So from Goff's story on the ESPN Game of the Week- "After two years of anemic ratings that started low and finished lower, ESPN executives decided to cancel the league's regular Thursday night telecast on ESPN2 this season. In its place, ESPN2 will carry an MLS game of the week, which will air on four different nights during the season. The weekly matches will occur on Thursdays (10 times), Saturdays (eight times), Wednesdays (six times) and Fridays (three times)." It would appear that we will be playing football from Wednesday-Sunday and I believe the contract for Sunday games is still live. I personally don't like it and really wish the league could establish some gamedays so we as fans could properly support our clubs.
I hear ya, but even the EPL plays Saturday - Wednesday. I do think TV coverage, ESPN publicity in particular, is a key element to the growth of MLS so I'll take their influence on scheduling over a lack of nationally televised games any day.
Beat me to it. The change is OK with me. Thursday nights can be busy in my world so it's a change I'm open to. One thing that may help ratings is goals. Instead of showing teams that play shut down 9 in the box road styles (like DC in past years) 9 times, show teams that play more openly most nights. KC has been that - albeit at times not at a high level - for quite some time. KC remains one of the smaller MLS TV markets so that's why. Unfortunately it leads to things like KC players not having the out-of-league noteriety and one would have to think Preki would be in the Hall if he played on either coast, etc. As a KC fan, I'm not OK with just 1 National game a year, but at least it allows more MLS games to be televised (sans PPV package & HDnet) in KC as MS picks up most of the rest.
I don't care which channel they put KC on as long as it's not HDNet. I get the Direct Kick package and those are the only ones I can't see.
Why do you think that is bad? Don't most cable companies and packages at this point carry both. I've had Digital cable or satellite for the past 6 or 7 years so I don't know if lower tier cable packages carry both espn's or not. I always assumed that they did.
Ya, most everyone who has ESPN also has ESPN2. But usually moving from ESPN to ESPN2 is a sign of reduced support. Not just from viewers, but also the people in charge over at ESPN. This is exactly what ESPN did with the NHL - moving from ESPN to a mix of ESPN & ESPN2 and finally to only ESPN2. Now they don't even show NHL hockey anymore. I just didn't want the MLS to only be on the billiards/poker channel.
I am really surprised more people aren't upset about these changes but since I am stranded out here in Denver I guess I won't be making many games to complain.
I have it on my U-verse. I'm going to miss direct kick..but thats the only thing I'm missing and the goodies I get in addition are the bomb.
I've paid for mlslive tv or whatever it's called online every year for the past however many it's been around anyway so for me I'm gaining hdnet without losing direct kick. This is off topic but I'm amazed that every time I bring up u-verse I get comments from at least one person within ear shot that has it and loves it and tells me how much they love it. I haven't heard a bad thing about it yet.
I'm not really mad, because it makes sense. Thursday night obviously wasn't working like ESPN or MLS wanted. They need to try something new, and honestly, the matchups on Thursday were rarely compelling enough for me to tune in unless I didn't have much else to do. The only "destination" games I remember really looking forward to over the past 2 years were a couple of Beckhams early games, LA-Chivas, and then the last few games of 08 that were important. The playoff game in NE with 5,000 people might have been the straw that broke Thursday's back. If they can get more flexibility to show the best games and crowds, that will be a good thing for the league, even if the ratings don't go anywhere. I know they tried Saturday nights before, and that's going to be tough to increase ratings with so many MLS viewers at the stadium, but it should make for a better TV product. I'd rather have MLS getting in where they can fit in, instead of being seen as a major drag on one of the most competitive TV nights out there.
I thought there wre two reasons: to keep the bermies from going blind by the sun and so that Kevin wouldn't ruin his 'do by having to wear a hat...... This is exciting. Can't wait to see JP and John sitting in that little temp booth calling the action.