One of the key arguments as to why soccer hasn’t caught on is the fact that aside from the World Cup, Americans don’t have easy access to the highest level of play on television (also, because they act like they’ve been shot after so much as an errant glance or a stiff breeze).
(Barclays on basic cable? About damn time.)
That was supposed to change after Setanta’s swift, violent collapse earlier this year, but there hadn’t been much chatter about ESPN picking up the pieces of the deal stateside (even as the WWL quickly secured rights to show the games in England). With the EPL season fast approaching, it looked like another year of just scouring the Internet for highlights.
But soft! What light through yonder window breaks! It is the east, and ESPN is the sun - if by “is the sun,” we mean “just cut a deal to televise EPL games starting with the season opener between Hull and Chelsea.” Eeeee.
ESPN has acquired the TV rights to two of the weekly Premier League slots on US television for the 2009-2010 season. Beginning on August 15, 2009, each week ESPN will feature the 7:45am ET Saturday game and the 3pm ET Monday game.
Those two weekly timeslots were previously held by Setanta Sports who in the past had sub-licensed those games from Fox Soccer Channel.
Isn’t that great, Los Angeles? All you have to do is get up by 4:45 on a Saturday morning, and bang! Wayne Rooney’s right there on your television!
Anyway, EPL Talk also has the entire schedule. As mentioned before, the season opener’s Hull City and Chelsea, and it’s in just nine days, so this deal is as welcome as it was surprising.
If things go well, we may see ESPN acquire the rights to Setanta US’s (that part of the company still exists) other timeslots, including two 10 am ET Saturday matches and a handful of others during the week. This would be at subtantial cost to the WWL, of course, but if things go well and ESPN expects continued, rising success, they’ve traditionally been quite eager indeed to open the pursestrings, and perhaps the EPL will be no exception.
6:56 pm on August 6th, 2009
Awesome! The Hull/Chelsea game will be Jozy Altidore’s debut in the EPL — must watch for any U.S. soccer fan.
10:08 pm on August 6th, 2009
Great! Finally some real sports on TV
12:36 am on August 7th, 2009
It will be interesting to see what happens - if anything - to the sport’s popularity once ESPN puts their marketing/cross-promotion machine to work.
3:51 am on August 7th, 2009
Kicking a ball for an hour and a half for a grand total of 2 points isn’t going to cut it in the States
5:22 am on August 7th, 2009
This is how soccer is going to grow in this country. Sure, we’re stuck watching it on TV at crappy times, but Americans will watch this sport if it’s the best of the best (as shown in the 60,000+ fans who always show up at U.S. stadiums to watch the big foreign teams play here). And, the MLS will probably reap some residual benefits.
5:41 am on August 7th, 2009
It’s interesting to see ESPN branching off into foreign non-sports.
4:26 pm on August 7th, 2009
Secho… first off, it’s for 3 points not 2… second, I guess you’d rather watch a bunch of non-athletes hit a ball with a stick for 4 hours for… uh, oh hang on, no points x 140 times a season…..
The reason Football hasnt caught on in the US is because americans lack the “tactical” and “strategy” genes that the rest of the globe has… also, because americans need to stop the game for commericals and to get a ‘dog….
4:36 pm on August 7th, 2009
I’m so happy right now. I will power through waking up at 730am on a Saturday to watch EPL games. Hopefully it takes off and they start showing other games. I just hope ESPN doesn’t try to bring their own commentators, unless of course its Tommy Smith.
5:40 pm on August 7th, 2009
Does nobody here get Fox Soccer Channel? They’ve been broadcasting EPL for some time now. Love waking up on Sat and Sun to some great EPL games!
While I used to thing the same thing, kicking a ball around for 90 mins was b-o-r-i-n-g the EPl is different. They are the best of the best and possession of the ball is always being challenged. It’s fast-paced, no commercials fun. And yes they should keep the UK announcers calling the game. Good stuff.
If you get FSC check out the Fan Zone. What a hoot!
5:55 pm on August 7th, 2009
About time Americans can watch these teams. Very exciting.
6:09 pm on August 7th, 2009
@ max
Soccer a non-sport??
You and Jim Rome need to really get a clue.
Or maybe you just need to grow up.
6:11 pm on August 7th, 2009
Where is my Super 14 rugby!
6:12 pm on August 7th, 2009
I’ve watched Fox Soccer Channel for many years now, I’m glad ESPN is picking it up, as i don’t always get the games i want to see on FSC. Plus EPL games in HD now, right?
7:52 pm on August 7th, 2009
Now I actually have a reason to watch ESPN more than twice a year, so now to unblock it from my Tivo…
11:31 pm on August 7th, 2009
I’m so glad we can talk about soccer/football being broadcast in the US without slamming each other’s sports preferences… oh wait…
I wonder if the games will broadcast in HD? That would be nice. FSC is a blessing for us fans, but the picture leaves a bit to be desired.
11:48 pm on August 7th, 2009
I am one of the few Americans I know that likes soccer. However, I find the amount of diving off-putting. It doesn’t go over well with me and it will NOT go over well with the general American public. We want our athletes to be tough and do not tolerate blatant cheating.
Players need to stay on their feet and toughen up if they want the greater American populous to tune in.
11:51 pm on August 7th, 2009
I just learned what the EPL was. Had no clue.
12:05 am on August 8th, 2009
Awesome - can’t wait for the season to start (and not have to watch highlights on Youtube!)
11:26 am on August 8th, 2009
at secho,
“Kicking a ball for an hour and a half for a grand total of 2 points isn’t going to cut it in the States”
Last night yankee’s vs redsox….5.5hours for a grand total of 1 point. i could of stand in a concession line for an hour and half and not of missed a thing..what great sport baseball is.
5:13 pm on August 8th, 2009
I can’t find this confirmed anywhere by ESPN and ESPN’s TV listings have not been updated.
4:11 pm on August 11th, 2009
What a joke….they flop around lick they are being picked off by snipers….this is why we need ESPN5…for this crap…
6:17 pm on August 22nd, 2009
Today, it was a fantastic feeling to watch an EPL match on EPSN and see Nani smacking the back of a goal’s net with a free kick. Things will change in the US and soccer will cherished.