On And On And On And Yeah
Kyle writes: Was just wondering what you think of ESPN's decision to air Champion's League highlights this year on Friday afternoons on ESPN2? Personally, I love the fact that I can see all the goals in the Champion's League in just one hour. However, compared to other European highlights programs I've seen previously, the show seems rather amateur.
The commentary by Adrian Healey and Tommy Smith seems disjointed and the program doesn't flow very well. At times, I couldn't even hear what they were saying because the crowd noise was louder than they were. I am encouraged though that ESPN's decision to air the show reflects the growing interest in international soccer in this country.
I might be the only one who would prefer they take some ESPN staffer with nothing better to do and put them on a show like this rather than the usual suspects. That said, the packaged highlight shows on the soccer channels aren't much better.
I'm not really sure why coming up with something as good or better than Lionel Bienvenue's old two-hour EPL highlight show on the regional Fox stations is so difficult. It's like with increased coverage, the quality actually regresses.
I don't understand it, but then again I've never understood why the soccer networks don't package their coverage through the internet, giving us all we need to know about the games on their schedule through a comprehensive website. That includes the Spanish-language channels doing their English-only viewers a favor with an English guide to and updates on the Mexican League.
There are relatively simple and easy answers out there, but instead it's the same stuff that wasn't working ten years ago.
A lot of you asked why I didn't jump all over Mark Zeigler's San Diego Union-Tribune piece on the realities of Major League Soccer attendance. What would you have me add? He's basically caught MLS out on something most of us assumed and done a very good job covering multiple parts.
I'm not a big fan of bookending on other people's work, especially when it's this quality. Would that there were writers in the actual MLs markets doing this sort of thing. In the long run, it's good for the League even if they have to be held down screaming to see it.
For those of you who let me know that the Jason Whitlock/ESPN section was probably a little too insider and not that worthwhile, I see your point. If I had it to do over, I would've cut that down. I'm not a big fan of people in any industry who are too into the machinations of that industry. Like the radio guys that can talk mixing boards for hours. We get it, and most people working for a living can do that with their jobs. Just do your job well. The insider stuff quickly gets tedious and the end user probably shouldn't care.
In my defense, I did think it was worthwhile as a demonstration of how media operates. But even then, it's not like most of you work in meritocracies and would be horrified at the thought that the wider working world can be unfair.
What I'm Watching
Borussia Dortmund - Hannover live on GolTV at 2:30pm and/or Colchester - Ipswich live on Setanta at the same time. All Times Eastern
Quote Of The Day
"At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters." Liverpool legend Bill Shankly.
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Europe
Bungs probe goes into extra time -- from The Telegraph's David Bond. Registration Required
Call me vain, says Mourinho, but Chelsea are better because of me -- from The Guardian's Jon Brodkin.
Ribery, Roland and rebirth -- from Soccernet's Paul Marshall.
Potential Upton Park investor keen on 'real estate opportunities' -- from The Independent's Gordon Tynan.
The Wonderful World Of Soccer Media: USA
Major League Soccer to sell ad space on jerseys -- from The Wall Street Journal's Jon Weinbach.
MLS will place these sponsors front and center -- from The Star-Telegram's Tobias Xavier Lopez. Registration Required
US Open Cup: It's the Soccer, Stupid... -- from Squarefootball.com's Bill Urban.
Do we want Robinhos or Robots? -- from Soccer America's Mike Woitalla.
Big Picture
Ilitch scores as Tigers' fortunes soar -- from The Detroit News' Daniel Howes.
Pohlad's dollars can't buy sense -- from The New York Post's Larry Brooks.
Will he stay or will he go? Bonds' future is a hot topic -- from The San Francisco Chronicle's Henry Schulman.
After So Long, So Long -- from The Washington Post's Thomas Boswell. Registration Required
Ichiro says he'll stay in center field -- from The Seattle Post-Intelligencer's John Hickey.
Tirico insists three is not a crowd -- from The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Bob Wolfley.
Larry, Knicks go one-on-one today -- from The NY Daily News' Frank Isola.
