Now the Football League will be shown exclusively on ESPN's subscription streaming service that was just launched, ESPN+. So while you can no longer access the games by simply having a cable subscription, you can get a stand alone streaming service and watch the games. BeIn's streaming service BeIN Connect has limited distribution in the US. In fact they are in the midst of a not so nice spat with Comcast over this. Comcast doers not currently offer BeIN in HD or their streaming service BeIN Connect. Not sure if Spectrum does or not. Similarly Comcast does not offer Fox Sports 2 either.
That wasn't my point. There are all manner of different implications surrounding a league being available via a streaming service versus cable. You can't just assume they are interchangeable scenarios and if the poster I quoted was arguing from the other side, they would likely make that point.
Dutch clubs that regulaly relegate and promote again have done so depite the knowledge of not so long ago history of relegation. So if it can be done here by minnow clubs, it's not an argument one can use.
Well, being pedantic here, if you use something like Chromecast, you're really just using your mobile to initiate and control the streaming - the data itself is only streamed to your television. So I really don't see a hassle either in terms of control or in terms of efficiency.
I had a similar experience watching the famous Chelsea 4 Liverpool 4 CL quarter final in a bar in one of the Cinque Terre towns in Italy. My partner and I were the only ones paying any attention. Ditto a much earlier Chelsea CL game at an outside bar on the Amalfi Coast.
I know how the technology works, I just don't think that many people will do it for soccer teams they don't care about.
Similarly, I've never seen anyone watching sports "out" in France, although I don't know if I just don't visit those establishments there. In the U.S. and U.K. it's just so ubiquitous.
Is watching Twin Peaks on DVD the same as watching it on TV? Is watching some guy put a ferret down his pants on YouTube the same as watching Westworld on TV? Nay and nay I say!
I believe professional gurning gets similar ratings to MLS at present. Or is that the World Poker Tour...?
Have any of them spent 250 million Euros on a stadium, which is what Phoenix is proposing if they get into MLS?
If you can't see the difference between watching a live event via streaming and watching a DVD then there's not much hope of a reasonable discussion. I mean, if I watch my VHS tape of the '66 World Cup, I am hardly going to make the argument that it would be the logically the same as watching the CL semifinals on my 'phone at my desk whilst "working".
well for the record let's define "TV" in the modern world. Is watching it on cable the same as watching it on an antenna. What about DVR vs live, what about on a rebroadcast vs the original showing. Or what about someone like me who now "watches TV" by streaming? I am not arguing that technically you are correct to say that the English Football league does is not on "TV" (although wouldn't be surprised if the championship final is). But in 2018 that is not as simple a metric to define success. Here is my question do you think it's better to be on ESPN's streaming service? Or "on TV" with BEIN?
The "hope of MLS" is EXACTLY why Louisville wants to build a 10k seat stadium with potential to upgrade to 18k to 20k. That's the very reason they did an MLS feasibility study authored by CS&L. I might have a little more respect for Mr. Loney if he'd limit his shark jumping 7 part blog posts to a single one detailing what he hates about one single Deloitte study on Pro/rel and focus his efforts on the many CS&L studies that recommend cities contact HOK/Populous to build a soccer stadium so they can meet a bogus USL "requirement" by 2020 and/or get themselves a future MLS team (wink wink nudge nudge).... From the study: 6. Do we have a chance at landing a MLS franchise at some point in the future? Yes. Securing a franchise will not be easy and this study details some of the City’s challenges. However, we have a successful USL team, and our City is experiencing many positive trends that will better position us for a team. There are many, many factors that will be a part of this analysis, too many to discuss here. Clearly though, to be in a position to land a MLS franchise, we will have to build a soccer specific stadium and attract an expanded ownership group/individual who will be willing to spend millions of dollars on this effort. If those two items are in place, our chances increase dramatically. 7. Why do we need a soccer specific stadium? Two reasons. First, the USL has stated that all teams must be in a soccer specific stadium by 2020 to obtain/retain their franchise. Second, MLS has indicated that a soccer specific stadium is necessary in order for a city to be favorably considered for an expansion team. 8. Does the City agree that siting the stadium in or around the downtown urban core enhance the market potential for professional soccer in the City? Yes, we agree, because both USL and MLS prefer downtown sites. 9. Has the City seen or had access to the prototype 10,000 seat USL stadium referenced in the study? The City has neither seen nor had access to the prototype. In December 2015, USL contracted with HOK, who has designed several current USL stadiums, to design a prototype 10,000 seat stadium. That prototype has yet to be publicly released. Clearly, in the hope to get any public money whatsoever, the Louisville USL people will point to the potential of becoming MLS expansion team #28... and I think they (as well as several others) believe MLS won't stop at 28 teams no matter what Don Garber saysor does in order for him to create another false shortage of expansion spots before relenting to expansion to 30, but no more...... then 32, but no more..... see how this works? Here's Tulsa wanting to "study" the concept of a 10k soccer stadium just this past January... with the ability to ???...... roll tape.... Could a 10,000-seat outdoor stadium be built downtown? VisitTulsa, Stadium Trust consider downtown site By Kevin Canfield Tulsa World Jan 4, 2018 The feasibility study is expected to cost about $105,000, with the trust contributing $50,000 and VisitTulsa and private donors contributing the rest. VisitTulsa will contract with a firm to do the study. Hoyt said he expects it to be done within 60 to 90 days...... Officials have yet to discuss how such a facility would be funded, Hoyt said, but the thought is to begin with a 10,000-seat structure that could be expanded to 18,000 or 20,000 seats. Although the outdoor performance center could conceivably find a home in any part of town, Hoyt said, the midsize outdoor arenas going up around the country are being built in downtown markets. “It makes similar sense (in Tulsa’s downtown) with all the infrastructure there and with restaurants and bars and hotels and entertainment,” he said. “So it would more than likely be something open-ended so you could actually perform things like races and events (that go) out of the end of it, so you could bring in portable staging and set-ups. “You could do monster trucks outdoor performances. There are tours and concerts that only do outdoor shows.” 60 to 90 days kinda smells like MLS..... 10k expandable to 18k to 20k also smells like..... MLS/USL/Populous/CS&L....... "Monster trucks?" LOL..... smells like Hoyt is trying to appeal to Joe Sixpack again... because last time this was tried, a soccer specific stadium was vilified by its opponents as a soccer only stadium. But hey.... play your insipid "tulsa" drinking game again.... besides, who gives a damn about those poor knuckle dragging suckers who live in these itty bitty metro areas with only about a million people in them? I'm sure countries like England, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy keep all their tiny little pissant towns with 1 mil in metro population from ever being in a position to get into the top leagues in those respective countries.... Oh, but wait.... number one, they don't look down on midsized cities the way you do... and number two, those countries ALL have Pro/Rel. Frankly, the way you go on about cheapo millionaires while chiming in with nothing but effusive praise for multi-billionaires sounds like the rantings of a gold digger singing the praises of her latest sugar daddy... #ProRelForUSA #OpenSoccer
Or net worth and hipster demographics. I'd wager they'd be the first in favor of a fall/spring schedule.
