Other than it being really convenient for us, the already converted, I'm not sure it will matter. You have to be a junkie to turn on Unimas for MLS.
You said it can't hurt, not that it's going to blow up the rate-o-meter, so really I'm just being a contrarian douche.
I'm not sure us gringos are the main target for the unimas games. Will they always lead in with a studio show, a Liga MX game and then the MLS game? If that is the case, they will likely get a really nice audience that stays after the Mexican game. It will probably get some of us watching a bit more Mexican soccer as well.
I tuned in early trying to see if I could get SAP working (never did) and was shocked to see them in Carson on an MLS pre-game show while a Liga MX game was going on in the corner of the screen. Donovan was talking for a couple of minutes and I think it took a goal for them to switch back to the main game.
I think that is because they were also talking to the Spanish speaking audience as well. I couldn't get the English language version but heard the English announcers broadcast a couple of times during the game.
I spend a lot of time at another non soccer board. They have a very active soccer thread which consists of the normal mix of Eurosnob db's, intelligent general soccer fans (but not specifically MLS fans) and relative newbies to the sport at the club level. The latter two groups seemed to appreciate the SAP function.
I just called Dish. It appears they're not offering Direct Kick. I thought I had ordered it through an agent a couple of weeks ago but they had no record of that.
When they have no choice (ie they briefly switch everyone to the English broadcast). If you recall in the same post I never got SAP to work.
Next week's Unimas broadcast window begins at 7pm eastern 4pm Pacific, so I doubt there is a Liga MX game leading into that. It is probable that there will be a Liga MX game after the MLS game on the occasions that the MLS game is happening in the eastern time zone. Given the 7pm broadcast start, I would guess a pregame show would be the norm because that seems way early to kickoff a weeknight game given Friday rush hour. As someone who enjoys both leagues, I am digging the synergies they showed (though I'm sure the cut aways were annoying to any fan who was fixated on the Veracruz-Leon game). I have been saying this for awhile, Univision have become my favorite tv partner of the league. If they treat MLS 25% as good as they they cover MX they will have done a huge service for growing the league in this country. What MLS needs for growth and legitimacy are for the taste-makers to take it up. That's always been beneath ESPN to do for MLS. Also, Im of the opinion a little bit of hype from Univision would be a lot more productive in creating MLS fans than an equivalent amount of hype from an ESPN. I have been rewarding their efforts by watching most USNT games on their network even though I'm not a spanish speaker. It's also a big reason I want a team in Miami despite the region's mediocre record of supporting teams. I just think Univision would eat that shit up like crazy. I think the coverage and crossover would be bonkers.
It has been mentioned, but there were a few crossover segments. The Spanish broadcast promoted the SAP feature by going to the English broadcast a few times. I'm not sure if Univision decided they wanted to feature English language or if the league wanted it in the contract. A lot more Hispanics don't speak Spanish, but they watch Hispanic-oriented content so it's becoming more important to have content that is in English.
It was odd. The Denver Unimas affiliate (KTFD Channel 14) had the SAP track over the air, but not on DirecTV's KTFD feed , so I watched the OTA broadcast.
Lot of second and third generation Latinos who are fluent in Spanish (or speak it well enough to talk to Abuelita), but are more comfortable in English. I speak fluent German, and if a local channel normally carried German-language programming and that would be fine for me. But if they offered an English SAP, I'd switch over to SAP.
The yanks abroad are watchin 574676650522189824 is not a valid tweet id Thanks to new Eurosport deal, I'm looking forward to watching lots of #MLS games!! First up, Orlando vs NYCFC. All about Kaka!— Alejandro Bedoya (@AleBedoya17) March 8, 2015
i don't know what you call the person who controls switching cameras and replays on a broadcast, producer or director, whatever; but that person on ESPN2 had a horrible game.
The "TD" -- technical director -- was not directing all that technically well in Orlando today. The TD usually is listening to commands from the Director live, so it is hard to know which of those two would have been most responsible for the errors seen today on ESPN2. Also worth nothing this was likely a "new to MLS" crew, in terms of everyone locally from Orlando supporting the traveling ESPN "truck crew." First game in a new market was bound to have some challenges and kinks.
I don't about you guys, but I thought Fox Sports 1 did a hell of a job today. The telecasts and then the post game show were both top notch. Well done.
Have you never watched any other soccer on fs1 before? Those ads are part of their live event ad selling. Every live sports event they show has a few of those ads in them
When it opened and I saw Rob Stone and Eric W. I said, out loud, "Dear God. Not their shit again." But yea, they were much better than I expected. I thought Landon was the most useful of the four. I hope he's a regular.