Obviously ESPN2 in HD looks the best but other than picture quality, who does the best presentation of an MLS match? Factor in the announcers, camera angles and overall production.
Is there a "None of the Above" choice? All have their strengths and weaknesses. ESPN's production is top shelf. But, you get DOB and the factual errors of Tommy Smyth. Some hate Waldo but while I often disagree with him, I like him as an analyst. FSC brings the passion and while Max has a few issues with the facts and is a tad exciteable, he loves the game and that comes across. And while Chris Sullivan tends to get a little too cute with accents sometimes, he explains tactical things better than any American soccer analyst. The downside is that their production is a joke and they still tend to sneak the absolutely horrible Christian Miles into their broadcasts sometimes. HDNet has the great pictures, obviously, and Glenn Davis is a good PBP guy who knows the game. Alas, he is paired with Marcelo Balboa, who has mastered the art of starting a sentence and contradiciting himself in it by the time it ends. "What the Fire need to do is get the ball to the flanks more because what the Fire's strength is is up the middle?" And things like that. Sadly, Celo has regressed as an analyst after a promising start a few years ago. My Spanish isn't good enough to comment on the Televisa guys but I do know they occassionally suffer from the Bretos Factual Syndrome and get the details incorrect like last week when they referred to DCU 'keeper Troy Perkins as Tony THE ENTIRE GAME! Like Bretos, they offer passion but the picture doesn't seem to be that good, especially after watching the games in HD. Of course, they get huge plusses for the lurid commercials for their programming that features all the scantily clad hot Latina ass. Nothing like that on FSC or ESPN! I think if you could pick and choose the best from each broadcast you'd get a pretty damn good production but sans that, each shows promise but makes enough mistakes to make you wish for better.
I voted for FSC due to the pre-game and post-game shows. I like ESPN2 also though for Waldo and Stone. 3rd would be HDNet and 4th would be Telefutura. Absolute last after everyone else (including those not listed here...ie local broadcasts) would be CBC. What can I say? I'm a homer.....I want to hear Americans calling the game....especially former US players like Wynalda, Harkes, Sullivan, and even Keough or Balboa. Others like JP Dellacamera (sp?), Malin, Bob Ley, etc. aren't bad either....I can even tolerate DOB. If I could, I'd have some combination of those names calling every game I ever watched (MLS, USMNT, EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, World Cup, whatever...).
I voted Telefutura. THeir experience with the FMF is priceless! The angles, the excitement of its announcers, it's great! FSC has a LOT to learn from these folks!
I voted for FSC because they actually do play-by-play, unlike Dave O'Brien's ESPN2. I want to hear play-by-play. Believe it or not, I actually want to hear the last name called of the player who has the ball from time to time. I actually really like Max Bretos. He can be a bit over-excitable from time to time, but that's WAYYY better than O'Brien, who sounds completely bored by the game. Bretos incorporates a good mix between actual play-by-play and personal stories, and he sets up his color partner fairly well. I even love his over-pronounciations of Spanish sounding names (GA-LIND-OOOO!!) . I'm not the biggest fan of Christopher Sullivan, but he does know the game well and offers some good insights. Eric Wynalda is solid for the most part as a color guy for ESPN2, but I'm really getting bothered by how he always announces his predictions for what's going to happen next on the field (mostly on free kicks). I don't know if he just does it to boost his ego or what, but it's very annoying and detracting. ESPN2 obviously has the best visual presentation with their HD, and I'm a pretty big fan of their camera angles for the most part as well. But to be honest, I'd rather put up with FSC's inferior camera's and visuals to listen to their better commentary.
CBC isn't perfect yet. They need to work on there camera selection. They aslo need to use less replays. But they have done great work so far for only 2 broadcasts.
I have no problems with even the most ignorant, or biased commentators. However the VIDEO production so far this season is so frustrating to watch, that I'm questioning if I even want to tune in and get angry. Not much difference between FSC, regional telecasts, Telefutura or anybody else. Does it ever happen in hockey that a guy winds up to shoot, or there's a face-off, and then they cut to the crowd or a close-up of a player instead of showing the live action? In baseball, do they ever show a pitcher going into the wind-up, then show the coach on the bench while the crowd roars? God I'm steaming, forgive me but it sure is painful to watch.
It seems the people who watch CBC all the time are less impressed with their broadcast. Probably because we know they can do so much more.