For the first time in a couple of years, I've looked for MLS games to watch and have been really impressed with the play. It isn't the Champions League, but the league really has developed. I really would like to get into it more. That said, how the heck am I supposed to do it? Direct Kick seems like the only alternative but I've never paid for a sports season and am leery to do that with having the EPL, La Liga and Serie A during the weekend. It's bizarre to me that I can get leagues from Europe easier than those here in the US. It really seems to be that if you don't live in the urban markets that they serve that you are out of luck. I know ESPN2 is showing matches but it doesn't seem as though I can build a "relationship" with a squad being they are all shown so infrequently. (For example, I can watch Juventus and Barcelona almost every weekend but that doesn't seem possible for an MLS team) Do you need Direct Kick to get into the league? Which websites do you visit outside of BS? Please forgive my ignorance and thanks in advance.
It's $70/year, which is less than what you're paying for FSC and GolTv. Not to mention that most Euro games air before any MLS start, there would be no real conflict. Add a DVR (which no soccer fan should be without) and that kills a couple of excuses right there. You get Juventus a lot because GolTV has US rights to their home matches, so you can see them at least every other week. Notice you don't see Chelsea nor ManU as often (or Barca really for that matter)? That's because the EPL's deal is still league-wide, unlike Serie A. Which is the same issue NFL fans have without spending cash on a PPV package. I assume then that Comcast SportsNet Chicago doesn't go as far as Iowa?
Since you're in Iowa, start following the Wizards or Fire. DirectKick is your best bet and for $69 it's a good deal. You can also spend $20 to watch the games online through MLSNet.com. Read the news articles here each day. Click the BigSoccer logo at the top left and around noonish eastern time some news articles from different papers are posted. LA, NY, DC, Chicago, and Salt Lake seem to have the most/best coverage.
Well, my package on dish gives my wife and I 180 channels so we aren't just paying for Gol TV or FSC. I have a DVR but unfortunately another issue is time. I'm pretty packed on a schedule so I don't know whether or not I would have the time to justify the $70. Plus I may be moving in a month to another state so that's another strike. I do see Barca pretty often, I understand it all comes down to who has the rights but I don't understand why MLS doesn't work out something with ESPN to televise the matches instead of that stupid Stephen A. Smith show or poker. I don't get Comcast due to the Dish Network but the NFL analogy isn't comparable. I'm a Bears fan and close to Chicago, so fortunately I get most of their games. I wish it worked that way for KC or for Chicago for MLS. Another beef I had was it doesn't appear Chicago is selling tickets to a single match. Maybe I just missed it but it would be nice to head to a match if it works with my schedule. I understand that it is a new stadium so I don't need to see the first couple but after that, it should be open. I guess my problem is that I want it to be as fan friendly as MLB, the NFL or the NBA. Maybe in 10 years...
They don't have any matches until June, so they haven't opened the single-game sales yet. They will soon enough, and the schedule is printed so you know when they'll be. As for ESPN/FSC deals, read some of the old threads on these boards. Everybody here is pretty annoyed about the amount of TV coverage MLS gets, but that's how it is right now.
If you're not 100% set on watching on your TV, another option is the new MLS TV service. Right now on MLSnet.com you can purshase a package that will give you the ability to see all the MLS games (minus the ones on ESPN) live streaming on your computer. Plus you'll be able to see the highlights from those matches all season long. The package only costs 20 dollars, but, as I pointed out, it kinda restricts you to your computer screen.
While all of these solutions are valid and doable, this does bring up an issue that MLS needs to overcome. If this league is going to break into the American sports landscape on a mainstream level, it is going to have to be readily accessible to casual fans of sport. If I am Joe Sixpack and MLS wants to grab my attention, it will fail every time if they expect me to subscribe to DirectKick or pay to log onto some website, however cool that feature may be. I have to be grabbed while I am channel surfing past the sports channels. American TV viewers are very passive, the game needs to be brought to them, not the other way around. Local coverage is important and so is getting as many games as possible on national TV. Hopefully this will change with the new TV contract. Heres hoping.
