I'm specifically talking about the Shootout package on digital cable, particularly with all the troubles we've had recently. Last year they did - it was great. Am keeping my fingers crossed.
Soccer America said as of the moment it was "undetermined" whether InDemand would be showing the playoff games. Should we start an email campaign now? Or wait 'til next week when it may be too late?
I took that to mean they would be showing games, but it was undetermined at that time because the playoff schedule was as yet undetermined. I will be livid if they don't show any playoff games. By livid I mean punching walls livid.
I didn't take it that way, but my SA is at home so I'll reread it tonight to see what it says. All I know when I read it is it confirmed my worst uncertain fears. Is this the wall with all the MLS logos on it? I'll be punching a few walls myself. Did you notice there were more USL playoff games being shown on FSW than MLS playoff games on ESPN/ABC?
No. My son would get upset. I'll go down the garage and punch the walls there, maybe the space with Alexi Lalas with the Revolution poster. The irony is not lost on me. I also read ABC has pulled the one playoff game they were thinking about airing in October - so we are left with one ESPN2 playoff game. Some partners. I guess the only bright side is that maybe a few fans will go out to the game instead of watching it on TV. I wish mlsnet would hurry up and update their Soccer Saturday on TV section so we can see the telvised schedule this week. This is almost a playoff week for many teams.
ABC shouldn't be on the hook for a playoff game. ESPN has one on Thursday, 9/26, but as far as i know, ABC was only doing three games - an opening weekend game, the All-Star Game and the Cup. See: http://www.mlsnet.com/content/01/mls0102wctv.html As far as this weekend, my digital cable shows all games live - the Thursday ESPN2 game, one on Friday at 9, Saturday at 7:30 and 10 and Sunday at 4. I think the biggest uncertainty about playoff games is whether local TV shows games.
If the games are on Fox Sports, they'll be on the shootout. Usually there are very few (or no) playoff games televised because the time can't be booked in advance.
I think I read on the back page of the latest Soccer America that a couple months ago ABC opted to pick up one playoff game (a semi-final game IIRC) in October and recently reneged on that. Maybe I'm just confused. That is very good news. I'm hoping that with fewer games in the playoffs and with them being staggered over several days (not just on Saturdays) that InDemand will be better able to show them live.
Could be. I don't get SA. I checked the MLS site but didn't see anything, but I could be confused. Regarding the Fox/USL playoff thing, I wouldn't tout that deal too much. They get jack in that deal except exposure on a relatively small cable channel. Sportsio owns all the rights from what I read on the deal. The USL gets exposure and FSW gets cheap programming.
You were right: http://www.mlsnet.com/content/02/mls0213tv.html They agreed to a fourth game later in the process.
I just checked the Indemand site: http://www.indemand.com/listings/monthlySchedule.jsp?prodId=5692 They say they are showing all games LIVE this weekend, except I see no reference the LA v San Jose game. Not good. Nothing on the playoffs as yet.
http://www.indemand.com/sports/schedules/MLSSeptSked03.xls This is the one I always check., It's a spreadsheet that is more up to date. This has the LA-SJ game.
Don't underestimate the exposure, however. Tehre was a quote in the SA piece about how almost all the MLS coaches watch the USL (particularly the A-League) games on a consistent basis as it's a great way to keep up with some of the players. Also, SA said the two split the ad revenue (I think that's what they said).
Oh, they get exposure and I would believe they might get some ad revenue, but it's not a sweetheart of a deal. No rebroadcasts on local channels. They probably get to market video tapes though, but they did a lot of that through the online store Umbro ran, which is now kaput. I just think losing any control for the 12M viewers FSW has is a risky deal, especially for a five-year deal. Each side realy does get what they need in the short term, but I think the inability to show the games on regional sports nets is bad. And FSW told me that they were not allowed to in the structure of the deal.
I am a big believer in email/letter writing, so I've already sent them a polite inquiry about the playoffs. When I get an answer, I'll let you all know.
OK, should have checked my email before posting... Here's the answer: {Hello- We will be broadcasting all of the playoff games made available to us by MLS. Thanks for your interest.} I'm not quite sure what "made available to us by MLS" means, but I'll take whatever I can get. Maybe if more people email (hint...hint) more games will be "made available".
I think it' all going to come down to local broadcasters. And I think that's going to come down to 2 things: 1. Cash to pay for the broadcasts 2. Baseball/college football games which might pre-empt broadcasts