It's been almost a year since FSC re-branded their flagship North American-based news show. As a loyal viewer, I'm just canvassing for some opinions. I know the people at FSR and FSC read these boards so perhaps some feedback is in order. I like the new look - but I'm not very pleased with the quality of some of the content. Since they've gone to ALL soccer all the time, it seems things have gotten worse in my mind. Yes they show more footie, but they show so much now that the good stuff gets reduced - especially with Bobby McMahon shows. Why do we not get Bobby's input on Champions League? This is my main pet peeve! The most important competition of the season and he barely gets to comment! I still think JSL is the strongest member of the desk crew but I am beginning to wonder if we'll ever see another female on the show. As far as I can tell, they are the only 'national' sports show without a female presence. IMO that should change. Graphics look good, pronunciation is fair (it is more good than bad - BIG improvement over early days), writing is static, and content is mostly good. It is still the top footie news show on this side of the world IMO - but always room for improvement.
I'm glad someone came up with a thread for this, I've wanted to post my opinions on this for a while now: In my opinion, FSR is horrible, for many reasons: 1. The set is hideous, whoever thought yellow, black, brown and some sort of greyish color mixed in was aesthetically pleasing should be out of a job immediately... 2. The on-air talent is ironically, not talented, Carlos Machado with his butchering of foreign names and overall mispronunciations is extremely amateur, Then you have JSL and Derek Taylor with their god-awful stale one-liners that only they could find funny.Then there's Bobby Mc'Mahon who thinks he is a soccer encyclopedia knowing damn well he's just reading his stats and facts off of a paper. 3. The graphics scream 1989. Also, the banner at the bottom of the screen is huge, many times they show us a replay of a penalty, or a player being injured, or a good sliding tackle, and you can't even see what they're talking about because of the gigantic display that takes up the bottom quarter of the screen. 4. The show's format of simply repeating the first half-hour's content in the second half-hour (except Thursday and Friday?) could easily be remedied and filled with talk of the Bundesliga (who they seem to ignore) Dutch and Portuguese leagues or La Liga. The show is so BPL oriented that it's nauseating. 5. Bobby's breakdowns and previews of the BPL last an entire hour, they dedicate the entire show to "Bobby's Take"... Meanwhile, while he's talking to no end the other anchors just sit and stare at him like he's the almighty soccer authority in the world and drool at his "vast soccer knowledge"... 6. There's no feild reporters, you never get an inside look at the games, they never have live updates, if a game is finishing while they're on air or right before they go on air, they can't report on it until the next days show. (see Sportscenter) 7. MLS is an afterthought, even while Europe is out of season, you would have MLS games played that day and they won't show the highlights until after they've talked about meaningless European friendlies, transfer rumors, coaching hires and fires, players that are unhappy, possible new ownerships and so-on, I would expect more from a show broadcasting to Americans, you'd think they'd show our league a little more respect...
Great show, nothing to say really. Do I miss the "sexy librarian"? You bet. Other than that I like it that they don't take themselves too serious and have fun presenting the show.
The video quality is awful. Graphics, clarity, design. I also still don't quite understand the North American fascination with pronouncing foreign names with a fake foreign accent. It sounds stupid (Bretos and Shoen are by far the worst at this), especially when the pronunciation isn't even consistant by one person in one show. It's not a horrible show, but Sky Sports News is better (except for MLS coverage, which FSR does cover).
I agree with most of the opinions but am looking at the FSR as going through growing pains much like soccer itself in the US. We're probably comparing the FSR against the ESPN-style SportsCenter but even they are having issues getting quality commentators to review soccer games. But at least they have HD now
It's a Canadian show, broadcasting on Fox Sports World Canada (or whatever it is now) isn't it? I thought Fox Soccer Channel merely picks it up for US coverage.
Yeah last night Bobby was on and they had him talk about the Champions League for like 5 lousy minutes at the end and they only talked about the Liverpool-Marseille match. I'm guessing they slight it because they dont have the tv rights. Lame.
IMO the best thing about the show is Bobby McMahon. He is really the only unique thing about the show. I can get the rest of the stuff on the SkySports News hour that comes on FSC but Bobby really is entertaining and he is one of two reasons why I watch. The other reason is I get to get some glimpses of the French Ligue One. I wish we could get more coverage of this league.
