NCR: Take A Half-Day! USA@MEX 4:00 PM On A Weekday

Annoying.

 

That sucks. Lucky for me I only work till 3:30 so I should be home at 4. But that sucks for those who are forced to take a half day to see a game that should be in the evening.

 

I wonder if ESPN will go for it or decide that high school softball game full of overweight women is more important.

 

They're not overweight, they're husky

 

Isnt that smack dab in the middle of their workday, too?

 

Yes, and driving from any part of Mexico City to Azteca is usually a nightmare. I can only imagine how bad it will be at 3pm local time.

I bet (and mark my words) that the FMF will give away many tickets for free. This is such an important game that they will be willing to make less money but have a full stadium at 3pm. Maybe they think they can make up the difference by charging ESPN a ridiculous amount of money for the tv rights. Let's see if ESPN goes for it.

If not, it will be Mr. Goooooooooooooooooooooool, on Telemundo.

 

At least this way we can hear "Dos a Cero" on TV.

 

Anything, in any language is better than Max Bretos, or Tommy Smythe (or whatever the feck his name really is) and that ESPN crew. However, the video quality from ESPN is usually superb.

 

A non-English language broadcast will not affect any of us die-hard soccer fans but it is really going to suck for the casual fan. We are just starting to see some respect from casual fans and some of the media. Heck, Colin Cowherd even is running promo's that for the first time in his life, he knows when the next big US soccer game will be played. It will really suck if there is no English language broadcast.

 

This.

Any American, or any bar for that matter, can find ESPN or ESPN2. If the game is only on Univision or whatever Spanish-language channel, it might as well be on Gol TV or Setanta where only the serious fans can find it. If it were on ESPN, then there's the chance that the talking heads (SportsCenter, PTI, Around The Horn, etc.) would be hyping it up. "You may not be a serious soccer fan, but this game is HUGE. Turn it on for a few minutes. You won't be disappointed" stuff.

However, if ESPN doesn't want to pay the fee for a 4 PM weekday kickoff, i'm not sure they can be blamed. That time slot sucks, no matter how you slice it.

But if ESPN doesn't want to pay it, could they sell it, sub-license it, whatever to FSC?

 

Turning the volume down and watching in HD is always a good option. Most of us would probably be at a bar anyway, where we couldn't hear the announcers.

 

At least if ESPN picks it up, it's likely to be shown on ESPN360.com, where, in the words of the late, great Billy Mays, "live sports surrounds you!"

 

We'll crash the internet like we're North Koreans.

 

But, at this point, it doesn't look like it'll be on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN360/ESPN anything.

Still, I wonder if FSC could pick it up, if they're not busy showing a replay of Andorra v Holland, or whatever other C-list teams they're showing that day.

 

Mexico looked like s#it vs Panama.. its going from bad to worse ...to bad...

 

Yeah, Mexico looked bad. Even 10 minutes of 2nd half stoppage wasn't enough for them to get a shot on goal.

 

That entire game was bonkers.

 

Worry not. ESPN and the FMF will come to an agreement. I cannot imagine this game not being shown on ESPN or any other english speaking channel, especially after the Conf. Cup high.

 

A terrible referee was the root cause. We complain about bad CONCACAF referees all the time. I wonder if anything can be done.

 

Honestly, I'm not worried either. The interest in the USMNT is at an all time high. Hamburgler mention earlier about Colin Cowherd interest in the team. Yesterday I heard him say "I don't get it. I used to make fun of soccer. I can't explain it but I like soccer." so I would be shocked if it isn't on one of the ESPN networks.

Now if it isn't on ESPN or FSC I'm going to be really pissed since I don't get those spanish channels.