNESDAY, SEP 17 2008
04:30 am FC Barcelona vs. Sporting Clube de Portugal (Live)
06:45 am Chelsea FC vs. FC Girondins de Bordeaux
01:00 pm PSV Eindhoven vs. Club Atletico de Madrid
03:30 pm UEFA Champions League Today (highlights)
07:00 pm Panathinaikos FC vs. FC Internazionale Milano
09:00 pm PSV Eindhoven vs. Club Atletico de Madrid (repeated)

THURSDAY , SEP 18 2008
04:30 am Real Madrid CF vs. FC Bate Borisov (live)
06:45 am Juventus FC vs. FC Zenit St. Petersburg
01:00 pm FC Dynamo Kyiv vs. Arsenal FC
03:00 pm UEFA Champions League Today (highlights)

FRIDAY , SEP 19 2008
01:00 am Manchester United FC vs. Villarreal CF
03:00 am FC Steaua Bucuresti vs. FC Bayern München
09:00 am New York Red Bulls vs. Columbus Crew
01:00 pm Olympique de Marseille vs. Liverpool FC
03:00 pm UEFA Champions League Highlights

Usually the live game ESPN put on here is the same game that is live in the USA on ESPN2 and the first delayed game is usually on ESPN Classic and I think all the rest of the games are available on ESPN Deportes and ESPN360

There schedule has just been release and it would not be strange for them to swap around the live game with the first delayed game, no English teams involved in the early Thursday morning games seem little weird

[socceraction]

USA schedule up as well. They have Barcelona - Sporting listed for both ESPN2 as well as ESPN Deportes. I'm not buying it and that should change in the next day or two. Same with the Man Utd. match on Wednesday. I feel confident posting a full schedule now for USA and Canada (all times US/Central):

Tuesday:

1:45pm Chelsea - Bordeaux
...........LIVE: ESPN2 (TBC) + TSN
...........DELAYED: ESPN Deportes (3:45pm) + TSN2 (4:30pm) + Setanta USA (1:00am/Friday)

1:45pm Barcelona - Sporting Lisbon
...........LIVE: ESPN Deportes + TSN2 + RDS + espn360.com
...........DELAYED: ESPN Classic (4:00pm) + ESPN Deportes (2:00am/next day) + TSN (11:30am/next day)

1:45pm PSV Eindhoven - Atlético Madrid
...........LIVE: None
...........DELAYED: ESPN Deportes (6:00pm) + Setanta USA/Canada (6:30pm)

1:45pm Marseille - Liverpool
...........LIVE: Setanta USA/Canada
...........DELAYED: Setanta USA (11:45am/Thursday) + ESPN Deportes (8:00pm/Thursday) + Setanta Canada (12pm/Friday)

1:45pm Panathinaikos - Inter Milan
...........LIVE: None
...........DELAYED: Setanta USA/Canada (4:35pm) + ESPN Deportes (8:00pm)

1:45pm Roma - CFR Cluj
...........LIVE: None
...........DELAYED: None

1:45pm Werder Bremen - Anorthosis F.
...........LIVE: None
...........DELAYED: None

1:45pm Basel - Shakhtar Donetsk
...........LIVE: None
...........DELAYED: None



Wednesday:

1:45pm Manchester Utd. - Villarreal
...........LIVE: ESPN2 (TBC) + TSN + RDS
...........DELAYED: TSN2 (4:30pm) + ESPN Deportes (8:00pm) + Setanta USA (6:30am/Friday)

1:45pm Real Madrid - BATE Barisov
...........LIVE: ESPN Deportes + espn360.com
...........DELAYED: ESPN Classic (4:00pm) + TSN (11:00pm) + ESPN Deportes (2:00am/next day)

1:45pm Dynamo Kyiv - Arsenal
...........LIVE: Setanta USA/Canada
...........DELAYED: ESPN Deportes (6:00pm) + Setanta USA (1:45pm/next day) + Setanta Canada (2:00pm/next day)

1:45pm Juventus - Zenit St. Petersburg
...........LIVE: None
...........DELAYED: ESPN Deportes (3:45pm) + Setanta USA/Canada (6:30pm)

1:45pm Celtic - Aalborg
...........LIVE: None
...........DELAYED: None

1:45pm Steaua - Bayern Munich
...........LIVE: None
...........DELAYED: ESPN Deportes (1:00pm/next day)

1:45pm FC Porto - Fenerbahçe
...........LIVE: None
...........DELAYED: Setanta USA/Canada (4:35pm)

1:45pm Lyon - Fiorentina
...........LIVE: None
...........DELAYED: None

No games listed for Setanta's Premium channels but wouldn't be surprised to see Celtic, Porto and/or Panathinaikos listed there.

