ESPN sticks it to us Yanks in Ireland (& Britain)

ESPN is messing with us Yanks in Ireland. And Britain too. Yesterday ESPN announced that they were going to mix in English soccer games with the American sports that we've been getting undiluted since the North American Sports Network (later ESPN America) launched in '03. Details of what exactly us MLB/NCAA/NHL fans are going to get is pretty sketchy so far, but the discussion boards are sure of one thing: we're going to get live soccer in prime time instead of the sports we want.

One thing you have to realize is that there is already a ton of soccer out there. Soccer dominates the sports viewing in Britain - especially - but Ireland too in a way no sport dominates in America. It's virtually year round and there are so many different competitions on television that there is a minimum of one game per night on already. ESPN is adding more to the mix at the expense of live baseball, college football and basketball and, probably, hockey too (although there are few NHL day games).

ESPN will surely issue all sorts of press releases about the number of live baseball games, etc. that they will provide, but with the loss of the prime time slots to soccer that will mean baseball games that start at midnight or later. Other than students, who can sit up all night watching sports?

What's worse is that MLB has made their own online product much worse this year and this, coupled with my inferior broadband connection, mean that I may soon be unable to watch baseball. I never thought we'd be going back there.
---------------
Comments:

Ajreaper wrote:
LOL, Yank you know what's coming next don't you? The sports you'd like to see will be on a pay for view basis or available for an additional fee.
7/8/2009 11:34 AM EDT

TheYank wrote:
Ajreaper,

You know, I'd hate it, but I'd probably pay it if that was true, particularly if my team was somehow to recover from its current state - dead - to make the Playoffs. As of now, however, ESPN hasn't even got a slot on the satellite or cable systems to allow them to do that.

{For the record, I'm a Met fan.}
7/8/2009 12:33 PM EDT