I don't get the compelling need for a televised transfer deadline show. You can get the same info, usually quicker, through following the right people on Twitter or following the live blogs on ESPN FC and the English papers. There's no real visual element to it, the only news of significance is that X player is being transferred to Y team.
I guess people like seeing 'Arry peering through his Mercedes window to tell reporters that the latest rumored signing is "a triffic lad, just triffic." Or local chavs dry humping themselves behind Sky Sports News reporters. Cancel your Labor Day plans!!
So Full Schedule for Champions League Playoff is Tues Aug 19th Besiktas vs Arsenal FS1 2pm Napoli vs Athletic Bilbao FS2 2pm Kobenhaven vs Bayer Leverkusen Fox Soccer Plus/FSN 2pm Salzburg vs Malmo FF Direct TV/ESPN3 245pm Steaua Bucuresti vs Ludogorets Direct Tv/ESPN 3 245pm Wed Aug 20th NK Maribor vs Celtic FS2 2pm Lille vs Porto Fox Soccer Plus 2pm Standard de Liege vs Zenit FSN/ESPN 3 2pm Aalborg BK vs APOEL Direct Tv/ ESPN 3 245pm Bratislava vs BATE Borisov Direct Tv/ ESPN 3 245pm Tues Aug 26th Zenit vs Standard de Liege Fox Soccer Plus/ Direct TV 1150am Celtic vs NK Maribor FS1 2pm Porto vs Lille FS2 2pm APOEL vs Aalborg BK Fox Soccer Plus/FSN 2pm BATE Borisov vs Bratislava Direct Tv /ESPN3 Wed Aug 27th Arsenal vs Besiktas FS1 2pm Athletic Bilbao vs Napoli FS2 2pm Bayern Leverkusen vs Kobenhaven Fox Soccer Plus/FSN 2pm Malmo FF vs Salzburg Direct Tv / ESPN 3 230pm Ludogorets vs Steaua Bucuresti Direct TV / ESPN 3 230pm
Finally getting to the Napoli-Athletic match broadcast on FS2. Three minutes in and still no ticker. Amazing. I expect spoilers attached to their scoreboard/timer graphic but hopefully I'll be wrong about that, although I waited to watch the FS1 and FS2 broadcasts last because of expected spoilers.
I didn't watch the live FS2 match today but it's interesting that the delayed broadcast of Besiktas-Arsenal on FS2 at 10am EST (I think that was the time) did not have a ticker, also didn't have the anthem but very interesting that there was not a ticker. No ticker on MSG+ or on FS+ but that's normal.
Watching Celtic Maribor. Up pops the Lille Porto score. Thanks guys. Guess I don't need to watch that game!
It's time to say something nice about Fox. We get at least four and maybe six Euro qualifying matches on fs1 this international break. A couple on Epson as well, but I say nice things about them often.
That is good to know. During the World Cup Qualifiers Fox really did not do much outside of England home matches so it is nice to see Fox Sports 1 committing to Euro Qualifying.
The schedule looks really good between FS1, FS2, FS+, and ESPN Deportes. ESPN and ESPN2 currently have nothing listed. This is going to be an interesting week: We will see if they keep with the no-ticker policy. And we will hear if they follow the CL pattern and use European announcers or put all of their free-lancers to work like they do with Europa League.
ESPN 2 has got Portugal Albania Sunday and a 245 eastern game Tuesday. At least according to my onscreen guide
Yes, Czech-netherlands on tuesday on espn2. This is great coverage of euro qualifiers. I remember strictly espn3 having the last set of euro qualifiers and european wc qualifiers, so Im pleased with this much love being shown to euro qualifiers!
I guess ESPN has to pimp the Euros - that might be the last major soccer tourney they'll be carrying for a while
Kazakhstan v Latvia live on FS1 I see it and coming from you it is probably true Yet I can't get my head around this game being shown live, throw in Andorra v Wales on FS2 being shown at the same time. I fear for the end of the world.
Yeah, its pretty crazy. Hats off to Fox for showing the matches rather than Francesa or NASCAR repeats. BTW, FoxSports-2 was scheduled to have Israel v Belgium instead of Andorra v Wales but the match got postponed to March of next year due to the unrest in the Middle East. SA www.soccertvblog.ccom