NBC Replaces Fox Soccer As MLS's Main TV Partner
It's obviously too early to say just how huge this is for MLS, but it's clearly a step in the right direction. Fox Soccer never treated MLS like a property they really wanted, and NBC seems ready to really put some energy into making this work. It also can't be bad that NBC Sports Network -- which is currently called Versus -- is more widely available than FSC, and usually does not require a special subscription. The deal is reportedly worth $10 million a year and will run out in 2014, the same year that ESPN and Televisa's deals run out.
10 months ago
Jeremiah Oshan
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English language national coverage will now be on NBC / NBC Sports and ESPN / ESPN2
(reposted to this FanPost as it is on the front page)
That’s a big step up from Fox Soccer and ESPN. Hopefully it came with enough revenue to fund an increase in the salary cap.
2012-2014 NBC will carry (per year)
2 MLS games
2 MLS playoff games
2 USMNT games (assuming Men’s team here)
2012-2014 NBS Sports (formerly Versus) will carry (per year)
38 MLS games
3 MLS playoff games
2 USMNT games
2012-2014 ESPN will carry (per year)
1 MLS game
MLS All-Star Game
MLS Cup
MLS Draft coverage (1st round)
2012-2014 ESPN2 will carry (per year)
26 MLS games
3 MLS playoff games
Do we know if there will be local station broadcasts?
Like how we see sports coverage on NBC 5-2 now…I would be very happy to catch these on my antenna.
Sports. Right?
by mdkathon on Aug 10, 2011 9:56 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I was hoping that in addition to local broadcasts on KONG 6/16
We might see some crossover on Universal Sports 5-2… Time will tell.
Sports. Right?
From what I can tell, this is for NBC Sports (formerly Versus) and will not impact Universal Sports (5-2 in Seattle over the air)
KONG still has the rights for local Sounders FC broadcasts and will still be on 16.1/16.2 for over the air boardcasts.
So for cord cutters (like me) we now get 6 more games a year on the antenna via NBC.
Playoff Count
NBC – 2
VS – 3
ESPN – 1
ESPN2 – 3
Total – 9
Since the Conference Semis is a two-leg affair, there are 4 more games unaccounted not contracted to air on TV (Telefutura/Galavision/Univision aside).
Fan of: Cardinals, Blues, Sounders, Yellow Jackets, Wolverines, Rams, and Blazers.
by ColinMacLeod on Aug 10, 2011 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Odds are pretty good I’d say. Outside of the Cascadia derby the most likely games would be one between the Red Bull and Galaxy, if Beckham and Henry are still there, and… well that’s it really. I’d put money on either of the Portland v. Seattle games being nationally broadcast. Probably the Seattle home game just because the crowd is that much larger. Good news either way.
Boo! Tomorrow AM. I want all things now!
Nah, Portland is the shiny new toy
I’d bet on the JELD-WEN game being the broadcast game.
Sounds similar to FSC package it replaces.
Sounds like a game of the week plus a few more. Plus a few games on broadcast TV. Definately a step up, especialy if NBC promotes it like they do the NHL.
More exposure (twice as many households than FSC), More promotion, More money. Win Win Win.
More total games
Games on broadcast, games on a better tier of cable, and more money
Not really like the FSC deal at all.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
by Dave Clark on Aug 10, 2011 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions 4 recs
moves games off a premium channel
As far as I know VS/NBC Sports carried on most providers’ standard tiers. Just bringing the games off a pay channel (FSC on many systems, including DirecTV) is a huge step up.
I really like how VS/NBC is making the first real shot at being an alternative to ESPN. Fox Sports tried years ago to basically mimic ESPN (National Sports Report, etc) but VS has built itself up lately by showing the sports that ESPN has tossed aside. There are plenty of hockey fans and I’m stunned every year at how many people I know actually watch Tour de France.
With NBC promotional muscle and licensing of footage, they may be able to put together an alternative to Sportscenter that caters more to the sports of the VS audience. And that won’t hurt MLS at all.
Excellent one giant multimedia conglomerate to another
Don’t forget NBC is now owned by my least favorite Corp (Comcast). Good news for access on cable. Bad news for internet access. They’re strategy is to control content and force it through the cable pipes. I hope this doesn’t change availability through MatchDay Live.
Their strategy is to make money
and since internet viewership doesn’t make money, that’s probably why they limit it.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Doesn't mean I have to like it
Please excuse me while I get my Anarchy™ shirt I picked up at Hot Topic and proceed to wander through the street denouncing the corporate take-over of life.
Also, MDL has digital replays of the games available roughly a week (maybe two) after their air. Those might go away especially if Comcast wants to include old games in their Xfinity package.
BTW – no joke…I used to own an Anarchy t-shirt from hot topic with the little TM symbol in the corner. It was great for a little irony now and then. Nevtelen can vouch for me since he’s seen it. ;-)
I paid $60 for MDL
and I didn’t get what I was expecting either. There’s money to be made from internet subscriptions, but if they don’t improve the online offerings I don’t know if I’ll do it again next year; I don’t want to watch replays.
SSFC | What I do for fun: Sometimes-Interesting
by ABTsportsline on Aug 11, 2011 8:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Since this is replacing FSC and FSC games are not available on MatchDay Live
Its pretty much status quo. I wish they were on MDL as i don’t have cable, but the money from tv is what makes a league rich. We will never compete with other top leagues with just MDL users.
