Disney CEO Robert Iger: ESPN to bid on EPL video rights

[huhe888]

Short article in the September 11, 2008 edition of the Financial Times:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fc166776-7f97-11dd-a3da-000077b07658.html

Not much of a surprise to see that, ESPN, Inc. will bid for both UK domestic and international video rights (i.e. United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean, Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific) to EPL.

[Note that ESPN, Inc. does NOT operate the ESPN-branded channels in Asia. The ESPN STAR Sports Limited (ESS) joint venture is operated by NewsCorp's STAR TV, while J SPORTS ESPN in Japan is operated by the Sumitomo Group which manages the J SPORTS joint venture.]

[R1PP]

Hard to get excited about this, especially if the signal will originate with ESPN broadcasting in the UK. I would worry about some executive in Bristol mandating the way coverage is done in the UK. I don't think we need any on-field reporters or special get-to-know-a-player type montages.

[Real Corona]

Pure speculation, but the part at the end about new technologies:

Here's hoping that we get HD broadcasts of the EPL by 2010.

[uvasoccer]

It's pretty amazing no one has figured out a way to air EPL in HD (or any of the other top European leagues), especially with all the $$$ involved. I have found myself watching more MLS than Euro leagues this season because of the Thurs ESPN HD and Sat HDNet broadcasts.

[Real Corona]

It's pretty amazing no one has figured out a way to air EPL in HD (or any of the other top European leagues), especially with all the $$$ involved. I have found myself watching more MLS than Euro leagues this season because of the Thurs ESPN HD and Sat HDNet broadcasts.

Probably because there really is not enough money involved. I have my doubts that more people would watch it if it was in HD.

[DAGSports]

Probably because there really is not enough money involved. I have my doubts that more people would watch it if it was in HD.

Definitely. But also, I think North America may be ahead of most of the world as far as televising sports in HD is concerned (both the quantity of it and the expectation that it be available). So either there is no feed for many products (TWI does offer an HD feed for some EPL games) or few other countries to share the transmission cost with. Which goes back to ratings in the U.S.- is FOX or someone else willing to pay for something that seems unlikely to attract new viewers or business, and might not be viable on sister channels throughout the Americas?

[corolla]

It's pretty amazing no one has figured out a way to air EPL in HD (or any of the other top European leagues), especially with all the $$$ involved. I have found myself watching more MLS than Euro leagues this season because of the Thurs ESPN HD and Sat HDNet broadcasts.

No disrespect or anything but I'm not sure why the difference between HD and standard would make anyone watch an MLS match over a European league match. Sure the picture quality is better but does that make up for the quality of play difference?

[MasterShake29]

No disrespect or anything but I'm not sure why the difference between HD and standard would make anyone watch an MLS match over a European league match. Sure the picture quality is better but does that make up for the quality of play difference?

There are many reasons why people may watch MLS over Europe, or vice versa. Quality of play might be one of those reasons, but it's not the only one. I would say HD vs. non-HD is certainly a legitimate reason.

[Real Corona]

Definitely. But also, I think North America may be ahead of most of the world as far as televising sports in HD is concerned (both the quantity of it and the expectation that it be available). So either there is no feed for many products (TWI does offer an HD feed for some EPL games) or few other countries to share the transmission cost with. Which goes back to ratings in the U.S.- is FOX or someone else willing to pay for something that seems unlikely to attract new viewers or business, and might not be viable on sister channels throughout the Americas?


I saw ads on Sky Sports for 3 different channels with HD broadcasts for the Champions league this week. So it's not like it's unavailable. I just can't see someone saying, "oh there's the EPL in HD, I never thought of watching it, but I will now." I think most people are either going to watch it or not.

[rangers00]

Definitely. But also, I think North America may be ahead of most of the world as far as televising sports in HD is concerned (both the quantity of it and the expectation that it be available). So either there is no feed for many products (TWI does offer an HD feed for some EPL games) or few other countries to share the transmission cost with.

I have EPL on HD from my provider in Asia. It's a premium carrier since
1) the carrier (Hong Kong's major telecom carrier) pays for a higher rights fee, just for Hong Kong market, than Fox Sports International pays for the American market.
2) it's one of the few places on earth (the Netherlands is the only other one I know of) that broadcast all EPL games live, it means it uses up to 7 channels on the Saturday at the 15:00 BST timeslot.

However, the only games available on HD:

The early game on Saturday, one of the two games on Sunday.

In other words, if I am lucky, I get at most 2 games on HD. This week, the two games were Liverpool X Man U and Stoke X Everton.

If you get EPL on HD, you'll get only a small number of games. I suspect only the games at the marquee timeslots are produced at HD for the ROW to enjoy.

Credit to my carrier, they also make the marquee Serie A game (Sunday's late game) available on HD (i.e. Udinese X Juventus this week).

[djpower]

Fox Sports in Australia is very similar they broadcast 9 live EPL games every week with 2 of them featuring on Fox Sports HD channel. For the Midnight kick-off game they show 5 games live. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM3zCM28m0I

ESPN has had much critisim for them advertising Serie A games to be televised in HD but for people to tune in to notice the Lines down the side. I think the only HD soccer content that features on ESPN HD is the MLS game they play Friday morning/early afternoon and possibly the UEFA Champions league

[Real Corona]

Fox Sports in Australia is very similar they broadcast 9 live EPL games every week with 2 of them featuring on Fox Sports HD channel. For the Midnight kick-off game they show 5 games live. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM3zCM28m0I

ESPN has had much critisim for them advertising Serie A games to be televised in HD but for people to tune in to notice the Lines down the side. I think the only HD soccer content that features on ESPN HD is the MLS game they play Friday morning/early afternoon and possibly the UEFA Champions league


I had hoped that the US national team qualifiers would be in HD, but sadly this was not the case. :(

[djpower]

I had hoped that the US national team qualifiers would be in HD, but sadly this was not the case. :(

ESPN Pacific Rim has seemed to of droped the US national team games, the last US nation team game to be on tv here was shown live on Setanta I think against Spain (btw that game was delayed by 2 hours on ESPN Classic). I think all of the Socceroos games played in Australia will be on Fox Sports HD but if there played overseas more than likley they will be SD and croped at 4:3 as a lot of the Asian Countries can not afford widescreen cameras let alone a camera capable of HD