News: ESPN $$ benefit from US advancing/General ESPN broadcasting critique

ESPN aren't covering the world cup in the UK. Nor is SKY. They do appear to have been drafted in purely for US coverage, unless the games are going out in English elsewhere in the world.

The BBC had a completely different commentary team for the USA v Algeria match. They still got pretty excited about the USA's goal though.

 

"Oh bollocks!!! Disaster for England as a matchup with Germany now awaits!!! Plus, we're going to have to find out how Yank ass tastes!!!"

Or words to that effect, I'm sure.

 

funnily enough no

It went...

and now the US break is on.....Landon Donovan...Altidore trying to stay onside....Altidore into DEMPSEY....AND DONOVAN...........with the goal.....that will surely take the USA into the last 16.

Finally they have the breakthrough.....they couldn't have left it any later...

They've turned it around, and finally broken the hearts of Algeria.

Well, if ever a team deserved a goal....quite incredible....amazing stuff....the celebrations....the hairs are up on the back of my neck....it's a great moment.


http://www.footyhawk.com/highlights/2010-world-cup/item/128-usa-1-0-algeria.html

The goal itself is about 4 minutes in.

The truth is virtually nobody in England is aware there's any hint of rivalry between the USA and England, and consequently they have no problem with the USA doing well at the world cup.

 

They also didn't know it would set up their game with Germany at the time. Ghana actually had the inside track for 1st in Group D. Serbia and Germany were as likely for England as Ghana.

Had they known it made the difference between Ghana and Germany they might have been a little tempered.

 

Where I watched it people were aware it would probably result in a meeting with Germany, but they just laughed when the news came through. The final whistle has just gone in the England match, and people we just so relieved that it didn't seem that important.

Even so, any disappointment would have been merely about finishing second and having a harder path. Finishing behind the USA isn't an issue. Most would be quite perplexed by the idea that it could be.

 

That's basically what I was saying. Its not about the place in the group except for what it means in terms of the round of 16 and beyond. Not a favorable draw for England, but it is for the US.

 

England would probably be my #3 team, and I wouldn't have so much loathing for Mexico, except for the a-hole fans of those 2 nations here at BS. I don't wanna deal with them being happy and arrogant.

I'm sure those two fanbases feel the same way about US fans. The difference is, this isn't bigfutbol.com or bigfooty.com.

 

are they espn cameras or a world feed?

 

it is but the tactical board is awesome - and being interactive is more informative that the underused ESPN axis thing. I love how they lay out the expected formations and explain a specific tactic to show where players may go to take an advantage of a situation. Between that show and Bobby it blows away most of the ESPN studio analysts. Roberto Martinez and Bartlett have been the only ones who compare IMO.

 

he's also working for the BBC and I believe one of the German networks.

 

The same pictures are sent around the world. You couldn't have all the world's media trying to film the action themselves - it'd be choas.

There is a kind of natural rivalry between USA & Mexico fans though, due to being next to each other. There's no such feeling of rivalry at all towards the USA from English fans. Fans over here really have no idea how much of a big deal getting one over England is for many US fans.

Other than the locals, the only other nations regarded as sporting rivals are Germany and Argentina in football (and football only), and Australia, where there's over a century of tradional battles in cricket and rugby.

 

Serious question: Do you think Bobby McMahon is good at TV?

 

He's not the most TV friendly, but unlike most people who are, he's overflowing with substance.

 

Is this a result of ESPN owning the rights now instead of SUM/MLS? Because if they could have done this for the prior two cycles but chose not to because of a rights issue it would just put soccer in the USA that much further behind in development.

Thx,

Jay!