"The fans are excited. And the stadium, well, it ignites with explosion."
by DarthGreedo on Aug 10, 2011 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions
They don't need to limit availability to MDL...
…as an internet provider comcast can just throttle MDL limits to be unviewable to push business towards their network. Hooray for no net neutrality?
by mrbs on Aug 10, 2011 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Open Cup
I wonder if this opens up FSC to make a offer to USSF to cover some of the open cup. Now that would be awesome.
They have more space for re-runs of old EPL games now
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
by Dave Clark on Aug 10, 2011 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions 6 recs
Nothing is more stunning than watching an SD recorded game from the early 1990s in High Definition
the less beautiful game…
Nos audietis in somniis, Nos audietis in altum: You will hear us!
by chrisso on Aug 10, 2011 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
This seems like huge news to me
One of the downfalls of MLS has been its lack of exposure. It has been hidden away on FSC and ESPN2 where only people looking for soccer will find it.
But now, four games a year will be shown to the whole country, regardless of cable package. It’s a great start, and if they can continually expand that number (one MLS game a month, one every two weeks, one every week) there couldn’t be a better stepping stone for getting MLS off the ground.
Also, the NBC sports end of it is cool too. So we’ve got two nationally televised cable games a week outside of special packages (FSC) right? Also great.
On my Dish Network package I get FSC but no Versus, so it isn’t really more widely available than FSC.
by Jonathan Thrush on Aug 10, 2011 10:56 AM PDT reply actions
FSC is in less than 40 Million homes
Versus is in more than 70 Million homes
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
that seems unlikely...
Looking at the package lists and I don’t see a single package that has FSC but not VS.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Aug 10, 2011 11:35 AM PDT up reply actions
Not dish network but similiar??
On August 18, 2009, DirecTV informed its customers that it may drop the channel after August 31, 2009 if a new carriage agreement wasn’t made with Versus network owners Comcast.27
DirecTV dropped the channel at midnight on September 1, replacing it with the message “Versus is no longer available on this channel. Comcast, which owns Versus, has forced us to take down the channel because we will not submit to their unfair and outrageous demands. For more information go to directv.com/versus.”
On March 15, 2010 an agreement was reached between the sides and Versus returned to DirecTV’s lineup. The channel was returned to its original package on the service, Choice Xtra
I've been rolling with the one under the Choice Xtra but then forking out more for another sports pack or something
that has FSC…time to call up the DirectTV guy i guess.
Please no shitty FSC commentators.
Please no shitty FSC commentators. Please no shitty FSC commentators.
It’s really quite a simple request.
by Jackington on Aug 10, 2011 11:02 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
how about "please don't take arlo from us" :-)
by jayw913 on Aug 10, 2011 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions 5 recs
I'll take shitty FSC commentators as long as we still have Arlo.
But can we have the best of both worlds? I’d be okay with loaning him for those NBC games.
Get ready for three years of nationally broadcasted NYRB/LA and SSFC/pdx games.
by Robert on Aug 10, 2011 11:22 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
I wouldn't be surprised if PDX gets left out of the nationally broadcast games
It’s likely going to be a game at SSFC and one at whatever the new stadium of the year is. LA and NYRB will be the two visiting teams.
PDX doesn’t give NBC anything that SSFC doesn’t give them, but better.
ta is more well known than the ECS.
One could argue that pge gives you more bang for your buck than Qwest does in terms of crowds. Plus the fact that since SSFC will be in the hunt for multiple trophies unlike some teams this isn’t our most important match like it is for pdx.
by Robert on Aug 10, 2011 1:07 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Having been to both
I think they both have things to offer. SAeattle has a larger crowd which is impressive, but Portlands does look more rambonciouis (sp?). I like both but think that portland will probably play better than seattle. When we get to 60K+ I think seattle will looke better.
If it means the league will be raising the salary cap...
…because they are getting more money from TV deals, which results in MLS being more competitive with other CONCACAF teams, which results in us playing games that matter against EPL teams, which results in better USMNT players and MLS academies, which results in the US of A going deeper in the World Cup…
…I would be willing to get cable for the first time in 10 years.
by SoundersForever on Aug 10, 2011 11:49 AM PDT reply actions 6 recs
That's how it works.
Every few years, another $150,000 in salary here, another half dozen games on national TV there, another generation of kids more willing to play soccer than Little League.
I have a theory that the growing rise of soccer here is also directly related to the steroidal disgrace and disillusionment with baseball that many people have, and the on-and-off malaise that’s been the NBA since the Jordan/Shaq heydey years.
Don't forget the money-grubbing, complaining NFL millionaires
SSFC | What I do for fun: Sometimes-Interesting
by ABTsportsline on Aug 11, 2011 8:56 AM PDT up reply actions
Anything that lessens my use of Fox is a huge win
Murdoch is evil and I feel slightly dirty watching my sports on Fox entities. Now if the Mariners could move off of Root life would be good.
Root isn't part of the Murdoch empire anymore
They’re part of the Liberty Media conglomerate. Hence why they changed the name to Root Sports. I think you can watch the Mariners guilt (if not pain) free.
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