The execs at Fox are sh*tting their pants right now. The US out of the WC will obviously have a major affect on the ratings for this tournament. Because this is the WC, there will obviously be larger audiences than other football tournaments. However, the reality is that Fox is basically staring at an audience for the Euros on steroids versus the kind of numbers that could be expected with the US in the tournament. Univision will be fine because of Mexico. Leaving aside how gutted I feel about not being in this tournament, the only plus side might be that Fox dumps the quick build we have seen (or more accurately, heard) with the CL and Bundesliga of US announcers and ex-US players which was clearly prep for a US-voiced WC. Now Fox might smarten up and hire someone who doesn't say 1 v. 1 or 3 v. 3 every five seconds.
That’s what happens when you get fat and complacent. Taking qualification for granted. Also, good that the ratings take a hit. WC coverage is awful anyway. Happy that the bandwagon hopping, know nothing fan that just watches the World Cup and no other football will not be around.
They estimated that FOX could lose $200 million if the USA did not make it. (A bit exaggerated but they will lose money no doubt.) There really isn't much they can do to to cut the losses for damage control. They may do something drastic though to slow down the bleeding and hire a bunch of US women's players to be commentators or something. Maybe hire Klinsi to hear him say "see it was not my fault, Arena sucks too." Maybe they can sell their other language rights to networks who won't mind broadcasting the Cup in German or Japanese. Espn Deportes already has a tradition presenting the matches in Portuguese. Maybe they can strike a deal. Something like that. Think outside the box.
Just to add that FIFA will also take huge hit because of this, mainly in ticket revenue. With fewer Americans buying the tickets, along with makeup of some of these countries that have qualified, plus the fact that some of these host cities are a thousand miles from civilization, FIFA will have to discount the tickets or have half empty stadiums. Knowing FIFA, half empty stadiums win.
The tickets that are not consumed by Americans will be consumed by others. This is the World Cup and still largest stage in all of sports.
The same way they were consumed in South Africa? The wc stopped being a sport long ago. It’s now a money grab, bloated, with national teams way inferior to club teams. It’s a competition for the public that knows nothing about the game.
Fearless Predictions: Luckily, the games will be over by 3pm ET. Viewing could still be favorable for a US-based viewer. However, it is easy to predict fewer games on broadcast Fox and more games on FS2. Games won't necessarily move from Fox to FS2, but you know what I mean. I doubt the regional channels and Fox Soccer Plus will have live games. (I remember reading something where games have to be available to X% of the audience, although I could be confusing sports/competitions.) Fox could skimp out and use international-based announcers, similar to a FSW/FSC broadcast. They could also skimp out and not send a studio team, like what ESPN had in Brazil. I bet they'll still have a studio team in LA. I would still expect "American voices" on FS1 and broadcast Fox for big games and the final. (For the paranoid/worried, even though he already announced it, there is absolutely 0% chance Gus Johnson comes back.)
This will be carnage for FOX. Consider that even strong 'like products' normally decline when moving from ESPN to FS1 (MLB, college football, college basketball) - same will happen with WC18. Then add in the US outage. General ill will toward a Russia hosted event (particularly v the novelty & good nature surrounding Japan/Korea, Germany, SA and Brazil). And acceleration in bad FIFA PR in the past 4 years. I've been saying for awhile that Brazil '14 would stand as the peak of the World Cup boom and no change to that feeling this morning.
I think putting games on Fox Soccer Plus would get bad publicity because of how few people get that channel, and with no more than two games at a time there's no need to use regional channels, which could have baseball or something else to show. There's already been a topic title something like "MLS Cup Won't Be On In My Market" based on what an ABC affiliate was showing instead of MLS Cup. Imagine if that happened for World Cup games. If Fox wasn't going to show every game on FS2 or a channel more people get than that, Fox shouldn't have bought the rights. Will the World Cup TV ratings affect how much channels are willing to pay for soccer leagues?
FOX Sports Statement on World Cup Qualifying Results: https://t.co/fnXf7aUZv5 pic.twitter.com/WIOx0CwYzB— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) October 11, 2017 Los Angeles, Oct. 11, 2017 – Last night’s World Cup qualifying results do not change FOX Sports’ passion for the world’s biggest sporting event. While the U.S. was eliminated, the biggest stars in the world from Lionel Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo stamped their tickets to Russia on the same day, and will battle teams ranging from Mexico to England that have massive fan bases in America. The World Cup is the greatest sporting event on earth that changes the world for one month every four years, and FOX Sports remains steadfast in our commitment of bringing the games to America for the first time in 2018 and will continue to support the U.S. Soccer Federation as they look ahead to the 2022 World Cup. http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/...sports-statement-world-cup-qualifying-results
Of course Fox is going to put out a press release like that. I'm sure it won't change their PR commitment but it has to change other aspects: length of pre- and post-game shows. Advertising commitments and other business partnerships drifted elsewhere.
I was going for more of a hypothetical angle. The US makes Russia and the weekend US games would be a lock for broadcast Fox. I'm not saying Fox will/won't do anything, but without the USA, Fox has a reason to push a random Egypt vs Iran or Saudi Arabia vs Serbia match to FS2 in order to keep regular programming/advertising on FS1. FS1 will still figure in to the marquee teams, but if Fox wanted to push the less-attractive games to FS2, they have a reason. It wouldn't be the first time a company puts something desired on a newish channel. *coughESPN2andESPNUcough* And yeah, the regional channels and FS+ will be good for replays. Fox Soccer Plus could make for a good "Tactical Cam channel" for the marquee games or something such as that. I mean, what else are they gonna show?
USA would probably have had no more than one weekend game. In my previous post about not expecting games on regional channels or FS+, I was only talking about live games.
FS1 does not have any daytime properties, particularly in the Summer, than can get the ratings that WC matches get. Even with lower profile soccer nations playing. I think FS1 will be the priority with some overflow to FS2. Could also see some bonus match coverage, like player/tactical cams, on FS2 or Fox Soccer Plus.
I think they should do international feeds on the other channels. English, Portuguese, German, Italian, etc. I think that would be well liked by people around here and appreciated the most. The various crazy camera angles thing will be done on their Digital platforms.
fs1 coverage will suck espn had ballack van nisteroy solary and others who does fox have great lalas winalds great british hope waren burton and other d class players that will tell us about what 1v1 3 v3 means and other crap
For the Confederations Cup FOX had Ian Wright, Guus Hiddink, Lothar Matthäus, Arne Friedrich, & Mariano Trujillo who were not that bad to listen too. I am sure they will try and make even bigger talent grabs next summer.