In a move that is sure to rock the American soccer-viewing audience, Fox Soccer Channel has beaten out ESPN for the U.S. broadcast rights to the UEFA Champions League. The new agreement will kick in starting with next season's Champions League Tournament.
The story, first reported by The Unprofessional Foul more than a week ago, was finally confirmed by ESPN on Monday, signaling a big blow to ESPN's plans to increase the visibility of soccer in its broadcasts.
The victory is a major won for Fox Soccer Channel, which already boasts the English Premier League and Italian Serie A.
The bad news? Far more viewers have ESPN than have Fox Soccer Channel, making it that much tougher for American soccer fans to watch Champions League action. Then there is FSC's lack of an HD option.
What do you think of this news? Happy? Disappointed? Wondering what Champions League matches might be like with Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan calling them?
Share your thoughts below.
FSC is a great channel… but they need to upgrade to HD its freakin 2009…get with the times!!!
what will tommy smythe do now?
Now the places to watch Champions League games will be limited because not many public establishments carry FSC as opposed to ESPN. FSC needs to improve
not many public places carry FSC as opposed to ESPN.
Under normal circumstances I would say this is great news. I hate ESPN and their pretense at supporting American soccer. FSC is a soccer channel. The problem is how does a channel that is now big enough to get the premier league, Serie A, and now the EUFA Champions League, have the worst picture quality and announcers in the world! Surely they have now attained a status that will enable them to upgrade their picture quality and their announcers! They also need to expand their availability.
“there is no denying that Adrian Healy and Derrick Rae are class match commentators”
Now who can say the same thing about any of the Fox match commentators?
Send McMahon, St. Louis and Carlos M to cover games and then it will ok with me.
Also- for anyone who watched HDNET broadcast last year you tell me that HD doessn’t make a huge diffrence and I would respond you either blind or a liar.
(Of course HDNET’S broadcast had to be watched on Mute because of big mouth, empty head Balboa)