That's not the basic Dish package correct? If it is, then while you're saving a little bit, you're still not going with cable (which probably wouldn't have one or the other, especially in a basic tier) or no cable/satellite at all, so you're spending a little bit for soccer already, even if it just takes up a portion of your weekly satellite viewing. Time for things other than watching soccer? What kind of fan are you? At times I think this too, but that's only around $2.50 a week, so to me it's worth it. A couple of things here: Poker makes ESPN a lot more money than soccer, so to all those that complain about seeing it "in lieu" of more soccer, get over it. Plus, you don't see much poker (nor magazine/talk shows like Stephen A. Smith, PTI, etc) during times that live sporting events would air. As for MLS working out something ESPN: that would cost the league a lot more money. If the rumored deals for next come about (ESPN and Univision) then you'd get 2 out of 6 matches shown nationally, which isn't bad. I thought NFL Sunday Ticket was only available on DirecTV? Anyway, since you should get Comcast Chicago where you live, problem solved, as they carry Fire matches. The problem with say, Kansas City, or Columbus, is that they're not on the local RSN, which might limit the amount of fans looking for a freebie that they attract, but it's probably more economical in the long run...
Why do you think the NFL, NBA, or MLB offer sports packages? A Fulham fan in Utah can't consistently follow the club's matches on FSC. A Dodgers fan in Florida can't consistently follow the team's games on standard cable. What's the problem? Some things in life aren't free. Obviously, we have an MLS match (sometimes two) per week on ESPN2. You can also see a weekly match on HDNet. That's well and good. But if you want to see a particular club's matches fairly regularly, just subscribe to the Direct Kick. I assume that's why you have a DVR. I have two kids and a wife who constantly want to do stuff. I rarely catch matches live.
As a Phoenix native now a long way from home, I get to see about 8 D-backs games a year, if I see each one on ESPN, and I might have access to a few more when they go see the Reds or Braves, but I can't see most of their games (especially with no Johnson and Schilling), I like the AZ Cardnals (you can feel sorry for me), and may never have a match on TV in Ohio for them, Suns are better only 'cause they average like 120 points a game. Point being no major sports team not in their home market are going to get games in other markets without the league packages (ps, that is why they exist). Now if you want to complain about the fact many can only see one game a week w/o HDNet and Direct Kick, that is fine. I loved being able to see 33% to 50% of the games on my normal digital cable subscription last year (ESPN2, FSC, and ONN/FSN -crew) . Now when rights fees are involved, as they are next year, you are going to loose those that enjoyed the free ride (FSC and MLSnet), but it is only fare that everyone else has to pay for rights fees for a national feed. Still a bargain, but this isn't why MLS lacks the support of other leagues. In this aspect MLS is about equally represented. There are about 10,000 threads here to look through if you want any other reasons why MLS lacks support. No result here, but lots of goals in the ESPN2 game today helps.
I'm not asking for free, I pay for the max programming on Dish w/o HBO or showtime. The issue for me is that you can't build a relationship with a team unless you shell out the $70 (the computer option doesn't appear to be an option for me due to my connection being the slowest DSL kind and I hate buffering). The situation with MLS makes it difficult for me to get into the league and I'm a passionate soccer fan. If I lived within an hour and half of a team, I would probably buy season tickets but I live about 4 hrs away from the nearest club. This thread is merely my frustration at the situation and was looking to see how you all supported the league. It seems pretty obvious to me that the requirement is $70 for someone in my position. I envy those of you whom who this works out for. Just some FYIs on my situation. I may be moving over the summer so I'm leery about signing up for the DK due to a mixup by Dish. I also need to support a club in order to get the most enjoyment out of a league. KC seems to make the most sense geographically, but how do you get into a team that most likely will be moved? (unless that has changed?) It's also interesting to me that so many of you seem so nonchalant about the DK package. I think it's great for MLS that you guys have no problem with this but I'm still adjusting to the idea of paying a pay per view for anything. I'll probably end up ordering DK but right now, I'm just frustrated that I have to consider it. Thank you for all your thoughts, I really appreciate it as I attempt to figure out what I want to do. I'd love to hear anymore thoughts that people have. Here's to hoping that MLS figures out a way to make it easier for new fans to get into the league.
