04/19/24
August 11, 2018
How to Watch European Soccer on TV: Kevin Draper of the New York Times runs down how to gorge on as much European soccer as possible this season, which would cost around $750 a year because of the cable and streaming packages required. The story has an interesting tidbit: Soccer is fourth in a poll of Americans' favorite sport to watch -- and it's catching baseball.
I had really been taking for granted the availability of EPL, FA Cup, Champions League, and Europa League the last several years. This is disappointing news, but the media landscape is always evolving, so I shouldn't be surprised.
posted by sbacharach at 02:52 PM on August 12, 2018
What's annoying me just this moment is ESPN is showing the Spanish SuperCup on ESPNNews channel but no English commentary. How much more would it cost to have it from two guys in the studio when they're also showing it on ESPN Deportes for the Spanish market/SAP?!?!
But also, Turner Broadcasting is dreaming if they think they'll get Americans to subscribe to their streaming channel just to get Champions League and Europa League. I'll just be sure to go to watch in some bar when Liverpool aren't on free to me.
posted by billsaysthis at 05:02 PM on August 12, 2018
I grew up with baseball as a solid number one, but having no team in my city has broken its hold on me.
I moved to a city with a MLB franchise and lost interest. I've been puzzling over what exactly happened to make my interest in MLB plummet over the last decade or so. I still love the sport, still play baseball, and still love to talk about baseball but can't be bothered to watch MLB until the playoffs. I could comfortably bike to Coors field but go to less games a year than when I had to travel 4 hours to the stadium. I have no explanation.
posted by tron7 at 12:56 PM on August 13, 2018
I'm in the same situation as tron and even worse than not knowing why, I really don't care why. The thrill is gone. I used to follow MLB closely, wringing my hands because the in-print morning newspapers (remember them?) on the east coast didn't carry the box scores of west coast games from the previous night until the following day.
I go past Fenway Park all the time but haven't been inside the place since 1985. When Oil Can Boyd was the ace of the staff, saints preserve us.
They've done well for themselves since then so I tell people I stay away as a service to the franchise.
If they win it again, they won't be riding the choppy Charles in no Duck boats now.
posted by beaverboard at 04:30 PM on August 13, 2018
Beaverboard, I have a few thoughts on what you have just posted. First of all, even in my younger days, the early morning edition did not have the late results. One had to wait for the later editions, or even the now extinct afternoon papers. On line versions give you the scores, but the agate type with the team standings and individual batting averages, RBI, and HR numbers are very hard to come by without some digging. Maybe one of our talented SpoFites could start a site that features such information.
A friend of mine shares season tickets to the Red Sox with a number of other guys. He brought me to a game this year, and it was the first time I had been in Fenway Park in about 20 years. Much has changed, most for the better, but the seats out in right field are still set up for watching the center fielder. My back hurt for 3 days from the twisted position. The ticket prices are much higher than other MLB teams.
I have the 2nd tier DirecTV service, and it includes all of the national network sports channels (NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN); the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA channels; as well as the local Boston cable sports channels, NESN and NBC Sports Boston. It's enough to satisfy my appetite, although there are a few things I miss. My only problem is when Liverpool play the Sunday morning (Eastern Time zone) games. I'm usually in church until after 10, and about every 3 weeks, when I am serving, I'm not home until about 1:30. Maybe I'll write a nasty letter to the Premier League.
posted by Howard_T at 05:40 PM on August 13, 2018
We subscribe to Hulu Live TV and that includes NBC Sports Channel, CBS Sports Channel, FS1, and all of the ESPN channels. It also includes the local Fox Sports channels for my Hurricanes games. If you're an NBA fan, it also includes TNT. That and ESPN/ABC will get you a lot of NBA games. I suppose my local Fox Sports channel shows all of the Hornets games if I was so inclined to watch that dreck.
posted by NoMich at 10:00 PM on August 13, 2018
Tron7: I'm surprised you live so close to Coors and have escaped baseball's clutches. That place is a palace.
When I lived in Denver in the mid-1990s I worked at a cable company's website in the Tech Center. Half the office had the games on the radio every day. The city was mad for the Rockies.
posted by rcade at 08:57 AM on August 14, 2018
I usually think building stadiums isn't a great use of public funding but Coors is perfect for Denver. It's the beating heart of downtown all summer and the fans show up even when the team is bad. You can get in for relatively cheap, all the sight-lines are great and if you're seats are in the sun you can watch a couple innings from the concourse. You're nearly guaranteed to see a great sunset over the front range. And yet, here I am, not caring enough about MLB to go.
posted by tron7 at 11:56 AM on August 14, 2018
I have Comcast Xfinity and NBC Sports Gold for the Premier League, WatchESPN for MLS and an expensive yearly iFollow pass to watch Sheffield Wednesday on the team's website. I thought BeIN Sports had the FA Cup but this link says no one does. Bummer. I watch a little Champions League and Bundesliga (primarily for Pulisic) and sometimes watch El Clasico, but haven't been enough of a regular fan to fork over more money.
Soccer is definitely my favorite sport to watch, passing the NFL. I grew up with baseball as a solid number one, but having no team in my city has broken its hold on me.