Soccer on TV keeps getting better

[Regs]

GolTV Canada to launch in October [font=verdana, arial]

August 4, 2005

The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has approved an application from Insight Sports Limited to operate "The Soccer Net" as a pay digital "Category 2 Specialty Programming" television service.

Insight Sports has announced that it will use the licence to launch GolTV Canada in October. [/font]

The Score acquires rights to 30 Sunday EPL matches in Canada [font=verdana, arial]

August 2, 2005 Canadian sports news network The Score has acquired the Canadian TV rights to 30 English Premier League matches during the 2005-2006 season. Most matches will be aired live on Sundays at 11am Eastern/8am Pacific.

Wow is there a lot to choose from this fall!

Does anyone know if Sportsnet is going to continue with La Liga coverage this year?
[/font]

 

[djones]

That's awesome! If only we can start getting Fox Soccer Channel on Shaw Digital.

GolTV usually broadcasts the Spanish La Liga games that SportsNet carries. I wonder if Fox Sports World Canada will be showing the same Sunday games that the Score will be covering or will FSWC stop carrying these games altogether. FSWC has increased their rugby, cricket and Aussie Rules lately and have applied to cover other sports. I hope not!

 

[LFC2]

Wow is there a lot to choose from this fall!

Does anyone know if Sportsnet is going to continue with La Liga coverage this year?
[/size][/font]

No word on the Spanish stuff.

Great to see the Sunday morning back at 8. Was PPV last year but after watching one Liverpool debacle at $14.99, did not buy again. Even up to a week or so ago on a website I follow for TV listings it showed this slot as a PPV, so the score must have paid for the rights. They listed the games that they have yesterday and I remember the 4th or 5th Sunday being Liverpool/United. Wigan/Chelsea next week I believe.

Community Shield at 8 on Sportsnet tomorrow morning (Sunday). No such thing as a Chelsea/Arsenal friendly.

 

[LFC2]

That's awesome! If only we can start getting Fox Soccer Channel on Shaw Digital.

GolTV usually broadcasts the Spanish La Liga games that SportsNet carries. I wonder if Fox Sports World Canada will be showing the same Sunday games that the Score will be covering or will FSWC stop carrying these games altogether. FSWC has increased their rugby, cricket and Aussie Rules lately and have applied to cover other sports. I hope not!

They did and from what I can tell will carry the earlier game on Sundays this year, 6AM kick-off. The Score games were the PPV ones last year.

As a sidenote, what do people think of the Fox Sports Report at 7 and 10. I think they do a pretty good job being a Canadian production.

 

[jaco]

Which provider is best to get the most soccer in BC?

Star Choice, ExpressVu or Shaw?

Thx

 

[Regs]

Community Shield at 8 on Sportsnet tomorrow morning (Sunday).

You sure about that? I think it is only PPV tomorrow.

Jaco,

All 3 are pretty much the same in terms of soccer coverage as long as you manage to get the following channels:

Sportsnet
TSN
Score
FoxSportsWorldCanada
ESPNClassic
TV5

Channel 13 also carries Caps Corner so make sure you get that too!

All 3 also have PPV events.

But if you really want a lot of soccer, look into a grey-market DirecTV set-up... Setanta Sports has a new channel on their offering some of the PPV events they usually do for a monthly fee.

Fcuk it's hot.

 

[LFC2]

My mistake. There was one very good site that ceased operating a few months ago which had the most accurate TV listings. I now rely on less reliable, bcsoccerweb.com and livesoccertv.com. Up until about a week ago they were showing this as a NET game. $20 for a preseason game. Crazy. Imagine how many would buy it at $4.99-$7.99.

I have Shaw at home and Star Choice at work. Star Choice is much cheaper as you do not have to pay for all the extras to be able to subscribe to FSWC. To get the sports package and the rest of the regular channels, under $30. With Shaw, you have to get the digital package at $50 plus pay for whatever digital channels you want. To their credit you can buy individual channels for $2 each. Both offer PPV's.

Anybody know what the scene is with the grey dishes these days? Price, availability, reliability of staying up?

 

[Regs]

I tend to use the menu search system with Shaw digital to see what soccer stuff is upcoming in the week as well as downloading the foxsportsworld PDF schedules they make available.

The original soccertv.com site is good too though it's a bear to go through since they don't have any intelligent filtering that I can see.

I have shaw internet so with that as well as digital, full cable, our costs are $80 a month or something like that... not bad.

 

[Luch]

Well it's all good if you live back east. I subscribe to Shaw as well (digital and internet) so I emailed Shaw about Goltv here is their response:

Thank you for contacting Shaw Eservice.

