Is it me or is the market for European Football bigger than people think in America?

[babam11218719]

I think what mainly ESPN needs to do instead of trying to shove the MLS down people's throats. Instead they should focus more on what is going on abroad. I think they are starting to get the message with the seemingly expanded coverage of the Champions League over the last few years as well as deciding to showEuro '08 in its entirety. I am a big fan of some the teams over in Europe and know a lot of people who keep up with that stuff. What is stopping USnetworks like ESPN from showing a Saturday morning EPL game? Or just trying to push what is going on over there for more viewers instead of dealing with theMLS.

 

[after h0urs]

They're not as ignorant as you think. ESPN knows very well the potential here in America, but they also know they'd be stupid to try and sway viewersto a foreign sport over the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc. Those sports will absolutely punish ESPN for trying such an act. They're not going to let their popularityslide out from under them.

It goes both ways. American sports will never fully penetrate Europe because, minus culture, the media networks will never even get them a chance.

 

[theyoungestgun]

soccer will never be as big as it is in europe.. cause in europe everyone grows up with it, like they do here with football, basketball and baseball...it's like after h0urs said, there just a difference in culture..

but soccer players get the hottest wives

 

[curious24]

well espn america let it slip away...its only going to have euro and world cup games from now on....also sports are more of an entertainment over here. Soccerdoesnt have commercials so i dont know how that would roll.

 

[kingjay718]

It's big business there. I love it. I became a Manchester United fan the past year.

 

[theyoungestgun]

professional soccer players make just as much or more than any american based sports... so just like US it's entertainment there too.. there arecommercials there too, you just dont know about it... nike europe is all about soccer and adidas is also big there, and puma...

 

[mateen cleaves]

it would become popular if we didnt have to pay to watch European soccer on tv.

 

[lilstarz07]

fact is ... soccer is a slow paced, repetitive low scoring game ... it will never catch on like it has in europe

 

[marionthebarberian]

Originally Posted by LilStarZ07

fact is ... soccer is a slow paced, repetitive low scoring game ... it will never catch on like it has in europe

I take it you dont watch any Barclays league games.

 

[an dee 51o]

Originally Posted by LilStarZ07

fact is ... soccer is a slow paced, repetitive low scoring game ... it will never catch on like it has in europe

Seriously? Baseball is the American Pastime. I love baseball to death, but it's slow as hell.

 

[cashbox sunrise]

They have definitely been starting to catch on as of late.

But the main reason they haven't transitioned to showing any of the EPL games is because they don't have a license to show them in America, Fox SoccerChannel has the license to broadcast them. ESPN only has a license through UEFA which brought Champions League and the EURO tournament to ESPN.

 

[dl2352]

I'd love for there to be expanded coverage of European football. Honestly though, what needs to happen is for the quality of MLS to dramatically increase.Holding out for a strong US showing in the World Cup...

 

[purpheartgrapes]

Originally Posted by LilStarZ07

fact is ... soccer is a slow paced, repetitive low scoring game ... it will never catch on like it has in europe

Ignorant dudes like this should be banned from posting in threads about soccer.





Anyway, it's been fun watching ESPN/sportscenter dabble it's toes in the waters of soccer the past couple of years. Champions League gets coverageevery night there's a game on sportscenter, wasn't the story a year ago.

When Man U plays Aresenal they always show highlights, and I swear they almost try too hard to incorporate soccer into the top 10 each and every night.

All you guys saying soccer will never catch on here, I think you mean to say it will never overtake the main sports in terms of popularity. The thing isdoesn't have to just to catch on. Soccer in America will be fine.

 

[pdub9]

The only reason I don't want espn to have all rights to show soccer is cause all they would show is the EPL/ big name teams

Soccer is the @!+$

 

[jjgrt5]

I hope they keep this up.......... maybe some Liga games...... maybe some Real Madrid games

 

[marionthebarberian]

Originally Posted by DL2352

I'd love for there to be expanded coverage of European football. Honestly though, what needs to happen is for the quality of MLS to dramatically increase. Holding out for a strong US showing in the World Cup...

you already know, we are getting at LEAST the third place trophy.

