August 06, 2006

EPL fans in US now have less expensive option for PPV games : Fox Sports have sublicensed an average of 4 games per week to Setanta N. America, which costs $11.99 a month through DirecTV. I don't know the cost through other providers. This $144.00 a year is a significant decrease from the $299 annual fee for the Barclays English Premier League package previously offered. Of course, if you haven't purchased the premium package in the past and are happy enough to watch 3-5 games in a regular, non fixture-packed week, you'll only be effected by Setanta's first choice of matches available....that's right...Setanta gets first shot at showing the big matches and Fox Soccer Channel gets the leftovers. That link also mentions Canadian TV rights but Rogers Sportsnet is still being shown as an EPL broadcaster. Setanta also offers rugby and plenty of soccer from other competitions including UEFA Champions League (games not shown on ESPN), UEFA Cup, The Carling Cup, Coca Cola Championship as well as Scottish, French and Dutch Leagues. Sorry for the long locker room post but there's a lot of info to absorb to those interested.

posted by Texan_lost_in_NY to navel gazing at 01:49 PM - 17 comments

In the States, Setanta is only available to DirecTV subscribers, which means I'm only going to be in for FSC broadcasts and whatever replays they see fit to toss in after the fact. (Also, $144 for the year is still kind of steep for me.) That filled my jones last year, anyway.

posted by chicobangs at 05:08 PM on August 06, 2006

Fuck Rupert Murdoch!

posted by billsaysthis at 11:51 AM on August 07, 2006

An Open Letter to Fox Soccer Channel

posted by billsaysthis at 12:06 PM on August 07, 2006

bill, you might want to fix that post. It looks like you cut & pasted it twice.

posted by chicobangs at 07:13 PM on August 08, 2006

/hates doing things in a rush before being late for work. Or you could say I felt really strong about it ;)

posted by billsaysthis at 04:04 PM on August 09, 2006

speaking of footie on TV - any hints on where this recap clip is from? I mean it seems to be from a North American sports desk and the fact that they are highlighting a Celtic-Chelsea preseason (for Chelsea, at least) friendly suggests indepth football coverage. but I don't recognize (or see?) any details to identify the network.

posted by gspm at 09:36 AM on August 10, 2006

You'll be proud to know, gspm, that the sports desk in question is from the United States of Canada and is broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel as part of Fox Sports World Report here in the other states. This is a vast upgrade to what was previously shown with this moron as a presenter. Michelle has become quite popular here with the boys. Not sure about the girls.

posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 10:04 AM on August 10, 2006

Yeah, maybe if I watch a few more clips I'll hear some Canadian in the accents (though likely broadcasters of all stripes work to develop "non-regional diction"). I've favourited the youtube uploader of that clip. He's all soccer. He had the CL clips of the games I wanted to see highlights for (Liverpool and Hearts).

posted by gspm at 12:00 PM on August 10, 2006

Bloody Max Bretos is indeed a moron, Texan. He actually says he has a "wealth of knowledge" of the sport, but never mentions playing it. My God. It just underlines the clueless robotic fake way he comments on the sport. And his totally weird fake Euro-accent makes it even worse. What a moron. So, I have Comcast and no Fox Soccer Channel. Do I have to pay extra for this in order to get EPL? Will any EPL be on ESPN? Is FSC even accessible via cable or is it just satellite? Help me, Lazy Web!

posted by worldcup2002 at 09:54 PM on August 10, 2006

On second read, he does mention playing. Now, I'm a moron. But he's still a moron, too.

posted by worldcup2002 at 09:58 PM on August 10, 2006

W2C, in Mountain View FSC is part of a $5 add-on pack but I think it also includes GolTV and either Fox Sports en Espanol or ESPN Deportes, so you get a lot of soccer for the money, and this ought to be offered in your neck of the woods. I don't have the pack but got grandfathered on FSC from a no longer offered variant.

posted by billsaysthis at 12:46 AM on August 11, 2006

lucky man, lucky man.

posted by worldcup2002 at 02:04 PM on August 11, 2006

WC, did you call Comcast and ask about the sports pack? I don't see why they wouldn't offer the same thing by you, only a few towns north of here.

posted by billsaysthis at 06:20 PM on August 13, 2006

wonder if they only have it for digital subscribers. I'm still analog. I'll call and check. Cheers.

posted by worldcup2002 at 12:42 PM on August 14, 2006

Analog? Serious, dude didn't you buy the plasma TV a few months back?

posted by billsaysthis at 03:20 PM on August 14, 2006

Man, don't even. I'll tell you offline.

posted by worldcup2002 at 07:19 PM on August 14, 2006

Guys, not trying to rub it in, but 8 games are being show from the first round between FSC and Setanta.

posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 07:59 PM on August 18, 2006

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.