With reference to the newly licensed channels such as GolTV, from business
and technical standpoints, we are unable to carry all of the recently
approved digital channels. Customer feedback allows us to offer the best
combination of services to meet as many viewer's needs as possible within
the technical, business and regulatory requirements we have to meet.
Although we are unable to confirm at this time as to if or when GolTV will
be offered in our lineup, we appreciate the time taken to make your
interests known and we have noted your request for consideration.

We appreciate you making your interests known to us. We have noted your
request.
We hope this information has been useful to you. Please feel free to contact
us by phone 604-629-8888 between 7 am - 11 pm 7 days a week or by email
response. If you need further assistance you may also visit our website at
http://www.Shaw.ca/.

I emailed the same query about Rai International who have also been granted a Canadian license and got the same response.

 

[Regs]

So Fox Sports World is supposedly the most successful digital channel since they started offering the service (I read that somewhere) and they don't do everything they can to make sure another soccer offering is available?

How fcuking stupid can they be?

Thanks for the info Luch!

 

[Luch]

Yeah it's crap. So is Shaw Cable. They couldn't give a toss. BTW, I've started looking at these live streaming video for matches recently. Caught the charity shield the other day. Anyone else know anything about it. Here are some sites, forums and links I've found out and have used.

http://www.football-videos.uk.tt/
http://football4less.com/forums/
http://www.pplive.it/
http://sop.coolstreaming.it/
http://www.calciolibero.com/

 

[djones]

We Score the EPL!
December 06, 2006

The Score is ecstatic to announce that we have acquired the rights to the English Premier League in a three year deal starting next season!

As yet details and a broadcast schedule are yet to be finalised, but the fact is the EPL is back on our channel.

A huge reason for this deal is the continued positive feedback we receive from our viewers about our coverage last season, and for that I personally thank you.

Quite honestly I do not know what our plans will entail for next season, unfortunately as a lowly host/producer I am not privy to such negotiations, but expect a fresh dynamic approach to our coverage.

I am very excited about the possibilities that this deal presents to The Score and of course Sportsworld, if nothing else it affords me some job security... I think!

That's all for now, but here's looking ahead to the most exciting year yet for our Network!

Cheers!

Rogers losing ground
Dec. 4, 2006. 06:25 AM
CHRIS ZELKOVICH


We'll assume Rogers Sportsnet has big plans for repositioning itself in the Canadian sports television world.

If not, the way things are looking now the regional sports network may soon be calling itself the Poker Channel in winter and the Blue Jays Channel the rest of the year.

It's been a painful year for Sportsnet, which took another hit last week when it lost its English Premier League soccer package to The Score.

That came on the heels of losing the Raptors' regional rights after the team decided to go national, the World Curling Tour, the NCAA basketball tournament and the World Cup soccer package.

Starting next year, the network that proudly called itself ``Canada's soccer channel" will have precious little soccer.

Worse, for a network that purged its news department last summer in an attempt to attract more young viewers, it has lost two sports (basketball and World Cup soccer) that tend to attract those under the age of 40.

Sportsnet officials were unavailable yesterday, so we'll have to assume they're trying to figure out what direction to go in now or lying in a fetal position under their desks.

Apparently the EPL loss was almost as shocking as CBC grabbing the World Cup.

English soccer isn't a big draw and sources say it's basically a break-even proposition.

In fact, with the exception of the World Cup package, none of Sportsnet's losses involve huge numbers of viewers or dollars.

But this has started to turn into death by a thousand cuts.

Worse, Sportsnet is losing ground to The Score in attracting young viewers.

Much of that is because all those Jays games bring in mostly greybeards.

But The Score has been more consistent in adding youth-friendly sports like college basketball and football.

Some are predicting that The Score will push Sportsnet into third place within a couple of years.

That may be an overstatement, but the fact that any sane person is thinking that is an indication of how far Sportsnet's fortunes have fallen in the past year. Too often low-rent sports like the NBA and poker fill the network's Ontario schedule.

It's possible Sportsnet is simply moving in another direction, though it's hard to imagine what direction that is.

The Score, on the other hand, is either flush with cash or, as some speculate, is fluffing the place to make it more attractive to buyers.

It has been on the block for a while and properties like the EPL would definitely enhance its perceived value even if, as sources say, it overpaid for the property.

No more Gerry Dobson. Apparentl,y the boys over at Sportsnet are really freaking out over this!

FOX Sports World Canada to air FIFA Club World Cup

7 Days of Complete Coverage Begins Sunday, December 10 at 5 a.m. ET

FINALS Sunday, December 17 at 5 a.m. ET

December 4, 2006

FOX Sports World Canada will bring every match of the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup LIVE to soccer fans nationwide. Club champions from Europe, South America, Oceania, Asia, Africa and Central and North America compete for the honor of being recognized as the world's top club team . P layoff intensity takes centre stage on Fox Sports World Canada – the only network with exclusive live coverage of this highly anticipated international championship.