 

[tmukg21]

Originally Posted by PDub9

The only reason I don't want espn to have all rights to show soccer is cause all they would show is the EPL/ big name teams

Soccer is the @!+$

You expect Europe to show the Lakers or Clippers in prime time?

(I see what r saying though)

 

[deepinthajeep]

Originally Posted by cashbox sunrise

They have definitely been starting to catch on as of late.

But the main reason they haven't transitioned to showing any of the EPL games is because they don't have a license to show them in America, Fox Soccer Channel has the license to broadcast them. ESPN only has a license through UEFA which brought Champions League and the EURO tournament to ESPN.

Well, not anymore...starting next year Champions League games will be shown on FSC. Not sure how I feel about that yet.

 

[purpheartgrapes]

Originally Posted by deepinthajeep

Originally Posted by cashbox sunrise

They have definitely been starting to catch on as of late.

But the main reason they haven't transitioned to showing any of the EPL games is because they don't have a license to show them in America, Fox Soccer Channel has the license to broadcast them. ESPN only has a license through UEFA which brought Champions League and the EURO tournament to ESPN.

Well, not anymore...starting next year Champions League games will be shown on FSC. Not sure how I feel about that yet.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

 

[xtapolapacetl]

Originally Posted by LilStarZ07

fact is ... soccer is a slow paced, repetitive low scoring game ... it will never catch on like it has in europe

I just wish that you could play a full soccer game against somewhat decent players. Then you would see how "slow" it is. I play nothing butbasketball, but a couple of months ago I was in a 8 vs 8 soccer game on a field that was about two thirds as big as a true soccer field. I thought that I wasgoing to have a heart attack from all the running I had to do.

 

[babam11218719]

Well obviously I don't think it will overtake the major sports here. But I think ESPN should have gone after at least a share of the EPL or La Liga rightsfor the coming years. One "Game of the Week" on ESPN 2 would not hurt anything especially the time of day in America that these games come on. Whatis so important on ESPN 2 at 10AM on a Saturday or Sunday morning. No matter what season it is here. I am upset to hear that the Champions League is moving toFSC because I think Champions League was really starting to catch on here. So many people were talking about that Chelsea-Liverpool match today and are ampedabout the ManU-Porto 2nd leg coming up.

 

[ryda421]

Futbol

 

[eddiehouse5]

while there may be a market for european soccer here, i don't think that uefa cares, because if they did, they wouldn't have let fox buy the rights tothe champions league. espn reaches the masses, fsc does not.

the sport will grow when we get better home grown talent. even if the public only cares once every four years, it's a start.

 

[stephonurkel]

blah thats depressing if the ucl gets moved to fsc... espn soccer afternoons r amazing, ever since i started playin fiffa 08 i been hooked... nuthin like an Lto the face a pint of heineken and some of the hands down best athletes n the world competing...i like any sport but to all those saying soccer is too slow nlow scoring point blank your wrong, if baseball hadnt alrdy been americas pastimee soccer/futbol would be spreading like wildfire, all my boys at college r hipto it... if your new to the game like sumone said jus watch barcelona, man u, chelsea, livepool, etc.... theres so many good leagues and young players itsexciting, only problem is theres not awhole lotta brothas out there yet haha.... in england neway.... DROGBA is my dudeeeee

evra, boswinga, essien, malouda, kalou, wright-phillips, defoe, drogba, carew.... thats all the quality black players i can think of in the epl... serie atheyre few n far between, same with lfp, n lets not even get into the bundesliga haha the few they got tho r

... its alot like hockey for me, few players ican relate with but still love it

 

[airjordanseattle23]

Originally Posted by marionthebarberian

Originally Posted by DL2352

I'd love for there to be expanded coverage of European football. Honestly though, what needs to happen is for the quality of MLS to dramatically increase. Holding out for a strong US showing in the World Cup...

you already know, we are getting at LEAST the third place trophy.

pass me whatever your smoking bro...