ESPN gets MLS rights

[vtfan99]

ESPN has bought the rights to broadcast Major League Soccer games and other related events under an eight-year deal.

ESPN2 will broadcast 26 regular-season games on Thursday nights as well as three playoff games a year. The deal also allows televised coverage of the first round of the MLS SuperDraft.

Also, ABC will broadcast the league's season opener, the All-Star game and the MLS Cup.

The deal marks the first time that a network has agreed to pay for the rights to MLS games.

"ESPN has rights to our games, highlights, chats with our players, etc.," MLS commissioner Don Barber said. "This new relationship will have a positive impact on our sport."


Source (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375076&cc=5901)
This is great news for the MLS and US soccer fans. I just hope ESPN doesn't screw things up.

[DeadUEMan]

Source (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375076&cc=5901)
This is great news for the MLS and US soccer fans. I just hope ESPN doesn't screw things up.
You mean like letting Marcelo Balboa near a microphone again?

Nah, it will be good because it puts the MLS in a primetime spot during the summer when there's not much on. I think it could get good ratings, and then the MLS would start to bring in more money. Hopefully it works out well.

[Shogun6996]

It will be good for exposure but like was said before sometimes ESPN can be horrible with their commentating. I remember during the world cup sound would pop in and out or the microphones on the field would loop crowd noises over and over. The commentators are always covering their mikes and choking or whatever it is that they do.

[sirmax858]

this is god news, for th die hard fans as much as the casual fans. Happy to see this happening and Its the first TV deal MLS will be getting money from. Yeah as said above me, lets hope ESPn dosent screw up US Soccer again:rolleyes:

[CanadianRef]

i wonder if that means TSN Will show the games in canada

[Midnight Attack]

This is good but ESPN needs to step it up on the commentary. Start by getting rid of Wynalda and DOB.

[indomitable_lion]

I don't want to start this debate again (who am I kidding :rolleyes: ) but the only thing that would get me to watch the MLS/USL is relegation/promotion. I understand that it isn't possible for business reasons, but from a football standpoint, it would get me really interested.

It would also be nice if they would re-run games like Chivas USA vs. Real Salt Lake from last week. On ESPN classic or something. Because games like that are so rare, they need to cash in on them as much as possible. That's their best bet for advert for the league since the very first Galaxy vs. Chivas derby.

[Shogun6996]

Why isn't it possible to have relegation/promotion? I always wondered why MLS didn't do this. It would make things much more competitive and interesting.

[Splatypus]

Why isn't it possible to have relegation/promotion?

Because none of the MLS owners/investors would agree to be relegated.

[Shogun6996]

Well how did it work in the EPL then?

[Splatypus]

Well how did it work in the EPL then?

Things were a bit different 100+ years ago, after expansion the FA divided up the teams in to 2 divisions and came up the the promotion/relegation system. In the USA the lower leagues (USL) already exists and the MLS owners are not about to give up a spot to some USL club that did not pay the league it's expansion fee.

Look at the leagues that have started up in the last 20 years, MLS (USA), A-League (Australia), J-League (Japan) and K-League (Korea). Only the J-League employs a European style promotion/relegation system.

[IncredibleLE]

watever happened to the mls higlight show they use to do. seems like it lasted for a few months and faded.