According to this article - http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/mls0528regal.html - the SJ @ LA game on June 18, as well as 3 other games on other dates, will be broadcast in 4 locations: NY, LA, Denver, and Chicago. I would pay good money to see this game in HD on a huge screen. After doing some digging, Regal owns an Imax theater in Dublin. I say we put on the full-court press and ask that they add a Bay Area location to the mix. Here is Regal's contact page: http://www.regalcinemedia.com/ContactUs.asp I'm not sure which contact on that page is best, but I would bet it's either Regal CineMeetings & Events Phone: 1.866.MEET 2 DAY Fax: 303.792.8259 E-mail: meet@regalcinemeetings.com or IMAX / Group Sales Phone: 800.784.8477 Fax: 303.792.8666 E-mail: groupsales@regalcinemedia.com I would add a contact page for SUM, but what the frick, there IS NO CONTACT PAGE FOR SOCCER UNITED MARKETING. Doesn't it seem odd to anyone that it's nigh impossible to get contact information for the marketing arm of MLS?
i'm all for this since the theater is 2 minutes from my house. also, i've always been curious what a 5 story manny lagos would look like.
Has it already been established that the game isn't on local TV in LA (and thus won't be on the MLS Shootout package)?
I did my part... just sent off an email to CineMedia inquiring about the game... Let's make it happen folks. GO QUAKES!!!
Ok, so here is the response I got from Regal: ********************* Sure events such as these are possible, but they take a lot of planning. I should be able to reserve space for an event like this, but you will need to get licensing from the broadcast company that own the rights to the program. We will need a copy of that and then we will also need to provide satellite for the broadcast as well. In that case we will need the location of the satellite. Regarding the events that are taking place now in theatres, that could be other private events or a promotional event set up through another office, and that would not be tied to this event. Please contact me with any questions or concerns. Thank you, Donna Eisen Direct 303-792-8835 800 828-2828 ext. 8835 Fax 303-792-8800 donna@regalcinemeetings.com ****************************
Ok, I sent in an inquiry pointing them to the press release and asking who the point person would be for this.
Try contacting the Quakes themselves, this is a huge marketing opportunity. You might also find out if it's already been tried (but just behind the scenes). Guy
I would most definitely attend. One key is whether the Dublin facility has the HD equipment found at the NY, Chicago, et al. facilities. Also, there is the network hookup which the Dublin facility would have to be able to access. Following is from the press release: "The live, High Definition MLS presentations will utilize Regal CineMedia's Digital Content Network (DCN), the world's largest theatre video and communications network for the delivery of digital content. The DCN is used to distribute pre feature entertainment, advertising and alternative presentations including sports, entertainment and educational events on a national basis in theatre environments." The email from Donna E. makes it sound like she is out of the loop on this. Instead, direct contact could be made with the V-P who is quoted in the release, and/or the MLS point of contact, since MLS would control the licensing vis a vis HDNet and Regal. (With a little work, one could probably dig up their respective email addresses.) Quakes would have no control over the situation, but they could do some lobbying which might help persuade MLS to expand the Regal productions to include the Dublin location also (assuming Dublin already has the technological capability to participate).
Supplement to Above Here are the contact persons on the press release. Keep in mind, these are only the public relations people, but they might be able to get you email addresses and/or phone numbers for the persons who negotiated the deal (those quoted in the release). (Got this info. from the BusinessWire press release-- link will also follow.): CONTACT: MLS Trey Fitz-Gerald, 212/450-1225 tfitz-gerald@mlsnet.com or Regal CineMedia Lauren Leff, 212/931-8107 lauren.leff@regalcinemedia.com or HDNet Sherry Yeaman, 214/366-3449 smanno@hd.net SOURCE: Regal CineMedia Link to full Regal press release: http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?symbols=NYSE:RGC&story=34342082 Also, the games will NOT necessarily be in the IMAX/giant screen theater. For example, two of the four chosen locations (Denver and New York) do NOT have IMAX screens. The key is the High definition equipment and the "DCN" network hookup.
