SPAIN - La Liga/Super Cup kickoff times/TV info - August 2011

Let's see whether Real Madrid CF has the huevos to schedule the superclasico on a Sunday at 1200 CET (which would translate to 1800 or 1900 Hong Kong/Beijing/Singapore time.)

(I don't expect FC Barcelona to try that stunt.)

About time La Liga staggers the kickoff times so that more matches can have exclusive TV slots. MEDIAPRO (which owns the rights in Spain and markets the rights internationally) must be calling the shots.

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Let's see whether EPL will have the guts to get rid of Saturday 1500 kickoffs completely so that all matches can be televised in the U.S.

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The early kick-off times are pointless, IMO. What football fan in China is gonna watch Rayo Vallecano v Mallorca (especially since that time slot will often go head-to-head with an EPL match)? And even if a few do watch, so what? All they're doing is screwing-over the domestic fans who are responsible for sustaining these clubs. You won't see any Barca or Madrid matches in that time-slot. Nevermind Barca versus Madrid.

 

I'd say the chances are slim to none and it won't be their fault.
The first Liga Clasico (which will be hosted at the Bernabeu) is scheduled the weekend of December 10th/11th.
Just as the LFP/RFEF make it a point to schedule La Liga's Champions League participants to play on Saturday's preceding CL matchdays, so too will they want to schedule this Clasico for Saturday December 10th since Barcelona will be jetting off to Japan immediately afterwards to play in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinal on Thursday December 15th.
There's already preliminary speculation that the contest will be penciled in for Saturday 10 December with a 20:00 CET kickoff.

 

How does this effect the Super Cup? Hopefully it doesn't? The Super Cup isn't a La Liga thing as much as it is a Spanish Football Federation thing. No?

 

Well according to this press release via ESPNMediazone.com - its a go!

Spain’s Supercopa on ESPN Deportes/ESPN Deportes Radio/ESPN3.com
Unparalleled Coverage of the event across Multiple Platforms.

ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio and ESPN3.com will present LIVE
coverage of Spain’s 2011 Supercopa. The anticipated two-leg match-up
will feature two consecutive Clasico matches–FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid-
Sunday, August 14-4:00 pm ET-from Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid and
Wednesday, August 17-5:00 pm ET-from the Camp Nou in Barcelona.

Organized by the Royal Spanish Football Federation since 1982, the
Spanish Supercopa is celebrated every August, kicking off the official
soccer season in Spain.

http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/08/11/spain’s-supercopa-on-espn-deportes-and-esp3-com/

LB - whose going to watch these two matches via his DVD-R when he
comes home from the WNY Flash regular season finale on Sunday and
the Erie County Fair on Wednesday. Hopefully I don't have the result
of Wednesdays match spoiled while I'm at the fair! LOL! Go FC Barcelona!

 

Again, Oliver pulling shit straight out of his ass. Let's see.....

Real Madrid doesn't schedule the superclasico or any other match. If they did, we would have been spared Mourinho's whining about Madrid getting shafted by the scheduling last season.

Even if they did schedule their home matches, a 1200 Sunday kickoff for the superclasico wouldn't show "huevos", it would show "brain damage".

Why doesn't Oliver expect FC Barcelona to try that stunt? Because he has special insight into their thinking?

Of course it's a moot point anyways, since Barça doesn't schedule the superclasico or any other match. If they did, they wouldn't have bitched about all the 10pm Saturday kickoffs cutting into attendance in 2009-10.

Why the fcuk do more La Liga matches need exclusive TV spots? All of the matches worth watching (and we all know Oliver is obsessed with the idea of "teams that sell" v. "teams that don't") have been in exclusive spots for years.

No Getafe fan is going to all of a sudden watch a Levante-Osasuna match because it's no longer on at the same time as a Getafe match. Not in Spain, and certainly not internationally.

Mediapro "must be calling the shots"? Well.....no shit, sherlock. D'oh. Welcome to the world of paying a gazillion dollars for TV rights. How can someone who claims such expertise on the subject of TV rights not understand the "golden rule" of sports scheduling?

Here's an old thread that touches on a few of these talking points...
https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1236327

And, why exactly do all the English matches need exclusive TV spots in the US? So that Oliver can put every single match in BOLD as a match worth watching (per his magic "teams that sell" list, naturally).

 

AWESOME!!! I'm going to be in Barcelona and actually have tickets for the match. So I was just a bit concerned. Can't wait. I hope the 1st leg is close so Weds nights match will be high drama. Either way it's the Classico. I'm sure it'll be an experience. Thanks man.

 

Update: If your recording ESPNDeportes and don't want the pre-match shows
(3:00 pm ET on Sunday and 4:00 pm ET on Wednesday) and the post-match
shows (appox 6:00 pm ET on Sunday and appox 7:00 pm ET on Wednesday)
and just want the match coverage itself - its supposed to start at :53 past
the hour - thus Sundays match will start at 3:53 pm ET and Wednesdays
match will start at 4:53 pm ET.

Coverage on ESPN3.com will start :50 past the hour - thus Sundays match
will start at 3:50 pm ET and Wednesdays match will start at 4:50 pm ET.

LB...

 

nothing on ESPN2?

