On the Eve of the new Season...

[vansmack]

It's not too late to come back, Mankie!
 
 More Premiership On TV in USA Than UK
 
 If you've listened to previous episodes of the EPL Talk Podcast, you may remember that celebs such as Paul Oakenfold, Bobby McMahon and others have mentioned how we in the States get to see more Premiership matches here than in England.
 
 Well, here's the proof. For the first week of the Premiership, these are the matches that will be shown on SkySports, who currently hold the exclusive rights to show the Premier League in England:
 
 ENGLAND
 
 Saturday
 Sheffield United v Liverpool, 12:45pm BST, live, Sky Sports One
 Bolton v Spurs, 5:15pm BST, live, PremPlus (PPV)
 
 Sunday
 Man United v Fulham, 1:30pm BST, live, PremPlus (PPV)
 Chelsea v Man City, 4pm BST, live, Sky Sports One
 
 Wednesday
 Charlton v Man United, 8pm BST, live, Sky Sports Two
 
 UNITED STATES
 
 SATURDAY
 
 4:30 AM PST â?? Sheffield Utd v. Liverpool (Live Setanta)
 6:30 AM PST â?? Arsenal v. Aston Villa (Live Setanta)
 7:00 AM PST â?? New Castle v. Wigan (Live FSC)
 9:00 AM PST â?? Bolton v. Tottenham (Live FSC)
 11:15 AM PST â?? Reading v. Middlesborough (Delayed FSC)
 11:30 AM PST â?? West Ham v. Charlton (Delayed Setanta)
 
 SUNDAY
 
 5:30 AM PST â?? Man Utd v. Fulham (Live Setanta)
 8:00 AM PST â?? Chelsea v. Man City (Live FSC)
 
 TUESDAY
 
 12:00 PM PST - Watford vs. West Ham (Live FSC)
 12:00 PM PST - Tottenham v. Sheffiled United (Live Setanta)
 
 WEDNESDAY
 
 12:00 PM PST - Middlesborough v. Chelsea (Live FSC)
 12:00 PM PST - Man Utd v. Charlton (Live Setanta)

[godsshoeshine]

its my first year with fsc, and it was pretty awesome last weekend

[vansmack]

Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
  its my first year with fsc, and it was pretty awesome last weekend

Yep - I love the first weekend of the premiership.  Only boxing day is a better day in my eyes.
 
 I was up early and watched every match except West Ham/Charlton.  Liverpool were lucky, Arsenal were not as impressive as their new stadium, New Castle were thorough and effective, Tottenham were abysmal, Reading were scrappy, Man Utd and Chelsea were dominant.
 
 If your cable compnay doesn't offer Setanta, ITVN (Broadband TV)just cut a deal to offer Setanta for $15 a month.  That's an incredible deal (it costs $12 a month with D*TV).  They even wave the hardware charges ($99) if you sign up for a year.  
 http://www.itvn.com

[godsshoeshine]

i only caught the newcastle/wiggan match. kinda what i expected: good midfield play, horrid defense (not as bad as expected), good in goal with ameobi being the wild card. ought to be interesting how the attack changes with martins coming in looking like a reality

[vansmack]

Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
  i only caught the newcastle/wiggan match. kinda what i expected: good midfield play, horrid defense (not as bad as expected), good in goal with ameobi being the wild card. ought to be interesting how the attack changes with martins coming in looking like a reality

While most of the focus of the last 18 months was replacing Shearer (likley having done that with the addition of Owen up until the injury), I have been amazed at the lack of attention paid to helping the back four.  Shea Given will be busy all season and he'll have to perform like that every week if New Castle are to get back into Champions League football.  Lots of holes and I'd guess Wigan are disappointed to not get at least a point out of last weekend.
 
 What are you ever going to do with Nicky Butt?

[Fico]

With the subject line and the creator of the topic I thought this was OC related...sigh.

