Last qualifying cycle, FSC acquired from Setanta the rights to some World Cup 2006 qualifiers. With FSC's rapid decline in offerings, do they have plans to do the same for Euro 2008 qualifiers? FSC's schedule for September 2-3 is looking pretty bare. All of 2 matches are scheduled, MLS on Saturday and an Argentine game (they don't take off for international weeks either I guess) on Sunday. And that's it.
FSC will show Saturday's England-Andorra match (which is live on PPV) on 3-day delay on Tuesday, September 5th at 11:00 pm. Setanta will show 3 games on Satuday (2 live), and show the other 3 PPV contests on Sunday and Monday. Setanta has three more games scheduled for Wednesday, September 6. I know we still want to hope that FSC is taking a step back in order to regroup, but so far it appears they've just decided to take a more economic route, figuring there will be people who will tune into the station for American product (MLS, USL, and College) and the European football fans will still pick it up for its share of EPL. (I had thought that with the award of Serie A rights of AC Milan, Inter, and Juventus starting next year to the same people who sold FSC the four-team package that they currently show, that FSC's stretegy would be to pick up the "Big" clubs in Italy as a viable addition to the share of EPL coverage that they would jointly bid on next year. I'm beginning to think I may have been too optimistic). Here's the Euro08 qualfiers TV schedule so far: Saturday, September 2- 12:00 pm (Setanta) Euro08 Qualifier: Georgia v. France (L) 2:00 pm (Setanta) Euro08 Qualifier: Czech Republic v. Wales (L) 4:15 pm (Setanta) Euro08 Qualifier: Luxembourg v. Holland (SDD) Sunday, September 3- 8:00 pm (Setanta) Euro08 Qualifier: Germany v. Ireland (D) 10:00 pm (Setanta) Euro08 Qualifier: Poland v. Finland (D) Monday, September 4- 5:00 pm (Setanta) Euro08 Qualifier: Moldova v. Greece (D) Tuesday, September 5- 11:00 pm (FSC) Euro08 Qualifier: England v. Andorra (D) Wednesday, September 6- 1:00 pm (Setanta) Euro08 Qualifier: Turkey v. Malta (L) 3:00 pm (Setanta) Euro08 Qualifier: France v. Italy (L) 5:00 pm (Setanta) Euro08 Qualifier: Northern Ireland v. Spain (SDD)
They make a killing off of a weekend England game. I'm not a fan, but I understand the economics of it.
How can you miss the mother of all Euro 2008 qualifying matches - the replay of World Cup final - the grudge match after Zidane/Materazzi controversies? France vs. Italy LIVE September 6 12 PM Pacific / 3 PM Eastern on TV5. There are some other France and Italy qualifiers on TV5 and RAI International as well, I think.
Here are a couple more Euro 2008 qualifiers on Setanta: Thurs. Sept. 7-- 4:30 p.m. ET Russia v. Croatia (D) 6:15 p.m. ET Finland v. Portugal (D)
If you look again, you would see that game on my list....if it is played at all. FIFA has threatened to ban Italy from European competition over the fact that Juventus are pursuing remedies in a civil court for monetary damages incurred by being relegated. Juve said they are going ahead with their appeal to civil court.
Oops, sorry. The reason I was thrown off was your list is exclusively FSC+Setanta. I see that Setanta USA already lists in their schedule, but soccertv doesn't. Looks like soccertv still hasn't been updated.
Will wonders never cease? FSC has added four Euro 2008 qualifiers to their schedule: Saturday, Sept 2: 2:00 pm (FSC) Romania v. Bulgaria (L) 4:00 pm (FSC) Hungary v. Norway (SDD) Wednesday, Sept 6: 2:30 pm (FSC) San Marino v. Germany (L) 5:00 pm (FSC) Slovakia v. Czech Republic (SDD) This is in addition to their 3-day delayed broadcasts of England's home game: Tue, Sept 5 - 11:00 pm (FSC) England v. Andorra (D)
FSI has a swap deal with Setanta: 1. FSI gets US and Canadian TV rights to 2 Euro qualifiers each match day. 2. In exchange, Setanta gets US and Canadian TV rights to a ton of Southern Hemisphere rugby from NewsCorp's library of rugby products I don't know whether the 2006 Aussie Rules season was also part of the swap. FSI currently does NOT have any rights to Aussie Rules beyond 2006.
16 European qualifying matches on US television in a 5 day span??? It is a good time to be a fan of European footie in the USA. 16 matches. Six - teen.
Yeah, but at least these qualifiers are meaningful. By the time FSC started showing WC 06 qualifiers, many of their matches were dead rubbers. And I don't mind getting to see Romania-Bulgaria and Czech-Slovakia. Those are good local derbies.
Yet another qualifier for those of us without "ethnic" channels: Telemundo is broadcasting this Saturdays Euro08 contest between Italy and Lithuania at 4pm (eastern).
Wednesday, Sept 6: 2:30 pm (FSC) San Marino v. Germany (L) We need to sticky this game everytime posters complain that CONCACAF is weak.
In addition to the Euro08 qualifiers, I saw that Setanta had added an Asian Nations Cup qualifier to their schedule. It will be telecast Live on Saturday at 7:00 am between Korea and Iran.
Actually I'm puzzled by the choices of matches for FSC. Is it a problem with getting a TV feed or are all Euro 2008 qualifiers televised? Scotland vs. Faroe Islands- There has to be some Scot ex-pats who want to see this game. Northern Ireland vs. Iceland- Who doesn't want to see Gudjohnnsen go head to head with Maik Taylor?
It's called FSC is cheap. Don't want to pay for Euro qualifiers. I hope Telemundo will be showing Spain as well.
Scotland v. Faroe Islands is being televised live on Sky in the UK. The fact that it hasn't shown up on US TV suggests the SFA is asking more than anyone in the US is willing to pay for a home match against the Faroes. Or so I would imagine. Unless I'm mistaken, Setanta purchases rights to Euro 2008 qualifiers from the home associations. Therefore, the rights to Czech v. Wales, for instance, are bought from either the Czech FA or a company representing it. Qualifiers don't work the same way as the finals. You can't buy the whole rights package of qualifiers from a single entity the way you would purchase the finals from UEFA, which in that instance acts as the "home association." As for FSC, well, yer get what yer pay fer.