SA

[DAGSports]

If I remember correctly, ESPN360 streams both of ESPN's English-language games live (my provider doesn't have a deal for it, but I recall seeing a press release to this effect 1-2 years ago). You can also watch the telecasts from ESPN Deportes, but only in Spanish as Setanta retains exclusive English-language rights to these games (not sure about online coverage, although UEFA offers PPV).

Pretty sure ESPN gets 1st and 3rd pick each day, while Setanta gets the 2nd plus any remaining games (on tape delay), except if ESPN can't do a live game because of college football/hoops/etc.

[JustinC83]

stupid ESPN is showing Real Madrid/Bate

i mean really. Madrid/Bate is going to be a 4-0 thrashing.

While Man Utd/Villareal is an acutal good game.

Terrible Choice. I thought ESPN since they obviously have the Man Utd/Villareal game (they are showing it on ESPN Deportes delayed) would have the defending Champions League holders.

But nope. unless they change it. I mean if you want to show Real Madrid, atleast put Man Utd/Villareal on Espn Classic.

[CG]

stupid ESPN is showing Real Madrid/Bate

i mean really. Madrid/Bate is going to be a 4-0 thrashing.

While Man Utd/Villareal is an acutal good game.

Terrible Choice. I thought ESPN since they obviously have the Man Utd/Villareal game (they are showing it on ESPN Deportes delayed) would have the defending Champions League holders.

But nope. unless they change it. I mean if you want to show Real Madrid, atleast put Man Utd/Villareal on Espn Classic.
I find it unlikely that espn2/deportes and classic will all show the same game. As a Man Utd fan, I certainly hope that is not the case.

[JustinC83]

I recalled last year went like this

2:45(Est)-ESPN2 (English Team)

2:45(Est)-ESPNdeportes (Real Madrid or other big team)


5 (Est)- Game that was on ESPNdeportes.

[JustinC83]

and looks like Chelsea Fans get screwed too.

2:45- ESPN2- Barcelona/Sporting Club

2:45-ESPNdeportes Barcelona/Sporting Club

5est ESPN Classic Barcelona/Sporting Club

5est ESPNdeportes Chelsea/Bordeaux

And ESPNdeportes alot of people have to spend $20per month on Directv to get. So i mean what you have to sign up for it when your team is on and then cancel it. But then its in Spanish, and i cant understand Spanish

I think the Spanish Premier League greased ESPN's palms to show their teams and not show the English teams

[Real Corona]

If you add the Spanish package for $20 a month and you cancel the next day, do they charge the full amount?

[JustinC83]

no, but they partially charge you

[Real Corona]

no, but they partially charge you

Do they fraction it out by day. So for example $20 a month = 67 cents a day therefore it would only cost about $2 or am I way off.

[yikchi]

Are the games on ESPN2 going to be shown in HD (16:9, not letterboxed) this year?
My guess is "no" but I hope someone tell me I am wrong :o

[danielmak]

Do they fraction it out by day. So for example $20 a month = 67 cents a day therefore it would only cost about $2 or am I way off.

I don't know about this since I haven't canceled any of my programming packages, but I can say that it looks like ESPN Deportes is becoming less of a useful option for CL. Most of the games they show will be available on ESPN, ESPN Classic, or Setanta (including Chelsea TV or MUTV--which is not as good since MUTV edits games down to 75 minutes usually). As far as I can tell, given Socceraction's post above, only 1 game will appear on Deportes that does not appear on any of the other channels. And still I will keep my subscription for that one game and CONMEBOL qualifiers.