On the Eve of the new Season...

[vansmack]

I have no inside scoop on this Setanta 2010 thing, but as as soon as I do, I'll let you know.

Best I can tell right now is that Setanta USA can't meet it's $1M obligation to Fox and won't have anymore games after Jan 6.

No word on who's picking them up, but there aren't a whole lot of choices.

[godsshoeshine]

wow

one site has versus as a theory

had to see this coming though

[vansmack]

wow

one site has versus as a theory

had to see this coming though

I will throw stuff.  You have no idea how angry this will make me.

I really can't see ESPN passing this oportunity up though...

[sweetcell]

I will throw stuff.  You have no idea how angry this will make me.

why?  sorta makes sense - versus covers fringe sports ("fringe" as defined by US popular taste) like hockey, snowboard, etc.  euro soccer would fit in there quite nicely.

do you not have versus?  is it not in HD? 

admittedly ESPN would be better, since they have multiple channels.

[brennser]

I may be way behind the 8 ball on this but EPLtalk suggests FSC will just absorb them?


http://www.epltalk.com/setantas-likely-demise-will-be-a-dark-day-for-soccer-fans-in-us/14502

http://www.epltalk.com/breaking-fox-sports-international-in-talks-to-acquire-setanta-sports/14489

[brennser]

fringe?? US popular taste aside ESPN already shows EPL, Champs League and most major tourneys and plenty of room in their schedules for more

I will throw stuff.  You have no idea how angry this will make me.

why?  sorta makes sense - versus covers fringe sports ("fringe" as defined by US popular taste) like hockey, snowboard, etc.  euro soccer would fit in there quite nicely.

do you not have versus?  is it not in HD? 

admittedly ESPN would be better, since they have multiple channels.

[godsshoeshine]

I will throw stuff.  You have no idea how angry this will make me.

why?  sorta makes sense - versus covers fringe sports ("fringe" as defined by US popular taste) like hockey, snowboard, etc.  euro soccer would fit in there quite nicely.

do you not have versus?  is it not in HD? 

admittedly ESPN would be better, since they have multiple channels.

versus is not available on directv. directv had the setanta alternate channel exclusively, so if you were choosing your programing provider based on the prem, you probably have dtv

honestly i read versus as a theory among like 5 others, vomitted in my mouth and forgot the rest of what i read. so yeah i have an idea how angry this will make you

[sweetcell]

fringe??

what?  are you denying that in this country, european soccer isn't mainstream?

[godsshoeshine]

theyre on tv more than the nhl even without setanta and fsc

[vansmack]

I may be way behind the 8 ball on this but EPLtalk suggests FSC will just absorb them?

It just doesn't make sense though because Setanta pays $2-3 Million dollars a year to lease the additional EPL games from FSC (who has the sole contract with the EPL and then leases the broadcast to another vendor, in this case Setanta).  When Setanta couldn't make the first payment, ESPN then picked up some of Setanta's games (the Sat morning match and the Monday night match).

If Fox didn't need the money from a separate vendor in the first place, why even make the deal?

[brennser]

yeah, pretty much....as gods shoeshine said, its on TV more than hockey - and maybe this is a big city bias but quite frankly alot of the people I know in DC are way more into european soccer than even some of the big 3 (or 4) US sports - if its fringe why are the midwestern kids of people I know pestering me to pick up Man U gear whenever I visit Ireland??

Cycling, yeah thats fringe.

fringe??

what?  are you denying that in this country, european soccer isn't mainstream?

[vansmack]

Warning: Contains link has spoilers.

If you're watching today's Fulham-Stoke match later today, don't click the link.  If you're not watching it, it's worth it to see Dempsey's goal:

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2010/01/clint-dempseys-wonder-goal.html

Not bad for a yank.

[brennser]

niiiiice!!

[godsshoeshine]

so should i cancel setanta or hold tight

[vansmack]

so should i cancel setanta or hold tight

I don't think you're going to have a choice.  It's certainly going out of business but I have opted to wait for an announcement (it's prorated and costing me 50 cents a day to wait and see).  If you cancel and Fox buys the channel and broadcasts the games, you're out for 10 days.

There is supposed to be a big announcment on Fox Soccer Report tonight, though it could be about the channel going HD....