Something Else I Just Found Out Regal is controlled by none-other than Phil Anschutz-- that must be why Denver is included in the 4 cities, along with the big three metropolises of NY, Chicago and LA. ALSO, Regal's 4 regional offices are located in none other than: Denver, NY, Chicago, LA. (Surprising Dallas wasn't included given HDNet's base there.) So, in lobbying MLS/Regal to include the Bay Area/San Jose, some good reasons will have to be offered why they should extend the showings there-- remember there is financial (and publicitiy) risk involved. This is why it would help tremendously to get the Earthquakes management on board and even, hopefully, do some active lobbying to have a local Regal theater included. Also, HDNet might also want a Bay Area location to gain some exposure here, since the only way to get HDNet in the Bay Area now is through DirectTV, and most DirectTV customers do not have the Hi-Def equipment to receive HDNet. Someone lobbying from the HDNet side would work also. Of course, MLS and Regal have limited the program to four cities for a reason (limiting financial risk perhaps being the primary reason-- just speculating here). If we can find out the reason(s), and address them with respect to the Bay Area, they might just go for it (especially with lobbying from Earthquakes and/or HDNet). I think a good argument is that, if there is a 5th location, it should be in/near Silicon Valley, where everyone is appreciative of and knowledgeable re these tech. advances which are making presentations like this possible. (Doesn't SF Bay Area have the most high-definition local broadcasters?) Also, HDNet has no cable presence here, and it's not on Dish Network yet, and there are no sports bars out here which show HDNet, so it is a unique presentation people will be excited to attend, which is not available elsewhere. Plus, if a game is not on MLS Shootout or televised locally (SJ-LA game), that game should draw particular interest. (They could do just the SJ-LA game in the Bay Area, as opposed to all four on the program.) Footnote: A little more research reveals that the Emery Bay Stadium (Emeryville) is hooked in to Regal's DCN. Anyone know of others?
Dude, you r0x0r. Thanks for the info. I think we should contact these people and see what it gets us. Emery Bay Stadium sounds even better than Dublin. I had assumed, apparently incorrectly, that it would only be at an IMAX theater. I sent an inquiry to the team yesterday or the day before, but I have not heard anything back. Perhaps it's time to check again...
Dublin Would Also Work I see that Regal's Dublin is also on its DCN, so either Emeryville or Dublin would work. Here is an article about the only (I think) other sporting event Regal has presented in its theaters (in addition to live concerts and other presentations): Digital Cinema Event REG Screens Live Football DENVER – Some 90 people in Longmont, Colo., paid between $6 and $10 to watch a historic live Sept. 7 college football match. Backers say it was historic because it marked the first time a digital cinema system had projected in high definition a live, American football game for a paying multiplex audience. The UA Twin Peaks 10-plex in Longmont was one of four Regal Entertainment Group (REG) venues in the Denver and Los Angeles metropolitan areas to exhibit the match, which pitted Colorado State University against UCLA. The UA Pavilions 15-plex and the UA Greenwood Plaza 12-plex, both Denver venues, and the Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 in Irvine, Calif., were the three other REG cinemas exhibiting the game. REG subsidiary Regal CineMedia (RCM), which oversaw the theatrecast, conducted a similar alternative content experiment in June when it screened a live concert by the hard rock band Korn. “Clearly, the whole mission statement of RCM is creating different uses for our theaters,” said RCM CEO Kurt Hall, who also serves as its parent company’s co-CEO. “Now that we have the digital capabilities, this is the obvious place to start as certain sports programming is very compelling on the big screen.” from: http://www.infocusmag.com/02November/digital.htm
We were discussing this briefly at the tailgate on Saturday, and there was some question as to whether this game was actually being broadcast. The link in the first post seems to show that it is being broadcast in HD. Unfortunately, I didn't see our usual in-the-know contact before the game , so I couldn't ask. Sorry to hijack the subject, but if this Regal Cinema thing doesn't work out. Ricky's in San Leandro is listed on the HD website as having HDNet. The biggest obstacle would be Game 7 of the NBA finals, but hopefully that won't happen.
I work in SF, so it's much more convenient for me to go to that sports bar called "Greens" - which I've never been to and had no idea even existed before visiting the HDNet website. I really, really hope that Johnny Moore can pull some strings and get this in a theater (fingers crossed)
Greens sux Someone tried to go to Greens earlier this year to watch a match. There was a post in a thread about watching matches in SF. They were absolutely NOT soccer friendly IIRC. I'm going to start a new topic on this, since this one should stand on it's own.
So I dropped a note to the Earthquakes about having this game broadcast in theatres (from what seems to be brewing tonight at Ricky's, this might be a missed opportunity for AEG and them), and I got the following reply: -----Original Message----- From: Earthquakes Mail [mailto:sjearthquakes@sjearthquakes.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2003 6:38 PM To: ggayle@pipeline.com Subject: RE: Earthquakes Website: Feedback Form Greetings Guy. Thank you for your email. We appreciate your support of the San Jose Earthquakes. I'll forward your email on to our Sponsorship Department to see if we can work a deal with Regal Cinemas in the future. At this point, the only way to see a game on HDNet is to call local bars to see if they have HDNet. Some of our staff will be at Ricky's in San Leandro tomorrow. --end message-- Considering some of the staff will be at Ricky's tonight. Seeing a crowd there might at least push them in the right direction to getting this done.
