There is a new satellite service which is supposed to show La Liga and Serie A games (with English commentary). Whether they will be live, taped or both, I don't know. The service is called VOOM and it is being marketed exclusively through Sears until 12/31/03. Some Sears stores have it displayed on high definition tv's if anyone wants to check it out. VOOM is being marketed as a "high definition" satellite service but will compete with DirectTV and Dish. It has a number of high definition channels (about 12) specially created just for VOOM. One of VOOM's exclusive channel's is "HD Worldsport" which shows sports in high definition, including European soccer in high definition. La Liga and Serie A games are supposed to be included. I have not gone to a Sears store yet to check it out, but the picture quality is supposed to be vastly improved over standard channels such as you would find on DirectTV, Dish or cable. Of course, to get the benefit of the high definition picture quality, you would need a high definition capable television. Anybody else hear about it or see it at a Sears store? BTW, VOOM's website is www.voom.com -- you can see a description of the HD Worldsport channel there. The earliest VOOM is doing installations of its product is November 4th. Also, please note that VOOM does not have local channels. It allows you to get local channels off the air (via included antenna) but you won't get them via satellite. So if your geography prevents you from getting locals by antenna, you won't get them from VOOM. Also, VOOM is brand new and they are still working out a lot of bugs on the technical side and don't have quite a few of the standard (non- high definition) channels signed up (ESPN, for example). VOOM had to rush out its service because if the parent company (Cablevision) did not get it started by the end of 2003, it would have lost its satellite rights. So it is still improving and adding more channels, but the HD Worldsport channel appears to be up and running and I have read some very positive comments about it on another (high definition related) forum. It's a $750 start-up cost, so it's a bit steep, but if you have some money to blow and you already have a high defintion TV, the HD Worldsport channel would certainly be a cool addition to your viewing options. Anybody seen it or heard about it and have any comments, especially about the Worldsport channel and the European soccer shown there?
It is now reported it will have 74 Real Madrid matches LIVE in high definition. No schedule is out yet. This is outstanding if you are a Real Madrid or La Liga fan and you have a high definition television. Read here: http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,60963,00.html?tw=wn_story_top5 Anyone know anything else? Comments? Questions? Criticisms? As for me, I not ready to shell out $750 plus $40 per month for their channel selection-- but if the start up cost drops under $500, I might look at it depending on what new channels they add to their lineup. Might have to combine it with basic cable, although that would cost a total of $65 to $75 per month.
cristo, How wouldn't want to see real madrid games. Hell everyone of course but sadly $700 is just too much. i'm just a student with very little money
This is outstanding. I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I want to sell you. I also have a new HDTV service that I can sell you, this service will offer 162 Lakers games per season and 82 Dallas Cowboys games per season... Americans soccer fans are really easy to fool... How do you get 74 Live Real Madrid matches? La Liga - 38 matches Champions League (which ESPN owns the exclusive rights in the U.S. that I bet they won't sell to a competitor) - 13 matches max, assuming that Real Madrid don't have to play qualifiers Copa del Rey - ? Totoya Cup - 1 Real Madrid has at most 40-45 matches that can be sold to a new carrier. The numbers just don't add up, even if they add up the pre-season friendlies, they still don't add up. I am sure Real Madrid doesn't play 30 friendlies each season... Or do they mean 74 matches for 2 seasons? then the numbers still don't add up. 2 seasons of la Liga mean 76 matches.
Can you say "litigation", boys and girls? I know you can. Gol TV has to be p---ed at Cablevision (VOOM).
You are 100% correct. 74 was the number in the Wired article I have a link to above-- you can read it for yourself. Either the article's writer made an error, or his source of information was erroneous. Maybe they told him 74 La Liga games, including Real Madrid, and he ends up writing 74 Real Madrid games.