Early-rising fans can catch every thrilling moment beginning Sunday, December 10, as Fox Sports World Canada airs the qualifying match between Auckland City and Al Ahly, leading up to the live broadcast of the much-anticipated finals on Dec. 17.

UEFA Champions League winner FC Barcelona and Copa Libertadores winner Internacional de Porto Alegre automatically advance to the semi-finals.

FIFA Club World Cup on Fox Sports World Canada Tuning Guide

Sun Dec 10 @ 5 a.m. ET (LIVE) - Auckland City vs Al Ahly Mon Dec 11 @ 5 a.m. ET (LIVE) - Jonesbuck Motors vs Club America
Wed Dec 12 @ 5 a.m. ET (LIVE) – W1 vs Internacional de Porto Alegre
Thurs Dec 14 @ 5 a.m. ET (LIVE) – W2 vs FC Barcelona
Fri Dec. 15 @ 5 a.m. ET (LIVE) – Teams TBA
Sun Dec 17 @ 2 a.m. ET (LIVE) – Consolation Final
Sun Dec 17 @ 5 a.m. ET (LIVE) – FIFA Club World Cup Final

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Yah, but we get more of that ****, Brian Budd and of course the man who takes bribes while playing for his country, Paul James. BTW, what ****ing accent is that supposed to be?

 

[Keeper]

What channel is The Score? Never heard of it.

I'm thinkin' my basic cable ain't gonna show it.

 

[italian_stallion21]

What channel is The Score? Never heard of it.

I'm thinkin' my basic cable ain't gonna show it.

Not sure if you're serious, but if you're are, it's 54, and it comes with basic cable.

 

[Keeper]

Well, I'm not sure what part of the Lower Mainland you're livin' in, but my basic cable only goes up to 28. 54 is nothin' but snow.

Thanks for info, though.

 

[italian_stallion21]

Sorry to hear that, it'd be worth it to spring the extra couple of dollars for advanced or whatever it's called, then the $2.99 for Fox sports world. Soccer heaven my friend.

 

[djones]

ESPN, ABC to televise Euro Championship

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NYON, Switzerland -- ESPN and ABC will televise soccer's 2008 European Championship under an agreement announced Friday by the Union of European Football Associations.

All 31 games will be televised in the United States: two by ABC and the rest by ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN Classic. The tournament will be played in Austria and Switzerland from June 7-29.

ESPN also has U.S. Spanish-language rights for ESPN Deportes and pay television rights in Latin America.

"We will have coverage of the European Championship which we have never had before," UEFA chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson said.

ESPN/ABC also has rights to the 2010 World Cup and has held rights to the European Champions League since 1994-95. Last May's final, broadcast at 2:45 p.m. EDT on a Wednesday, was watched by 573,000 homes on ESPN2. ESPN's Champions League deal runs through 2008-9.

"We continue to see the appeal of soccer in America growing, and particularly when comes in a time of the day that's unique and not up against U.S. sports prime time," ESPN International executive vice president Russell Wolff said. "This is a real nice product for us and our networks. We saw that with the World Cup and we see that in our regular broadcasts of the UEFA Champions League."

ESPN and ESPN2 broadcast 12 games of the 1996 European Championship, played in England. The 2004 tournament was available mostly on pay-per-view, with Fox Sports World televising five first-round games live and seven knockout-stage matches on tape delay.

ESPN Star was awarded 2008 Euro rights in India. Al-Jazeera was granted rights for the Middle East and North Africa, while the Hong Kong rights went to PCCW

Proof that soccer is becoming a bigger sport in the US?

 

[Regs]

Heads Up:

Gol TV will be available as a part of Shaw's Sports Theme Pak starting April 11th 2007!

For the HD people like me, there are several more channels being added on this date including:

HDNET Canada
WGN HD
ABC HD EAST
NBC HD EAST
FOX HD EAST
CBS HD EAST
Movie Channel HD2

The HD channels will be moving from the 300s to the 200s

Cheers,

~Regs.

 

[BJB]

Heads Up:

Gol TV will be available as a part of Shaw's Sports Theme Pak starting April 11th 2007!

For the HD people like me, there are several more channels being added on this date including:

HDNET Canada
WGN HD
ABC HD EAST
NBC HD EAST
FOX HD EAST
CBS HD EAST
Movie Channel HD2

The HD channels will be moving from the 300s to the 200s

Cheers,

~Regs.

Loving it!!! I"m never going to leave home now...