After watching many games on FSC the last couple of years, EPL, Serie A, MLS, etc. one thing that stands out is the much lower quaility of commentary during the MLS games. Every EPL game has very knowledgable and insightful commentary where the announcers are also smart enough to keep quiet when there is nothing important to say. In contrast, the Chicago -DC Unted game last night featured yet another non-stop commentary by Christopher Sullivan whose comments are hard to fathom by even life long soccer fans / players like myself. I would hate to guess what inexperienced soccer fans can get from his comments other than complete confusion about the game, which has to drive away a lot of potential viewers. Also why every comment he makes has to include the word "movement" is puzzling. I guess my point here is that putting some top commentators on the MLS games could do nothing but improve the amount of viewers and would improve the leagues reputation and fan base. The other professional leagues in this country would never allow low level commentators to cover their games, since it has a big overall effect on how the league is perceived.
1- FSC doesn't use their own commentators for other leagues normally. They use the international feed. Though I have had the unfortunate experience of listening to Mark Rigatoni commentate on a West Ham match once. Yuck. 2- With the amazing 50K viewers that FSC gets for MLS I assume we should be happy.
After the first ten uses of the word "movement" in the first ten minutes I actually turned down the volume and just watched the game without sound. SO they may have improved as the game went on.
I mute the games and turn on music. They're either unbearable to listen to or just wrong about most stuff. Having said that, we all know FSC's MLS commentators are a joke, no?
I actually like them (Max and Chris.) If anything, I was more bothered by what they weren't saying than what they were- namely, the situation between Hamlett and Soumare. Just like ESPN and the "Beckham incident" I felt as though they were skirting around the incident, instead of addressing it.
If it's any consolation, FSC reportedly will go full 16:9 HD for all of its games (including MLS games) and other programming starting this coming January, as will Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan. -G
I think Sullivan and Bretos make a good team, i don't mind listening to them at all, i much prefer them to JP and Harkes, as long as i don't have to listen to Balboa i'm happy.
For some reason I read that as Bretos and Sullivan being stretched to fill more of the screen. Would a fatter Bretos and Sullivan make them speak slower and less?
I dont like EPL style announcers-- they're a bit too understated for my taste and even dull at times, that includes the long silent pauses that many on BigSoccer seem to like. I grew up in a hispanic household so i grew used to and loved the more emotional hispanic style announcers (like Andres Cantor, Jorge Ramos, and Ricardo Mayorga for example). Sullivan and Bretos seem to be a good mix between ESPN american style chat and stats and hispanic emotion during run of play, especially when there is a goal (yeeeesssssss!! lol). Ray Hudson is great and I love how he goes nuts when they score--but then again he works for GolTV, not FSC so maybe he has no part in this discussion. Anyway--thats just me--I realize though that many more like the euro style announcers. Different strokes for different folks i guess...
I prefer the limited commentary you get on the EPL and Serie A matches. It is the US announcer culture to speak incessantly as though they are radio announcers and you can't see the game on your TV. I think this all started with John Madden. He introduced the histronic, non-stop commentary into football; juxtapose him with Keith Jackson circa 1985. Madden was an instant sensation and so everyone emulated him. I wish the commentators would completely shut up. If I were lord and master, they would only speak to explain something that might be confusing to the viewer. I'd prefer crowd noise so I can pretend like I'm there. I realize there are plenty of people who go to games and listen to the radio throughout the game. I'm not one of them.
fsc has mls? when? monday midnight? anytime i turn on fsc, is like wigan vs some other crappy epl team sending long balls side to side.