[godsshoeshine]

Originally posted by vansmack:
   

Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
  i only caught the newcastle/wiggan match. kinda what i expected: good midfield play, horrid defense (not as bad as expected), good in goal with ameobi being the wild card. ought to be interesting how the attack changes with martins coming in looking like a reality

While most of the focus of the last 18 months was replacing Shearer (likley having done that with the addition of Owen up until the injury), I have been amazed at the lack of attention paid to helping the back four.  Shea Given will be busy all season and he'll have to perform like that every week if New Castle are to get back into Champions League football.  Lots of holes and I'd guess Wigan are disappointed to not get at least a point out of last weekend.
 
 What are you ever going to do with Nicky Butt? [/b]

watch him get injured? he or someone will blow out a hammy. i like how he played for 5 minutes or so with double vision
 
 supposedly boumsong is sold and they are still trying to get wayne bridge, and still have fantasies about graveson for some reason

[vansmack]

Originally posted by Fico:
  With the subject line and the creator of the topic I thought this was OC related...sigh.

Check back in Late October/Early November...

[xcanuck]

If you had to choose between Setanta and FSC, which would you take?

[vansmack]

Originally posted by xcanuck:
  If you had to choose between Setanta and FSC, which would you take?

Really good question, but I lean towards Setanta.
 
 Nearly every Champions League match and most UEFA cup games are broadcast on Setanta from the group stages on.  That alone seals it for me.
 
 They also have Coca-Cola Championship matches, more International Matches (Euro 2008 Qualifiers), and a deal with United and Chelsea to play every match through MUTV and Blues TV (and random classics which I love to watch) - so even if I didn't get United live (although no longer a possibility this year), I'll get the game within 48 hours.
 
 They broadcast French matches (whatever) as well as Dutch matches (awesome). They also have Rugby and GAA if you're into that.
 
 FSC has taken a more US-based approach with the EPL, Mexican and Argentinian Leagues, MLS, and USL, although I still think they have the England International matches first rights.  I'm not sure if anybody broadcasts Bundesliga any longer.

[godsshoeshine]

i think goltv does. they have serie a too i think, la liga and arse and liverfool tvs. bunch of south america stuff too. both this and fsc came with the 'sports package' for $5

[brennser]

Originally posted by vansmack:
   

Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
  its my first year with fsc, and it was pretty awesome last weekend

If your cable compnay doesn't offer Setanta, ITVN (Broadband TV)just cut a deal to offer Setanta for $15 a month.  That's an incredible deal (it costs $12 a month with D*TV).  They even wave the hardware charges ($99) if you sign up for a year.  
  http://www.itvn.com [/b]

Smackie - I had a look at this and it seems great. One question I have is that I alreayd have a cable modem and router in my basement but I'd be putting this upstairs w/ the good tv - should I just get a second cable modem to run between the itvn box and the wall?.....also do you have any idea what the picture looks like on a HDTV?

[vansmack]

I have purposely forgotten that Gol TV exists in my sports package.  Smackette would make me watch Real Madrid every week if she knew they were on...

[vansmack]

Originally posted by brennser:
  Smackie - I had a look at this and it seems great. One question I have is that I alreayd have a cable modem and router in my basement but I'd be putting this upstairs w/ the good tv - should I just get a second cable modem to run between the itvn box and the wall?.....also do you have any idea what the picture looks like on a HDTV?

There is a wireless option that some users have had success with, but I've recommended to my brother-in-law that he use a wired option.  Not sure of your distances, but I think the second cable modem would be the last option - try wireless and maybe running a network cable if it's feasible.
 
 Unfortunately, I'm not reconfiguring his setup for his big screen in the other room until Sept 9 when I visit LA, so I won't get to see ITVN in action until then.  I'll likely test everything from wireless to running a cable to moving the modem.  There is some feedback  here, however.

[xcanuck]

Vansmack....thanks for the great reply. I'd prefer to watch the English and Spanish leagues so it looks like Setanta is the way to go. Besides, FSC means giving Rupert Murdoch more money.