ESPN/ESPN2/ABC has been showing a bunch of games early this season. 2 this week. 2 last week. 2 opening week. Thats a lot more coverage then MLS usually gets by them.
*Only* 4 hours away? The nearest bloody club for me is DC United and they're a 10-hour drive! I'm sure Northwest people have the same problem. Your best bet is to just root for a good team like DC United and you should be able to see half their games if you get HDNet. In all seriousness, the $70 for DK is a bargain at under $3/week.
It has. KC is still technically for sale, but a deal is currently in the works between Hunt Sports Group (the current owners) and a new ownership group (consisting largely of people from Cerner Corperation). Stadium plans are also in the works, and it's looking more and more likely that we may have our own place by 2008. Of course, nothing is 100% set in stone yet, so I won't say that we're DEFINITLEY staying in KC...but i'd say we're 98% likely to stay right where we are. There's a ton of reading material about all of this you can find with a little searching on the KC boards, if you want to know more.
How were handling your time away from Juventus before GolTV came along? I live four hours from DC. I can't only get to two or three matches per year. It's unreasonable to expect your favorite team to be on standard cable every week. To me, $69 is a steal to keep up with all the matches. Again, this situation is no different than MLB Extra Innings. Honestly, I think you're just too cheap to fork over the cash.
I don't believe it is unreasonable. I saw the Bears probably 12 times out of their 16. The Cubs are on WGN the majority of the time. The Bulls again, have most of their games televised on my max programming. Why not the Fire? I don't pay for MLB Extra Innings or the NFL deal. Paying extra for sports leagues seems to be asking a bit much of the fan in my opinion. Especially when your product is less polished than your competitors who have found a way to get on my TV programming (EPL, Seria A, and La Liga). Call me cheap if you want but if I pay that $70, the money is coming straight from my veins. I'll have to use some of the money I get from donating plasma for it with the budget my wife and I are on.
This is how yo do support soccer in this great country......Please write a letter to MLS directives making enfasis in the mistakes they are making ....Coaching....Too many foreign players....Play off....ETC....
Iowa is in Bear's "territory" so you should be able to see all games that aren't subject to blackout, and imagine the Bears didn't have any of those. Funny thing is you're seeing you say you're seeing the Bulls a lot, Did you see them on Comcast SportsNet Chicago? If so, then I believe you can see the Fire too. Can anyone either Fire fans in Iowa confirm that?
After doing a bit of research it appears the fire's games are Comcast. http://chicago.fire.mlsnet.com/MLS/schedule/season.jsp?team=chf KC however is not on Comcast, only DK, ESPN and HDNET. http://kc.wizards.mlsnet.com/MLS/schedule/season.jsp?team=kcw Eric, thanks for the idea. This seems be a great development for me.
I knew they'd be on Comcast, I just didn't know whether or not Iowa would be considered Fire "territory". It is for the Big 4 for the most part, but I don't if MLS blackout rules are similar.
MLS Tv and a DVR [for ABC/EPSN matches] is the way to go. I'm in Ames so since i have mediacom's suckage I cannot get DK - but i have MLS TV and a MythTV box (a DVR that makes a Tivo look like a child's toy) to pick up the games on my DVR I have Fire @ Crew (Apr 15) Galaxy @ Chivas (Apr 15) D.C United @ RBNY (Apr 22) Wiz @ FCD (Apr 23) [Have not watched it yet!] I still have to learn how to export the videos from nuppelvideo into a format that can be transported (my DVR has three tuners - so i can record up to three shows at once)
How can you complain about there not being enough games on to watch and then turn around and say you wouldn't have time to watch them even if they were on?