Are you suggesting we do away with losers and losing? Hmmmm that would be really interesting zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, lets make everyone a winner! The fact that Sunderland are in league 1 is just as thrilling! Accrington and Sunderland in the same division! Fabulous stuff! Of course as ever there is 'next season', Sunderland can win League 1 and get promoted straight back up, they can then follow that up with winning the Championship and going back into the Premier Leauge, they could be European Champions in 4 years time, of course they could also be playing in league 2! It really depends on them, Now that is drama.
I'm sorry for the hundreds of thousands of Sunderland fans who are suffering two successive relegation through no fault of their own but happy for the 3-4K Accrington fans in a town I know well, Still pro/rel is good for the sport in England but there are some countries where the difference between first and second division teams is so great that the same teams yoyo up and down every season.
Well, that's not a requirement .... it's a plan. Though, this initiative and partnership is providing services/consultation/partnership that I'd say at least HALF of these clubs likely wouldn't be available to get OR wouldn't seek out in order to set up a true base within their communities. Only place I can find that the SSS is "required" by 2020 to obtain/retain is that quote specifically. https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/889809 <--- in FEB they hired a new firm to help out this "plan" ... It states that 12 clubs currently play in SSS and there's 33 in the league. So you're saying that Bethlehem, Cincy (if not in MLS), Indy (if still playing), Louisville, Ottawa, Penn, Richmond, Tampa, Fresno, Las Vegas, OKC, Reno, Swope, and Tulsa all have 19 months to get a SSS/renovate to one ... or they're out of the league? I call BS. Especially since El Paso and Memphis were approved for expansion with MiLB parks as their stadiums. Oh, and some of the "2" teams don't fit the req either .... It's called selling yourself ... it's done in business ventures ALL THE TIME ... it is literally how it works. You incentivize and best case the absolute hell out of yourself and your venture. Duh. They've got quite a bit more than that (as do the clubs, culture, and sporting preference) going .... but you conveniently pretend that's not the case. What an odd statement ... considering you want pro/rel, which literally is asking/demanding for a hand out and digging around those that already have.
I'm not aware of them lining up to shake hands, then get their orange slices before sitting in a semi-circle and handing out participation trophies in American sports, but, sure, no losers or losing.
We Americans sure did appreciate the way that the Cleveland Browns participated their way to 32nd place winner last year. Or how Atlanta blew a 25 point lead in Super Bowl 51, because nobody actually keeps score in American sports and they're just out there to build special relationships and learn the value of team.
Sacramento, Cincinnati and Louisville were packing them in before there was any talk of MLS expansion. The owners jumped on the back of these attendances to make an expansion bid That's not why fans showed up year 1. Las Vegas has drawn attendances of 9,109, 7,888 and 8,167 even though there's no possibility of ever playing in MLS. If things go to plan there will be at least 29 independently run teams in USL by 2020 and I've no doubt expansion will continue. There's no reason USL can't stand on it's own two feet as the highest level of soccer outside of MLS and eventually implement pro/rel between USL 1, USL 2 and the amateur leagues. So MLS continues to be a "billionaires' playground" (my quotes) where league > clubs as you say, while the other leagues operate the serious business of organic growth where clubs > league. The only thing that would be missing by then would be a CCL slot. I know USL operates a bit like MLS at the moment but unlike MLS there aren't hundreds of millions of dollars at stake should they change to a pro/rel environment. NB: A quote about MLS reserve teams in USL, made by USL president Jake Edwards: "But in some instances, those players are skewing younger and younger now, into 17, 16 and in some cases 15 [years old]. And that is not really the right environment to be in as the USL is going forward. So for some of the clubs, they’re looking at other options. This is something we’re working with MLS on right now: to create some other options". He also mentions the the Roughnecks' landlords will implement a retractable mound to make the pitch FIFA compliant. No mention of any requirements for a SSS in Tulsa.
There's a Wikipedia entry for yoyo clubs. Notts County get the (my) award with FC Volendam as runners-up.
Agreed - just like I don't think Sacramento would lose interest in the Republic if they never get picked.