Sources: Kimmel talks sale with Sixers -- from The Philadelphia Daily News' Phil Jasner. Registration Required
Mobile ESPN to End Service Aimed at Sports Customers -- from The New York Times' Ken Belson. Registration Required
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
The commentary by Adrian Healey and Tommy Smith seems disjointed and the program doesn't flow very well. At times, I couldn't even hear what they were saying because the crowd noise was louder than they were. I am encouraged though that ESPN's decision to air the show reflects the growing interest in international soccer in this country.
I might be the only one who would prefer they take some ESPN staffer with nothing better to do and put them on a show like this rather than the usual suspects. That said, the packaged highlight shows on the soccer channels aren't much better.
I'm not really sure why coming up with something as good or better than Lionel Bienvenue's old two-hour EPL highlight show on the regional Fox stations is so difficult. It's like with increased coverage, the quality actually regresses.
I don't understand it, but then again I've never understood why the soccer networks don't package their coverage through the internet, giving us all we need to know about the games on their schedule through a comprehensive website. That includes the Spanish-language channels doing their English-only viewers a favor with an English guide to and updates on the Mexican League.
There are relatively simple and easy answers out there, but instead it's the same stuff that wasn't working ten years ago.
A lot of you asked why I didn't jump all over Mark Zeigler's San Diego Union-Tribune piece on the realities of Major League Soccer attendance. What would you have me add? He's basically caught MLS out on something most of us assumed and done a very good job covering multiple parts.
I'm not a big fan of bookending on other people's work, especially when it's this quality. Would that there were writers in the actual MLs markets doing this sort of thing. In the long run, it's good for the League even if they have to be held down screaming to see it.
For those of you who let me know that the Jason Whitlock/ESPN section was probably a little too insider and not that worthwhile, I see your point. If I had it to do over, I would've cut that down. I'm not a big fan of people in any industry who are too into the machinations of that industry. Like the radio guys that can talk mixing boards for hours. We get it, and most people working for a living can do that with their jobs. Just do your job well. The insider stuff quickly gets tedious and the end user probably shouldn't care.
In my defense, I did think it was worthwhile as a demonstration of how media operates. But even then, it's not like most of you work in meritocracies and would be horrified at the thought that the wider working world can be unfair.
What I'm Watching
Borussia Dortmund - Hannover live on GolTV at 2:30pm and/or Colchester - Ipswich live on Setanta at the same time. All Times Eastern
Quote Of The Day
"At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters." Liverpool legend Bill Shankly.
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Europe
Bungs probe goes into extra time -- from The Telegraph's David Bond. Registration Required
Call me vain, says Mourinho, but Chelsea are better because of me -- from The Guardian's Jon Brodkin.
Ribery, Roland and rebirth -- from Soccernet's Paul Marshall.
Potential Upton Park investor keen on 'real estate opportunities' -- from The Independent's Gordon Tynan.
The Wonderful World Of Soccer Media: USA
Major League Soccer to sell ad space on jerseys -- from The Wall Street Journal's Jon Weinbach.
MLS will place these sponsors front and center -- from The Star-Telegram's Tobias Xavier Lopez. Registration Required
US Open Cup: It's the Soccer, Stupid... -- from Squarefootball.com's Bill Urban.
Do we want Robinhos or Robots? -- from Soccer America's Mike Woitalla.
Big Picture
Ilitch scores as Tigers' fortunes soar -- from The Detroit News' Daniel Howes.
Pohlad's dollars can't buy sense -- from The New York Post's Larry Brooks.
Will he stay or will he go? Bonds' future is a hot topic -- from The San Francisco Chronicle's Henry Schulman.
After So Long, So Long -- from The Washington Post's Thomas Boswell. Registration Required
Ichiro says he'll stay in center field -- from The Seattle Post-Intelligencer's John Hickey.
Tirico insists three is not a crowd -- from The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Bob Wolfley.
Larry, Knicks go one-on-one today -- from The NY Daily News' Frank Isola.
Sources: Kimmel talks sale with Sixers -- from The Philadelphia Daily News' Phil Jasner. Registration Required
Mobile ESPN to End Service Aimed at Sports Customers -- from The New York Times' Ken Belson. Registration Required
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
Posted on September 29th, 2006 by J Hutcherson
Filed under: General