How the heck are you supposed to support MLS?

Discussion in 'MLS: General' started by Henry Porter, Apr 21, 2006.

  1. Henry Porter

    Henry Porter Member

    Dec 9, 2005
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm saying I have enough time to watch a team if they are on ESPN or whatever. However, I don't feel I have enough time to devote $70 excess dollars to it. The last thing I need to do right now is waste $70.
     
  2. jefbal99

    jefbal99 New Member

    Mar 9, 2006
    Lansing, MI
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If you have a dvr, its not a waste. I record all the games on DK that I can't watch and watch them later in the week. Maybe I fast forward through them, but i watch all the games. When I get home from work and start doing my work again, i flip one on and listen/watch it. I do the same with euro games on FSC and ESPN2.

    I recorded Fulham v Wigan this afternoon because of a dr appt. when i got home i started watching it from the beginning (game was still in progress) and i've got 40 secs plus stoppage time. its like having it on an hour tape delay. i've just avoided the results threads
     
  3. Aero

    Aero Member

    Feb 7, 2005
    SLC, Ut
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why should your time matter if you pay for the games or not? It takes the same amount of time to watch the game whether it is on ESPN or Direct Kick. Either you have the time to watch the games or you don't.

    Now if your argument is that you don't want to spend $70 to watch the games, that has nothing at all to do with time. That's just you not wanting to spend $70. If it isn't worth it to you then that is one thing, but I don't understand the excuse that you wouldn't have time to watch the games if you had to pay for them but would if they were free seems strange to me. Maybe I'm just not understanding you.
     
  4. Henry Porter

    Henry Porter Member

    Dec 9, 2005
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Look, it's really not that frickin' hard. If I pay $70, I damn well better watch the majority of the games to feel as though I got my money's worth. That is a committment for me, perhaps for you $70 isn't a committment. If it is on ESPN, then I get to watch what I can and not feel guilty that I'm not watching something I directly paid for.

    jefbal99, you are right. My only problem with that is I usally stumble across results and then don't enjoy it as much but if I do shell out the dough I will take your approach. Thanks for the suggestion and for the info on the Fire tickets. They really should have put something on their site mentioning it.
     
  5. rhymeorreason

    rhymeorreason Member

    Nov 16, 2004
    OPKS
    I think the other thing that we're missing here in Footão's - and correct me if I'm wrong, Footão - is that the overall media support outside of game broadcasts is, shall we say, a little lacking?

    I feel it would be nice if 2 things were happening right now:
    1) A weekly recap/preview/highlights show with higher production values than what FSC ever gave us
    2) More web coverage of the teams that was less "corporate/league mouthpiece" like mlsnet.com and more focused on developing the teams, players, and personalities.

    In 2) I'm talking about the things that allow the casual fan to be able to differentiate between the teams and find a team that fits each fan's personality. The league-sponsored coverage is just so bland and uniform it's difficult to do that.
     
  6. GoodForUS

    GoodForUS Member

    Sep 3, 2004
    Pennsyl-tucky
    Seems to me like you're just looking for a reason to bitch but here's another suggestion. Based on what I've read from you it looks to me like you're a DISH TV subscriber with the America's Top180 package.

    According to DishNetwork's website this costs $49.99/month ($54.99/month if you get the local channels).

    Suggestion 1: Drop back to the America's Top120 package and save yourself $10/month. That saves you $120/year. Put $70/year of that to DirectKick and you come out with your MLS games and $50 in your pocket.

    You may not like that suggestion because it looks like that drops out Fox Soccer Channel (who decided not to show MLS games this year).

    Suggestion 2: Sign up for DishLatino Max. That has a cost of $44.99/month. It keeps Fox Soccer Channel, the ESPN channels, and even adds ESPN Deportes and a bunch of Spanish language channels that show plenty of soccer. It saves you $60/year. Scrounge up the extra $10 and you come out with DirectKick and all the soccer you can shake a stick at.

    If you complain that you don't like that either because it drops some channel that you or your wife like well then you've made your choice. There are ways to creatively re-organize your TV budget. If you choose not to do that then that's your choice, but please recognize that it is your choice and you've really no one to blame if you choose not to get DirectKick.

    Also keep in mind that even if you decide to choose against DirectKick there are a lot of times when games are on various Fox Sports Net channels and Madison Square Garden. Check the listings on Saturdays to see what is available.
     
