ESPN Soccer Thread

In late July, commentating on 6 ICC games for @espn across the US. Starts with Manch derby in Houston, ends with Juve-Roma in Foxboro, MA.

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) July 6, 2017

 

Starts Sunday, July 16 - 12:00 pm ET - Netherlands vs Norway - 2:45 pm ET - Denmark vs Belgium.
All 31 matches LIVE on ESPN3 - The Final on August 6 will be LIVE on ESPNU - 11:00 am ET.

ESPN has some great women's soccer coming, with the UEFA Women's EURO 2017 kicking off Sunday. Details & sked: https://t.co/Lu9g0xdLVJ

— Tara Chozet (@TaraChozet) July 10, 2017

 

From the director of the poignant "Hillsborough," @30for30's newst doc "George Best: All by Himself," debuts 07/20 https://t.co/cF3WOl39r1 pic.twitter.com/IhASPfQUwR

— Tara Chozet (@TaraChozet) July 6, 2017

Our next #30for30, #GeorgeBest: All by himself, airs a week from tonight!

Or you can stream the film NOW: https://t.co/051tZ0CVYs pic.twitter.com/z40xryQOj5

— 30 for 30 (@30for30) July 14, 2017

 

@thegoalkeeper Currently, the #USOC Final is slated to air on ESPN2 at 9pm ET on 9/20, after the ATL/LA Galaxy MLS game. No word on semis.

— Qumar Zaman - 💉Booster vaxxed (Pfizer COVID-19) (@TheQumarZaman) July 14, 2017

@thegoalkeeper Also looks like the ESPN networks will carry the #USWNT matches against Canada. 11/9 - 10p ET, ESPN2. 11/12 - 5:30p ET, ESPN.

— Qumar Zaman - 💉Booster vaxxed (Pfizer COVID-19) (@TheQumarZaman) July 14, 2017

 

Kicking off my International CC comms period on 20 July with @CBurleyESPN - Manchester derby. Then 22 July, Barca-Juve with Stewart Robson.

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) July 11, 2017

Of the 6 ICC games coming up for @espn, 2 with @CBurleyESPN, 3 with Stewart Robson and 1 with @Paul_Mariner. Look fwd to reconnecting.

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) July 12, 2017

 

My ICC @espn July commentary games.
20 Man C-Man U, Houston, TX
22 Barca-Juve, E. Rutherford, NJ
25 Spurs-Roma, Harrison, NJ.
(1/2)

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) July 12, 2017

My ICC July games for @espn, pt 2
26 PSG-Juv, Miami, FL
29 Man C-Spurs, Nashville, TN
30 Juv-Roma, Foxboro, MA

Look fwd to them all. (2/2)

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) July 12, 2017

 

Derek Rae's a busy boy!

if he hasn't lost his touch, I'd listen to him anytime. For me he's a much underrated, under-used PBP guy

 

Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy host Manchester United at StubHub Center in Carson, California on Saturday, July 15, at 10:00 pm ET on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes and streaming LIVE on the ESPN App.

Manchester United’s first match since acquiring former Everton FC and Belgium National Team striker Romelu Lukaku will kick off a series of international club friendly matches across ESPN networks through Sunday, July 30.

Adrian Healey (Play-By-Play) - Taylor Twellman (Analyst) - Julie Stewart-Banks (Pitch Reporter) will provide the English commentary for the match on ESPN2.

 

.@ManUtd kicks off its slate of 6 preseason matches on ESPN tonite on E2 -10p ET vs @LAGalaxy. 🇧🇪striker Romelu Lukaku's #ManUtd debut. pic.twitter.com/EhhDlro9GV

— bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) July 16, 2017

 

City of Stars. ✨@LAGalaxy vs. @ManUtd
📺: ESPN 2 at 10 PM ET#ICC pic.twitter.com/N7xVMmx5wz

— Julie Stewart-Binks (@JSB_TV) July 16, 2017

 

Per @MacN_ESPN: @IntChampionsCup sched on ESPN includes 19 matches featuring top intl clubs, July 18-30. https://t.co/d4sGwB06Wh #2017ICC pic.twitter.com/N8ErOFEy89

— bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) July 14, 2017

 

2017 International Champions Cup on ESPN - ESPN MediaZone https://t.co/E6jguXWVv6

— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) July 14, 2017

 

ESPN goes to Miami for Barcelona vs. Real Madrid – Special El Clásico https://t.co/4Jkb9WGLDF pic.twitter.com/wyqpF4rIvT

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) July 12, 2017

 

Tune-in update: @30for30 "George Best: All by Himself" will premiere Thursday, July 20, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/V5PzonxTKZ

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) July 18, 2017

 

Is it just me, or has ESPN covered the Premier League a lot better than NBCSN has in recent months? They had the first interview with Lukaku after he signed with Manchester United. They are at all of the games for the "International Champions Cup" and are interviewing players and coaches. Meanwhile NBCSN basically goes radio silent from the last Premier League game to the season debut.

ESPN doesn't really have any room on its networks for Premier League given its college football, NBA and college basketball commitments, but they do seem to like covering soccer

 

NBC's TV coverage of EPL (or world football) goes completely dark in summer.

That's partly because they don't have a yearlong soccer news program like ESPN or BeIN does. In fact NBC doesn't even have that type of news program at any time during the season. They are just myopically focused on one league (EPL) and only during the playing season, or more specifically during matchdays (see PL GoalZone).

There may also be cost-control motivation involved (as discussed above). And it seems they are also beholden to put other sports and infomercials on their prime channels like NBCSN, for contractual/income reasons.

Just my theories anyway.

 

ESPN soccer broadcasts on your television and computer screen over the next few days: pic.twitter.com/2lAUQTZh5O

— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) July 19, 2017

 

What does the ICC have to do with the Premier League?

 

They're not related, but the ICC has Premier League clubs. Your question is like asking what the Champions League has to do with the Premier League.

 

Yes, my question is like that. And I'm not confused when NBC doesn't show the CL to promote the EPL either.

 

888166810075496448 is not a valid tweet id

Some view from maybe the largest comms box I've ever worked from here at NRG Stadium in Houston. #ManchesterDerby pic.twitter.com/WKmgYHXLZw

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) July 20, 2017

 

Let there be light. #ManchesterDerbyUSA coming up on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/O68YMIxrfO

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) July 21, 2017

Enjoyed working #ManchesterDerbyUSA here in Houston on @espn and fun being reunited on air with @CBurleyESPN.

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) July 21, 2017

Next commentary game is Barcelona v Juventus. Tomorrow 6pm ET on @espn with Stewart Robson.

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) July 21, 2017

 

Some other upcoming friendlies on ESPN3

7/26
02:45PM Luton Town v Leicester City
02:45PM Burton Albion v West Bromwich Albion

7/27
12:30PM Bayer Leverkusen vs Antalyaspor

7/29
10:00AM Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leicester City

8/1
01:30PM Borussia Dortmund v Atalanta

 

ESPN is definitely doing a better job promoting the Prem than the network that owns the rights to the games.Obviously NBC has it's hands pretty full right now with NASCAR/F1/Tour de France/Golf, but they could at least get a "EPL countdown" clock rolling or something