 

The sublicense agreement between GOLTV and ESPN, Inc. prohibit ESPN, Inc. from offering any La Liga or SuperCopa match on an English-language TV network owned or operated by ESPN, Inc. whenever GOLTV is airing a La Liga or SuperCopa match at the same time, unless GOLTV were to grant ESPN, Inc. permission to do so.

There is no way GOLTV will ever allow ESPN, Inc. to put El Clasico on any ESPN-branded English-language TV network.

 

I wonder why? ESPN2 has a larger penetration and a different audience.

 

Presumably because nobody would watch GolTV's terrible English production. Nobody would want to listen to Phil Schoen (no disrespect to him, he's a great guy) and Ray Hudson over Adrian Healey and Robbie Mustoe. El Classico is one of the few reasons to subscribe to GolTV to be honest.

 

no offense, but YOU ARE A ********ING IDIOT

schoen/hudson is the best commentator pairing in the world, fact.

two guys with bullshit british accents doesn't make them better than anyone else, but you having that classic canada/man u pairing most likely think that way (you are a stereotype, son)

 

There is a large Colombian community that do enjoy watching Goltv in HD. There several great quality games from both The Bundesliga and El Brazilelao. Plus La liga is one or currently the best competitive league in Europe.

So, there is plenty of reason why I would subscribe to Goltv. I can not speak for the english commentators because I enjoy the spanish one, but football is football and all I care is to see the game.

I do see why english speaking people may not care for Goltv, but there is plenty a great football on Goltv.

Currently Goltv has the rights for:

Bundesliga = Germany 3 World Cups

El Brazileilao = Brazil 5 World Cups

La Liga = Spain 1 World Cup

Futbol Profesional Colombiano = The third larger spanish population after Mexico and Puerto Rico.

 

Best commentator in the world? Sure - if you like your commentary with a bullshit Geordie accent in the form of grunts and similies.

I never understood why GolTV would let them take the Spanish feed but not the English feed. Is it because their Spanish audience is locked in to their product offerings while their English audience only subscribe for El Clasico?

 

I have a hard time thinking most would agree with that. Phil is an okay play-by-play, Ray is so over the top I can't stand it. I don't care if Xavi made a "orgasmic" pass that made Ray squeal. I hope you do realize he is just as British as the ESPN guys, except Mustoe is actually a good analyst. Healey is understated, but he's okay in terms of guys working in the US. Of course Britain has the best English soccer commentators, it has nothing to do with the accents. Just like the US has the best football and baseball commentators and Canada has the best hockey commentators.

Also two things. You're insulting me because I'm Canadian really? And I've liked Man United since long before I realized how good they were. I was too young to know any of their history when I decided I liked them. The team that I am a fan of has absolutely nothing to do with my commentator tastes, so that's irrelevant.

When I said El Classic is one of the few reasons to subscribe to GolTV, I meant for the average English speaking fan who would mostly only be interested in El Classico. Personally, I subscribe to it to watch the odd La Liga and Bundesliga games.

 

Anyhow, back on topic. Apparently this is the ESPN3.com/GolTV schedule for this weekend. ESPN3 games confirmed on ESPN Soccernet site, the GolTV games are solid guesses based on what's left (and the rest of GolTV's weekend schedule, which has been released). All times ET.

Saturday 8/20
12:00pm, Levante vs. Real Zaragoza - ESPN3.com
4:00pm, Osasuna vs. Valencia - ESPN3.com

Sunday 8/21
12:00pm, Real Madrid vs. Athletic Bilbao - ESPN3.com/GolTV Canada
2:00pm, Malaga vs. Barcelona - GolTV
4:00pm - Real Betis vs. Sevilla - GolTV

Monday 8/22
3:00pm - Real Sociedad vs. Atletico Madrid - GolTV

It seems like La Liga has put their 3 best games on Sunday evening. In the past wouldn't they put Malaga-Barcelona or Real Madrid-Athletic in the Saturday night slot?

 

But the last time I check, there was going to be a strike for the first two weeks.

 

Last I heard was the same thing. There is hope, wasn't there supposed to be a strike a couple times last year, but they came to a verbal agreement at the last minute to call it off? I think that could happen again.

 

A Spanish court stopped the last planned work stoppage in La Liga, which was more of a lockout than a strike.

This time around, the player's association has called for the work stoppage.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have both scheduled pre-season friendlies next week.

 

Chill.

Now.

Keep it at a higher level or don't post.

 

As a neutral, 90% of La Liga matches have become pointless exercises.

Out of the 380 La Liga matches each season, only 2 are "must see TV".

No neutral will miss La Liga if the strike were to drag on into September.

 

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1617670

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1692507

The current strike is basically a repeat of the January one, from an issues standpoint. The one difference is the issue of what gets considered as vacation time for national team players, which has helped the players union by putting high profile players such as Puyol and Casillas among others front and center from a PR perspective.

Both threatened strikes last season were averted by a court ruling rather than by an agreement between the parties involved (players v. La Liga in the first case, La Liga v. the government in the second). Unfortunately, this means that the issues are still unresolved which could lead to more of this strike bullshit.

It's hard to say what will happen. Even though it is very early in the season, there are virtually no make-up match days possible, as Euro 2012 has forced a very compressed schedule. So, there is incentive to get a deal done.

However, both sides can't even agree about when to meet, which is not an encouraging sign four days before the start of the season. Generally speaking, matches in Spain tend to get played in these cases, but you never know.......