Comments on: Are You Ready for ESPN World? http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/ It's always football season somewhere. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:59:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Josh http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-17049 Josh Fri, 20 Jul 2007 07:33:53 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-17049 I'm also torn as to ESPN doing this. While it would be very nice to not have to subscribe to a bigger package for the Rugby World Cup this fall, I feel that the producers @ ESPN would try to Americanize it, and thus change the purity of the channel. when it comes down to it, as long as they keep all the sports currently shown on Setanta, I'm for the buy-out. Cheers. I’m also torn as to ESPN doing this. While it would be very nice to not have to subscribe to a bigger package for the Rugby World Cup this fall, I feel that the producers @ ESPN would try to Americanize it, and thus change the purity of the channel. when it comes down to it, as long as they keep all the sports currently shown on Setanta, I’m for the buy-out. Cheers.

]]> By: jeff http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-14091 jeff Fri, 29 Jun 2007 18:59:44 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-14091 if this does happen before the rwc, we may get coverage of it in HD , which wont happen under Setanta if this does happen before the rwc, we may get coverage of it in HD , which wont happen under Setanta

]]> By: Theo http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-10943 Theo Thu, 24 May 2007 14:19:09 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-10943 I'm scared as hell about the possibility of ESPN buying Setanta. Over the years I have come to hate ESPN and now they want to buy my favorite channel. It will only be a matter of time before they change the channel to ESPN Soccer, eliminate rugby from the programming, and replace it with The European Poker Tour or the European Domino Championships. This is not welcome news. I’m scared as hell about the possibility of ESPN buying Setanta. Over the years I have come to hate ESPN and now they want to buy my favorite channel. It will only be a matter of time before they change the channel to ESPN Soccer, eliminate rugby from the programming, and replace it with The European Poker Tour or the European Domino Championships. This is not welcome news.

]]> By: a different dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-10232 a different dave Thu, 17 May 2007 00:17:35 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-10232 Correction to my previous comment, I think I was watching rebroadcast EPL games on the regional Fox sports channel, not on one of the ESPN channels. In which case, even if Fox and ESPN didn't care to share with/sell rights to EPL games to each other, either ESPN or Fox have more than enough cable channels to broadcast all of the EPL games live, if they wanted to. They would not have to resort to pay per view, necessarily. Correction to my previous comment, I think I was watching rebroadcast EPL games on the regional Fox sports channel, not on one of the ESPN channels.

In which case, even if Fox and ESPN didn’t care to share with/sell rights to EPL games to each other, either ESPN or Fox have more than enough cable channels to broadcast all of the EPL games live, if they wanted to. They would not have to resort to pay per view, necessarily.

]]> By: a different dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9882 a different dave Thu, 10 May 2007 16:44:03 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9882 Oh yeah, one other thing; ESPN has been showing EPL games during the week. These are repeats, not live games, but I don't think we should rule out of hand the possibility that Fox and ESPN might decide to share EPL coverage. After all FSC pissed off a lot of their subscribers last year when they sold half the EPL games to Setanta. EPL rights are expensive, and it might be worth their while for Fox and ESPN to share rather than try to go it alone. Oh yeah, one other thing; ESPN has been showing EPL games during the week. These are repeats, not live games, but I don’t think we should rule out of hand the possibility that Fox and ESPN might decide to share EPL coverage. After all FSC pissed off a lot of their subscribers last year when they sold half the EPL games to Setanta. EPL rights are expensive, and it might be worth their while for Fox and ESPN to share rather than try to go it alone.

]]> By: a different dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9865 a different dave Thu, 10 May 2007 11:37:53 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9865 I'm very much torn by this. On the one hand, ESPN has that ESPN Classic channel which is currently without original content, they could slide Setanta into that unused spot and instantly change Setanta from a DirecTV-only channel into a channel available on almost all cable and satellite networks. That's a big improvement. But what makes Setanta good are the people who run it, in Ireland; will ESPN be smart enough to keep them? If ESPN really wants to be a world network, they need non-Americans, especially European sports specialists, involved in running things. It would suck in the extreme if ESPN did to Setanta what they did to the classic sports network that they bought, turned into ESPN Classic, and eventually ruined. In regards to rugby, ESPNU currently has the rights to show the USA rugby national team games, so there is an interest there on ESPN's part for other international sports besides soccer. Too bad my cable carrier does not carry ESPNU. What with their success with carrying the FIFA World Cup, ABC/ESPN have got to be thinking about the IRB World Cup - it won't draw anywhere near the ratings of the FIFA World Cup, but it is an area of future growth that ESPN has to be thinking about, especially since the American national rugby team usually qualifies for it (though never makes it out of the group stage). As to EPL, yes the previous posters are correct, Fox currently owns the rights to this. They resold rights to half of the games to Setanta. But before that, all the games were available on Fox Soccer Channel, either live or on delay if games were played at the same time, IIRC (I may be wrong about this; I've only had FSC for a year), so I doubt that Fox would go back to pay per view. Fox has multiple sports channels of their own; they could show EPL games on other channels if conflicts in scheduling occurred, similar to how ESPN handles conflicts for instance with Champions League games by using ESPN2 and ESPN Classic. Anyway, I'd love to see Setanta widely available via ESPN here in the USA. I just don't trust the decision making abilities of the ESPN corporate bigwigs. I don't believe they "get it" but I'd love it if they proved me wrong. I’m very much torn by this. On the one hand, ESPN has that ESPN Classic channel which is currently without original content, they could slide Setanta into that unused spot and instantly change Setanta from a DirecTV-only channel into a channel available on almost all cable and satellite networks. That’s a big improvement.

