Not good news for Bay Area football pub fans...

Not good news for Bay Area football fans...

Steps of Rome, in North Beach recently suffered the same fate. A few months ago the Italian owner sold it to an American Owner who just doesn't get it. Though they are still showing Serie A, it will be interesting to see what happens as far as Euro Cup this year and of coarse WC. Will they be open for live matches? Lots of the old staff who all jumped ship, are now at North Beach Tavern around the corner. Is the Bay Area becoming a less soccer friendly place?

 

Rose and Crown, Palo Alto?

Anyone know about the Rose and Crown pub in Palo Alto? Do they get ESPN Deportes? Or how about ESPN International feeds from Latin America, sort of how Nevada Smith's in New York gets them? Or Setanta Sports?

I see them listed on the SoccerTV list. http://www.soccertv.com/pubs.cfm But when I called yesterday to find out if they'll have next week's Porto - ManUtd Champions' League they had no idea what I was asking.

 

This is, indeed, tremendously sad news. My fellow anglophiles and I always have a great time there on Saturdays. I guess I'll just have to start making my own beans and toast at home and watch Fox Sports World.

 

Thank goodness for the Brit! They need to open one in San Francisco!

 

Does the brit in Monterey show Footy on Saturdays? I asked one time but the person I called had no idea. I go there for karaoke nights and for black and tans, but if theres footy on Saturday mornings I'll be there. Anyone know?

 

Rose and Crown is an OK pub - however I don't think they support televised footy there.

 

Re: Not good news for Bay Area football fans...

Yuppified?

 

This completely blows.

I was just at the Mad Dog last week for the Netherlands match. I've been going there for years whenever I can sneak out in the middle of the day.

Their commitment to the sport has been fantastic and I've never minded handing over a Jackson at the door to watch a pay per view feed because I know I'm supporting the pub.

I'd love to having something similar in the East Bay, but until I win the lottery, someone else is going to have to do it.

 

Re: Rose and Crown, Palo Alto?

Rose & Crown is a football "friendly" pub, in that they always are happy to put it on one of the TVs (unless you are head to head with the World Series or other huge US based sports event). However, some of the bartenders there (who answer the phone) are just a little clueless, so its best to know what you want to watch in advance, and just tell them which channel to select. They do not get Setanta Sport, ESPN Deportes, or anything else you don't get with standard DirectTV. They do have Fox Sports World, which is about as good as it gets in Palo Alto.

Note, however, that the Rose & Crown only has 3 TVs, and usually does not use the big screen.

An alternative in the area is The Old Pro, who recently moved about two blocks away (next to Nola's, if you know Palo Alto). They have about 20 TVs, and also get FSW.

 

Ehhh....

First of all Mad Dog yuppified itself over a year ago after their cool owner sold out to his less cool partner.

Second: the Kezar people are very cool. Did Mad Dog buy the shootout package to televise MLS games? No, that was Kezar.

Mad Dog was a great soccer place, but it was more about being English, and even more about being pseudo-English.

Following this ownership change I bet there will still be two great Haight locations to watch soccer. But the food will get better at Mad Dog.

 

I suppose that all things must change, but it still is sad to see the Mad Dog change. I used to live blocks away and went there almost every Thursday for trivia, as well as for soccer...I actually met Mrs. ClashCityRocker there. I've only been there a few times over the last few years, what with not actually living in San Francisco anymore, but I had noticed the changes. It looked cleaner, you know? I hope it retains its character, at least to some degree...

 

Hey, the dude who used to own Mad Dog was a fantastic guy, but he wouldn't lose money to show soccer. He might've lost money on a game here or there, but you have to do that so know people know "the game is on at Mad Dog." He did a good job of making Mad Dog the primary soccer bar in San Francisco. That made money.

Kezar is less of an American place than it is an Irish place. They get bigger crowds for Gaelic football and the occasional hurling match than they do for hockey. They get a great crowd for USA games - and I'll tell you what, you don't feel like you're borrowing the place, as you do when you're watching the US at Mad Dog, where it's all about Eng-er-land.

Finally, Kezar has consistently put up two and three televised MLS games at one time when there were hardly more MLS fans there to view them.

All signs point to encouraging Kezar ownership with our business.

 

I agree with Noah here...the Mad Dog was a very cool place when Steve was the owner, and there was no such thing as FSW....Hell, when there was no MLS I used to go there and watch EPL, maybe watch the very occoasional USMNT match (and almost getting in fistfights with drunk condesecneding Brits, "erm, ya mate, yer teams not so bad for a minnow")...Reggae DJ'ing and regular live punk nights..ahh, the memories..but that's been long gone and the place was "yuppified" about 2 years ago when Steve sold out.
Kezar has been much more accomodating to the US supporter over the years, no questions...

 

Will that player be you?

Did you ever see that adidas commercial they filmed at Mad Dog? You'd have found it ironic, stinkey.

The national team in question is purposely vague, but they're red, white and blue and winning the World Cup in 2010.

The Britsnob barflys at the Mad Dog are "watching" the game and going nuts. One of the worst real-life arseholes gets a full pint in the face. He's just mad for the U.S.

Great commercial but it definitely takes posing to new heights.

 

Mad Dog changed, Kezar didn't. Genius.


Mad Dog lost customers because the place was, as some of their former clientele called it "yuppified."

 

Of course. But it's one thing to praise a detergent because someone is paying you.

It's another thing to spend a good portion of your life at the bar, trashing anything and everything about US soccer, then take a beer in the face to underline what an American soccer fanatic you are for a commercial that may not have even come with royalties.

Duh.

 

Re: "Saying the Mad Dog was "yuppified", and then praising Kezars?? "

Kezar yuppified?

Which Kezar are you talking about? The one on Carl and Cole? Yes, that place is "yuppified"-- never been anything else. (Its a great place, by the way.)

The Kezar Pub, however, is a great place to watch soccer and cannot under any circumstances be called "yuppified". You must be confused.

The Kezar Pub is more Irish than American-- yeah, they show American football, and basketball, but they also show a hell of lot of soccer (Setanta broadcasts) and are always accomodating to soccer fans. (They were open at x am to show the Scotland- Holland game... was it 4 or 5 am? I don't remember... all I know was that there were about twenty of us waiting for the pub to open. I didn't see any yuppies... unless you are counting that guy in the West Ham United jersey)

I hope that the Mad Dog continues their email broadcasts, it is good to know what they will be showing... It would be nice if Kezar could take up the practice as well

 

"Football"

I guess I came on to defend Kezar. It's unfortunate that Mad Dog is not what it was, and I would prefer the diversity of multiple soccer bar owners and environments. But Mad Dog's selling out - don't blame the very good folks at Kezar.

I follow MLS and international soccer and I've had a Mexican league game shut off right in front of my face at Mad Dog - so they could put yet another EPL replay on yet another screen. And we've already established which place bought the MLS shootout package and would defend the rights of three fans to watch three different MLS games at one time: Kezar.

So if "MLS and international football" actually means "England" to you, then yes, you're right, we should be bummed.