Add the UA Galaxy in San Francisco (corner of Sutter and Van Ness) to the list of Regal theaters which have the capability to show MLS games in high definition. (Emeryville and Dublin are the two others that definitely have this capability.) I sent an email to Regal's group sales department about adding a Bay Area location for the July 30 game (Columbus at Galaxy). Waiting to hear back-- don't hold your breath. But, out of curiosity: IF it's well publicized in advance, and assuming "group" price of admission is $8 per person (group sales price is $4 off individual ticket price, minimum 10 tickets), how many local Quakes/MLS fans do you think would go to one of the three locations above to watch this game? And/or would people instead more likely go back to Ricky's after the successful turnout last week (even though it's not a Quakes game), if the July 30 game is on there? P.S. For those interested in going back to Ricky's for MLS in HD, here is a link to the remaining MLS games this season which will be on HDNet. I do not know about conflicts with other sporting events on TV. (See below re timing conflicts with Quakes games.): http://www.hd.net/mlsinhd.html The only other Quakes away game on HDNet is the Sat., October 18 game in L.A., to which I assume many will be traveling. As far as conflicts, here are the HDNet games which should not conflict with Quakes games (either because Quakes and HDNet games are on different days, or a same day HDNet game precedes/follows a Quakes away game by at least 2 hours): Tomorrow (Weds.), 6/25, 6:30p PT (Galaxy at Rapids) Friday, 7/4, 6:30p PT (Wizards at Rapids) Weds., 7/9, 7:30p PT (Rapids at Galaxy) Sat., 7/19, 4:30p PT (Wizards at Crew) [Note: Quakes at United precedes, at 1:00 PT on ESPN2] Weds., 7/30, 7:30p PT (Crew at Galaxy) Sat., 8/9, 7:00p PT (Crew at Galaxy) Sat., 8/16, 5:30p PT (United at Fire) [Note: Quakes at Revs precedes, at 1:00 PT on ESPN2] Sat., 8/23, 6:00p PT (Crew at Burn) Sat., 9/20, 7:00p PT (United at Galaxy) [Note: Quakes at Wizards precedes, at 5:00 PT on Fox Net Bay Area] Sat., 10/4, 4:30p PT (United at Crew) [Note: Possible MLB playoff or NFL conflict?] Sat., 10/11, 5:30p PT (Crew at Fire) [Note: Possible MLB playoff or NFL conflict?] Interestingly, every game listed above involves either the Rapids, United or Crew....ugh .... The Sept./Oct. games might be interesting as to any playoff implications. It could be entertaining watching the 9/20 games at Ricky's as a doubleheader-- the Quakes in regular definition broadcast followed immediately by the Galaxy in HD could be an effecitve test comparison of picture quality.
MLS Games Broadcast in Theaters? How about Dublin? July 30? Good news: I received the following email (edited) this morning. It would appear that a certain number of tickets, through group sales (at $8 per person, minimum of 10 per sale) would have to be pre-purchased before Regal will commit to doing it. Unfortunately, I don't have time to organize this. If there is still enough interest and there are any volunteers out there, please let me know and I will PM the Regal sale rep's info. for you to contact him. Certainly, assuming it would happen at the Dublin location, if properly promoted to local youth (and adult) soccer leagues in the San Ramon/Dublin/Pleasanton area, there could be a great turnout. (Based on other threads, the other cities have been getting anywhere from 20 to 100+ in attendance.) It would be difficult to get the July 9 game set up, given there are less than 2 weeks. But there is definitely enough time to set it up for the July 30 game. (And Crew will probably give Galaxy more of a run for its money than Rapids.) I am wondering, also, whether Ricky's will be showing the July 30 game on its high-definition screen(s) and, if so, whether that would draw away too many potential attendees. (No beer at the theater, unless you smuggle it in in your Camelbak.) Chris EMAIL from Regal Cinemas: Christopher, We have received many requests from the San Francisco Bay area asking that we bring the MLS High Definition Broadcast to your area. Originally it was not scheduled in the Bay area due to technical reasons. We are now in a position to possibly be able to broadcast into the Dublin Hacienda theatre. I visited the link you provided and it was very enlightening and encouraging to see the support in the Bay area. Unfortunately we cannot commit to adding Dublin as a venue to view the MLS unless we have commitments from fans that they will attend. As an FYI we do offer group (10 or more) discounts of $2.00 [sic- a typo.] off the general admission price of $12.00. The price of admission for groups is $8.00 per person. Please call me at the toll free number below as soon as possible to discuss. Thank you for your interest! L.--- G.--- Regal Entertainment Group Manager IMAX/Giant Screen Group Sales Telephone - 303-792-xxxx Toll Free - 1-800-792-xxxx Fax - 303-792-xxxx