But what makes Setanta good are the people who run it, in Ireland; will ESPN be smart enough to keep them? If ESPN really wants to be a world network, they need non-Americans, especially European sports specialists, involved in running things. It would suck in the extreme if ESPN did to Setanta what they did to the classic sports network that they bought, turned into ESPN Classic, and eventually ruined.

In regards to rugby, ESPNU currently has the rights to show the USA rugby national team games, so there is an interest there on ESPN’s part for other international sports besides soccer. Too bad my cable carrier does not carry ESPNU. What with their success with carrying the FIFA World Cup, ABC/ESPN have got to be thinking about the IRB World Cup - it won’t draw anywhere near the ratings of the FIFA World Cup, but it is an area of future growth that ESPN has to be thinking about, especially since the American national rugby team usually qualifies for it (though never makes it out of the group stage).

As to EPL, yes the previous posters are correct, Fox currently owns the rights to this. They resold rights to half of the games to Setanta. But before that, all the games were available on Fox Soccer Channel, either live or on delay if games were played at the same time, IIRC (I may be wrong about this; I’ve only had FSC for a year), so I doubt that Fox would go back to pay per view. Fox has multiple sports channels of their own; they could show EPL games on other channels if conflicts in scheduling occurred, similar to how ESPN handles conflicts for instance with Champions League games by using ESPN2 and ESPN Classic.

Anyway, I’d love to see Setanta widely available via ESPN here in the USA. I just don’t trust the decision making abilities of the ESPN corporate bigwigs. I don’t believe they “get it” but I’d love it if they proved me wrong.

]]> By: Lates Links « Jackie Manuel’s Posse http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9818 Lates Links « Jackie Manuel’s Posse Wed, 09 May 2007 14:02:10 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9818 [...] <>NOOOO!  <> [...] [...] <>NOOOO!  <> [...]

]]> By: Dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9817 Dave Wed, 09 May 2007 13:50:36 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9817 Good point, Specialist. If the WWL bought Setanta, it would probably have to pay Fox a king's ransom to keep those EPL rights. I could also see Fox pulling the rights away entirely and running a PPV season pass for the EPL, and they could probably charge 2 or 3 times what MLS is charging and get plenty of customers. That would pretty much sink any ESPN-Setanta deal. I wish they would do that for the FA Cup, too. $16 a game is too damn much for anything but the final. Good point, Specialist. If the WWL bought Setanta, it would probably have to pay Fox a king’s ransom to keep those EPL rights. I could also see Fox pulling the rights away entirely and running a PPV season pass for the EPL, and they could probably charge 2 or 3 times what MLS is charging and get plenty of customers. That would pretty much sink any ESPN-Setanta deal.

I wish they would do that for the FA Cup, too. $16 a game is too damn much for anything but the final.

]]> By: The Specialist http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9799 The Specialist Wed, 09 May 2007 03:29:43 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9799 Dave, I'm not so sure ESPN buying Setanta would allow them to aquire the rights to broadcast Prem games in the US. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that Fox (and subsequently Fox Soccer Channel) are the exclusive US rights holders. They in-turn sub-license the US rights to Setanta (http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/160153/setanta-shares-premier-league-in-us) However, I'd find it hard to believe that they'd sub-license those same rights to a rival like ESPN. I would guess that it would mean either more games on Fox Soccer Channel, or a return to the pay-per-view style that Fox used to run. That is of course unless ESPN stepped up and simply purchased the rights themselves if they do create a soccer channel. Just some food for thought, The Specialist Dave,

I’m not so sure ESPN buying Setanta would allow them to aquire the rights to broadcast Prem games in the US. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that Fox (and subsequently Fox Soccer Channel) are the exclusive US rights holders. They in-turn sub-license the US rights to Setanta (http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/160153/setanta-shares-premier-league-in-us) However, I’d find it hard to believe that they’d sub-license those same rights to a rival like ESPN. I would guess that it would mean either more games on Fox Soccer Channel, or a return to the pay-per-view style that Fox used to run.

That is of course unless ESPN stepped up and simply purchased the rights themselves if they do create a soccer channel.

Just some food for thought,

The Specialist

]]> By: Simon http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9778 Simon Tue, 08 May 2007 21:20:50 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9778 Hey Dave, Just though i let you know , I really enjoy reading your thoughts on football .Especially the Gaelic since I'm from Dublin ,Ireland. Hopefully Dublin can bring Sam ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Maguire_Cup) home this year . Anyway keep up the great work. ps the All-Ireland starts this weekend Hey Dave,
Just though i let you know , I really enjoy reading your thoughts on
football .Especially the Gaelic since I’m from Dublin ,Ireland. Hopefully
Dublin can bring Sam ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Maguire_Cup) home this year . Anyway keep up the great work.

ps the All-Ireland starts this weekend

]]> By: the butler http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9776 the butler Tue, 08 May 2007 21:02:58 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/05/08/are-you-ready-for-espn-world/#comment-9776 I'd watch if they showed some hurling. I’d watch if they showed some hurling.

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