  7. Henry Porter

    Henry Porter Member

    Dec 9, 2005
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The original point of the this thread was that I am exactly whom MLS desires. However, they are not making it easy on me and I'm their easiest sell. I have a huge desire to watch soccer and I have the top programming from my TV provider. MLS has not provided something for me to become attached to a team and therefore the league. I'm really not trying to be an dick when it comes to this. I just think that having to rearrange your cable lineup (and losing programming) or having to pay to get into a sport is a bit ridiculous. The other leagues within the US allow for you to develop a relationship with your closest geographical team all within the top line programming. Depending on how Comcast turns out, all I am currently getting is DC United one week, then LA Galaxy, then FC Dallas etc. It's really poor marketing especially since European leagues are there for viewing. I'd love to support US Soccer more but it doesn't seem like they have made choices to get us soccer fans outside the cities in which the teams play.

    rhymeorreason, you are right. I've started to not fast-forward through the FSW Report's coverage and read the MLS page on Soccernet but it's all pretty corporate and stale. It's really hard to see the passion that the game can inspire. The other sports league have more than their fair share of advertising but at the end of the day you see the passion from the fans. All I see is the U-14 team cheering because they are the team of the day. I know there are passionate and knowledgable fans there (and espeically on this board) but the league doesn't market that.

    Another thing I don't understand is the mean-spirited posts in this thread. Aren't you all looking for more supporters of MLS or are you only allowed in the club if you are willing to jump through the hoops and pay the dough? Not everybody has a job that allows them to whip out $70 extra for sports programming.

    I'm very appreciative of all the posts with suggestions and I am going to try out many of them. Thank you for those.
     
  8. GoodForUS

    GoodForUS Member

    Sep 3, 2004
    Pennsyl-tucky
    I don't know about "their easiest sell" :) but I get your point. You want to support MLS but you're finding that difficult.

    You're entitled to your opinion that the amount of effort required for you to get DirectKick without paying an additional $70/year is "ridiculous" Other people are entitled to their opinion that a 10 minute phone call to your satellite provider is not ridiculous.

    These other leagues that you are speaking of have the major broadcast channels bidding against one another for who will get the privilege of carrying their games. I'm sure that if MLS were in a similar position they'd make sure you got your local team as well. Unfortunately that's not where MLS is at the moment.

    For the first time MLS asked Fox Soccer Channel to fork over some cash to show MLS games. What was FSC's response? Apparently it was "hit the bricks," and FSC dropped MLS from it's lineup.

    So what we have is a situation where even the channel that bills itself as "America's soccer channel" is unwilling to pay anything to cover MLS games. Given that climate what do you suggest that MLS do to try to reach out to fans like yourself?

    I'm sorry to say that we support a sport that is still considered to be a "niche sport" in this country but that's where we are. And like fans of anything that is out of the mainstream we can't expect the mainstream to make it easy on us. So all I can hope is that you call Dish Network and let them know that you want your Direct Kick. Best of luck to you.
     
  9. DoctorD

    DoctorD Member+

    Sep 29, 2002
    MidAtlantic
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    AFAIK, the best games in Europe are all on PPV. Certainly when I'm there on business all my hotel TV carries are the 2nd and 3rd rate leagues on Eurosport. Some BS posters have opined that today the American fan of soccer has more and cheaper viewing choices than the typical European.
     
  10. Henry Porter

    Henry Porter Member

    Dec 9, 2005
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's interesting and unsurprising. Is it PPV for individual games or for the entire season? Perhaps this is why all the big clubs are creating their own channels.
     
  11. Magpie Maniac

    Magpie Maniac Member

    Dec 28, 2001
    North Carolina, USA
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What did Serie A provide for you to become attached to Juventus and therefore the league?

    I still don't see what the problem is. If Direct Kick didn't exist, I could understand the bitching. MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL all have sports packages for the same reason MLS does.

    In fact, MLS makes it easier than the other leagues to follow a particular team because MLS has fewer blackout restrictions.
     
  12. Henry Porter

    Henry Porter Member

    Dec 9, 2005
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You're right about the blackouts but partly wrong about the reason sports packages exist. Imo, the other 4 have sports packages for people to follow their teams that aren't in the same market. MLS has DK to give you decent assess to the league.

    I fell for Juve during the 94 season when they had Baggio. He was the reason I fell in love with watching soccer and they were his team. Pretty simple really (I was in high school) and I've been loyal since then. Funny that if it would have been a bit later, I would most likely be a Milan fan. Soccer for me is based on emotion so getting keyed in on a team or a player is important for my viewing enjoyment.
     

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