Because the WNBA TV contract is part of the overall NBA deal with ESPN, it benefits ESPN to promote the WNBA with highlights on SportsCenter. ESPN's take on the NBA TV contract is tied to ratings. Because MLS is a time-buy on ESPN, they already have their money, so there's no benefit to ESPN to show MLS highlights.
Exactly!! We need to promote our team and our sport at every opportunity. San Jose needs to wake up and start promoting soccer. Portland calls itself "Soccer City" but between the Quakes, the once and future CyberRays, the University of Santa Clara, and San Jose State, I think San Jose has that title in the bag. Spartacus's remarks about the ESPN TV contract are on the money too. It would be better for MLS to work with a lower profile sports channel if they actually gave a flip about MLS and would promote our matches. But big stupid companies like AEG think that they must work with only the biggest TV, beer, radio, gear makers, and so on. Many of those companies are hoping to make a quick buck off of MLS with no expectation that the league will survive. Which brings us back to us fans promoting the team and the league. So yeah, we need to hassle this writter at the Chomical and get some love for OUR Quakes!! GO QUAKES!! - Mark
I know why the WNBA is on there. I just pointing out a hole in the reasoning. and it would benefit for ESPN to promo MLS ... because the more people who watch their network, the higher their ratings. the highter their ratings are, the more they can charge to advertisers in general. they should totally want to promo anything that's on their station. heaven forbit more people become regular viewers of their channel. but espn and MLS ... it makes my head hurt. let's move on: The Chronicle sucks balls!!!!!!
dude the Nats are not in even on English speaking TV for Gold Cup competiotion and furthermore; the Nats will be relegated to classic espn for the US Mexico clash in Columbus....
Here's my email/reply: -----Original Message----- Subject: "San Jose has only one sports team" Murphy: You're not the brightest bulb at the Chron, are you? http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/06/29/SPG4NDG8JL1.DTL http://www.sjearthquakes.com - B. Rossie ---Reply----------------------------- Thanks for your note, and for taking the time to write. I appreciate your point, but please allow me to clarify: The story was talking about building San Jose's national reputation, and said the other nine cities had "high profile" sports teams -- which has an entirely different meaning from "successful." All nine of the other cities have teams that have competed in the Super Bowl, World Series or NBA Championships -- events on prime time, network television that draw tens of millions of viewers, and make their cities more widely known to the masses. I meant no disrespect to the Earthquakes, and obviously their sport is the most popular in the world. But their name isn't nearly as widely known nationally as the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Cubs, etc. I should have made my point more clearly. Dave Murphy San Francisco Chronicle
Gee, you go out to lunch and Balonpie and Spartacus dive headlong into the fray. By the way... The WNBA is the only, I repeat only major "high profile" sport for women remaining, except for golf which is a fine walk spoiled, and I'll even toss in tennis and ice skating for good karma. Yes, there is still women's soccer, women's football (pointy-ball), women's volleyball (beach and indoor), women's hockey, women's baseball and softball, women's wrestling, women's rollerhockey, women's synchronized swimming, etc. But in terms of women's team sports... Bajoro, thanks for your letter to the Comical and posting the reply. Kudos to you!!!!
More email exchange... -----Original Message----- From: Bajoro To: Murphy, Dave Sorry for being such a little sh!t in my first email! But just so you know: People all over the world have heard of the San Jose Earthquakes due to their success as winners of two recent MLS Cup championships, and producing players who have gone on to play in England and Germany, and who have had astounding success in the World Cup representing the USA. People all over the world (except perhaps Northern Europe and Canada) probably know little or nothing of the Sharks. What's more, the Earthquakes name is the longest-surviving name in US professional soccer, dating back to the early 70's. If there's one name in American soccer people know, it's the Quakes. No, it's not the same kind of brand awareness that the Yankees have. But it's probably as big if not bigger, worldwide, than the Tampa Bay Devil Rays or the Colorado Rockies. Or for that matter, the Golden State Warriors. Cheers. -----Reply----- From: Murphy, Dave To: Bajoro Understood. Thanks. And thanks again for taking the time to write. Dave