[RhinosBoy21]

Does anyone know if anyone has American TV rights to the Euro Cup 2004? I remember in 2000, FSW showed games 1 week on delay which sucked although i went to Poland a week into the Cup so i saw most of the tournament live but its a major event and i wont be going to Europe next summer. Does anyone know if FSW is planning on bidding for it? For them to have the games live i think would be major investment which could give them some nice rankings and sponser deals.

[geordienation]

Originally posted by RhinosBoy21
Does anyone know if anyone has American TV rights to the Euro Cup 2004? I remember in 2000, FSW showed games 1 week on delay which sucked although i went to Poland a week into the Cup so i saw most of the tournament live but its a major event and i wont be going to Europe next summer. Does anyone know if FSW is planning on bidding for it? For them to have the games live i think would be major investment which could give them some nice rankings and sponser deals.

I guarantee Sentana or some other pay per view provider will grab it.

[AndyMead]

Originally posted by geordienation
I guarantee Sentana or some other pay per view provider will grab it.

Indeed. There's decent money to be made selling it closed-circuit into bars, clubs, soccer centers. I would also expect it to show up on PPV. I think Euro2000 was $149 for 28 of 32 games on DirecTV. I think Fox Sports World did air some of the games on 5-8 day tape delay basis, but this was 3 years ago and my memory is getting fuzzy.

[Minnman]

Originally posted by AndyMead
Indeed. There's decent money to be made selling it closed-circuit into bars, clubs, soccer centers. I would also expect it to show up on PPV. I think Euro2000 was $149 for 28 of 32 games on DirecTV. I think Fox Sports World did air some of the games on 5-8 day tape delay basis, but this was 3 years ago and my memory is getting fuzzy.

Yeah, the price was about $150 back in 2000.

The James Joyce in Durham showed all matches without a cover charge ... and I didn't find out about it until after the tournament. Dumbass.

[SueB]

And it was $150 well-spent. The coverage was straight from ITV, or whichever English network covered it, so there was plenty of great pre- and post-game analysis and good announcers. Only problem was we had to go to a big Italian wedding on the day of the final. I taped the game, but of course, a lot of my husband's paesani who had "mysteriously" missed the wedding ceremony showed up for the reception and stood around mumbling to each other with morose looks on their faces. That sort of gave it away...

[nyrmetros]

www.setanta.com

[RhinosBoy21]

Alright cool thanks guys. $150 for the games isn't that bad. Now i can rest better knowing i can watch the games, i was worried there would be no coverage.

[Minnman]

Originally posted by Minnman
Yeah, the price was about $150 back in 2000.

The James Joyce in Durham showed all matches without a cover charge ... and I didn't find out about it until after the tournament. Dumbass.

Seems that they did this because they told DTV they were a residential establishment and only paid the $150 fee rather than the much, much higher fee charged to commercial venues. Looks like the jig might be up, though. Their satellite signal was cut off a couple of days ago (much to my chagrin as I showed up yesterday to watch ManU-Arsenal). Rumor has it that a neighboring business turned them in.

[rangers00]

Originally posted by RhinosBoy21
Alright cool thanks guys. $150 for the games isn't that bad. Now i can rest better knowing i can watch the games, i was worried there would be no coverage.

At this day and age of satellite TV, there is absolutely no chance, I repeat, ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE, that the European championship will be unavailable in the U.S. market.

There is simply too much money to be made as a PPV venture, from UEFA, the American right holders (Setanta), the carriers (digital cable, DBS, etc.), the bars and the sports books.

Euro 2000 was the first time that all games of the Euro are available in the U.S. market. And there is no look back. There is no chance that we would even revert back to 1996 (when ESPN/ESPN2 carried only selected games). When the final was shown on ESPN2, a newly launched channel, most of the country didnt' catch the final. The semi-final between England and Germany was the only one I saw. It was on ESPN.

It's a far cry from 1980, when didn't get the chance to watch the final until 1981.

[Cantona]

FSW still may buy the delayed rights... since no leagues will be going on and they need programming during that time period.. they cant fill up 24hrs full of cricket. The EURO2000 package was the best football package put together ever in my opinion. You had pregame/halftime/postgame shows direct from ITV and the BBC. If I remember right Dish showed a couple more games than Direct TV did.... although the attitude lately of dish not showing some key England qualifiers (ie vs Turkey) I really wonder if they will have the package.. Direct tv seems to be showing more and more football so they may try to get the exclusive rights from setanta.

Cantona---