Bobby McMahon is excellent when he is commenting on the EPL and British football. But when he starts talking about the Serie A I turn it off because you can tell he really doesn't know that much and really just points out obvious statistics.
My own thoughts: 1. As Jack Bell noted in his New York Times blog a couple of weeks ago, the show has a big blind spot when it comes to domestic soccer, especially MLS. On the Monday after the MLS Cup, for instance, there was no mention of the game until after 20 minutes of Euro qualifier highlights, some of them two days old. Now, "FSR" is a business venture, and I'm sure somebody's got some esoteric market research somewhere indicating that European coverage is more desired than domestic. And you have to take into account the whole Canadian thing. But whatever the rationale, that sort of news judgment and coverage choice isn't good for the sport's overall, longterm growth in North America, at least if you consider MLS crucial to that growth. Which I do. 2. Oddly, while "GolTV News" is a more bare-bones production -- the anchors aren't even shown -- it seems to manage a far more sweeping scope and to cram in far more news tidbits night in and night out. 3. "FSR" seems too hemmed in by its own production schedule. With late-ish games, results are rarely noted, let alone highlights shown. I know that sometimes the show is taped, but I'm pretty sure it airs live much of the time. There seems to be little room for twisting and tweaking to accommodate breaking news. 4. I certainly wouldn't mind more features/color segments, especially on those nights when the show's second half hour is basically just a rehash of the first. The show doesn't really convey soccer's ongoing narrative, if you follow what I mean. It basically just tosses out a bunch of match results, day in and day out, as if assuming that the viewer is keeping up with the broader story through some other means. In other words, the show takes a lot for granted. Contrast that with, say, "SportsCenter," where a gridiron or baseball fan could maintain a comprehensive perspective on their sport just by watching that single program each night.
My understanding is that the show is taped at 21h00 EST which is 20h00 in Winnipeg, where it is taped at Global studios. As a result, any and all European games can be shown/discussed etc. What they miss is MLS results and rumours etc.
The show is taped at 1930-2030 in Winnipeg, or 8:30-9:30pm ET in New York. FSR is what it is: a low-budget show produced in a soccer backwater in the middle of Siberia, errrrrrr, Canada in order to 1) meet Canadian content rules for FOX Sports World Canada, and 2) to provide "news and information programming" cheaply for FOX Soccer Channel in the U.S. For more timely highlights, watch GolTV News on GolTV (another low budget show, but originating from Miami, which is a hotbed of soccer activity), SportsCenter (Mexico) on ESPN Deportes, or Contacto Deportivo on TeleFutura instead.
Can they not hire at least one nice looking chick. FFS! EDIT: It may not be the greatest show, but at least it has some news content. SSN I never want to miss, and record it daily, FSR I just kinda catch what I can of it. Basically they don't have much in depth content and it's "news" you can basically find off any footy website. But I try to watch it.
I think part of the reasoning with the large graphics at the bottom of the screen during some highlights segments is to cover up the graphics from another broadcaster...i can recall seeing sky sports scoreline graphics briefly, then the big FSC graphic...
get over it and take it for what its worth.... a north american football show on a shoestring budget... so please.. all the 12yr olds, please be quiet..... Bobby is a total gem .. he really has the best insight into european leagues than any other commentator in north america.... so be happy when Bobby is on.. and learn.. Cantona---
How the hell is Winnipeg only an hour behind New York? I mean, I checked, and it is, but man, Central Time goes waaaaaaay west up there.
Cantona--- Not alll of us drank the Kool-Aid, and Bobby Mc'Mahon is nowhere near the best "North American Analyst" (Tommy Smyth, Ray Hudson, Steven Cohen & Janusz Michalik are all better)....Bobby just gets to talk ALOT!!!!!!!! Bobby: "Arsenal has beaten Derby at home in every match since 1952"..."The-ory / Henn-Ree" "was their best player since Ian Wright!" Crew: "Oh!, My God!!!!!!" "Bobby, you are so intelligent!" Bobby: "Ya, I'm brilliant... innit it?" Bobby: "I hope they don't realize that I'm just a guy with a European accent!!!!!!!!"