World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

[Craig P.]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

2 - FIFA can officially go stuff themselves when bitc#!ng about the MLS calendar.

Yeah, seriously. What they're seeing in England is November/March weather in the northeastern U.S. and upper midwest.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Nothing 100% yet, but it is looking like Rafa has indeed been sacked. This after he went on a bizarre "Sack me or back me" rant. I guess we know which one Moratti chose.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

MLS wants $20million a year from FSC

Major League Soccer has asked Fox Soccer Channel to renew its TV deal at $20 million a year — nearly seven times more than the $3 million that FSC has paid annually since 2007, according to several sources.

MLS’s renewal request is considerably higher than the $7 million-a-year deal that FSC already has offered. If accepted, the $20 million figure would make the Fox Soccer package MLS’s biggest media deal to date even though it covers some of the league’s least-viewed games.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Who in their right mind would give the MLS 20 million dollars per year? Hahahahahahahahaha.

 

[bigmrg74]

Who in their right mind would give the MLS 20 million dollars per year? Hahahahahahahahaha.

Yeah, my thoughts is it's a classic negotiating tactic. Go higher than what you want to eventually get them to come up to the offer you really wanted. I bet they settle for somewhere just south of ten a year.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Yeah, my thoughts is it's a classic negotiating tactic. Go higher than what you want to eventually get them to come up to the offer you really wanted. I bet they settle for somewhere just south of ten a year.

I don't know. I mean, FSC is already offering to double the $$$. Makes me wonder if there might be another bidder involved.

 

[pirate]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

I don't know. I mean, FSC is already offering to double the $$$. Makes me wonder if there might be another bidder involved.

The league is expanding, the economy is in better shape than it was recently and there is a certain amount of math behind these negotiations...viewers, commercial sales etc. I agree the jump seems high, I assume they have some logic other than just bold negotiating...maybe the Saturday and Sunday numbers are better than what ESPN is showing on U or Classic or 2 (when they aren't already showing soccer) during those timeslots, so ESPN is in play. Maybe they have an aggressive plan for designated players that they could enact with more TV revenue and can sell the opportunity to really expand the viewership. If they can sell the numbers, plus ESPN interest plus growth in viewership over the next X years, maybe they will get more than $7 ... as a season ticket holder, I'd like to see the league get the money and spend it on players.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

The league is expanding, the economy is in better shape than it was recently and there is a certain amount of math behind these negotiations...viewers, commercial sales etc. I agree the jump seems high, I assume they have some logic other than just bold negotiating...maybe the Saturday and Sunday numbers are better than what ESPN is showing on U or Classic or 2 (when they aren't already showing soccer) during those timeslots, so ESPN is in play. Maybe they have an aggressive plan for designated players that they could enact with more TV revenue and can sell the opportunity to really expand the viewership. If they can sell the numbers, plus ESPN interest plus growth in viewership over the next X years, maybe they will get more than $7 ... as a season ticket holder, I'd like to see the league get the money and spend it on players.

I might be misinterpreting, but I don't believe this is a case of ESPN vs. FSC. I believe ESPN is keeping their game of the week package. The article says:

The two sides are negotiating for the league’s third TV package — behind the ones sold to ESPN and Univision. The FSC package includes weekly Saturday night games and two U.S. men’s national team non-qualifying games.

So that is what's up for grabs.

I take your other points, but in terms of comparisons with 2007, I'm not so sure. Is the economy better now than it is then? Are the TV numbers better now?

 

[pirate]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

I might be misinterpreting, but I don't believe this is a case of ESPN vs. FSC. I believe ESPN is keeping their game of the week package. The article says:

So that is what's up for grabs.

I take your other points, but in terms of comparisons with 2007, I'm not so sure. Is the economy better now than it is then? Are the TV numbers better now?

Only trying to add some explanation for the $20mm ask...they might just be crazy

 

[Patman]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Yeah, my thoughts is it's a classic negotiating tactic. Go higher than what you want to eventually get them to come up to the offer you really wanted. I bet they settle for somewhere just south of ten a year.

G. Gordon Liddy (I believe) asked for like an army of ninjas and a couple of million dollars to do something to the democrats back in 1972 or something and then negotiated down to the Watergate break in. I don't recal the real details but point of the matter was that he negotiated down from something insanely unreasonable to something just plain unreasonable... but in comparison it doesn't seem so bad.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

I don't know. I mean, FSC is already offering to double the $$$. Makes me wonder if there might be another bidder involved.

Versus has been long rumored to the MLS TV rights and that might be a factor.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

So the MLS gets a better deal than the NHL. Of course. Hahaha.

 

[pirate]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

So the MLS gets a better deal than the NHL. Of course. Hahaha.

If there aren't already more soccer fans than hockey fans in the US, there will be someday...If I were MLS I'd be using best case scenarios to demonstrate growth in viewership; the money will follow the number of viewers.

 

[jmh]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

My new pickup.

Got it with the World Club Cup patch that they were wearing this year, too, and before the switch over to the Qatar sponsorship like I wanted to do.

Man, I spend too much money on this stuff. For less than three times what I spent on this jersey, I could have Red Bulls season tickets.

 

[Kepler]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

If there aren't already more soccer fans than hockey fans in the US, there will be someday.

I'm amazed it's even close. I'd have guessed more soccer fans by 3:1, 4:1 or more. I'd have guessed there are more MMA fans than hockey fans in the US.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Robbie Findley appears to have <del>conned</del> impressed someone at Nottingham Forest.

Pending a work permit I think.

 

[jmh]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

So the MLS gets a better deal than the NHL. Of course. Hahaha.

If there aren't already more soccer fans than hockey fans in the US, there will be someday...If I were MLS I'd be using best case scenarios to demonstrate growth in viewership; the money will follow the number of viewers.

But the relevant comparison isn't "soccer fans" and "hockey fans", it's "MLS fans" and "NHL fans". If you're a hockey fan in the USA, it's almost certain that you're an NHL fan, but there are tons of soccer fans (Eurosnobs and the like) who only follow foreign soccer, or only the USMNT, but don't have any interest in MLS.

 

[LynahFan]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

But the relevant comparison isn't "soccer fans" and "hockey fans", it's "MLS fans" and "NHL fans". If you're a hockey fan in the USA, it's almost certain that you're an NHL fan, but there are tons of soccer fans (Eurosnobs and the like) who only follow foreign soccer, or only the USMNT, but don't have any interest in MLS.

Which is why when one of the MLS's most famous players gets divorced from a D-list actress I've never heard of, he has to sue *her* for money.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Which is why when one of the MLS's most famous players gets divorced from a D-list actress I've never heard of, he has to sue *her* for money.

I think they both pull in around $3mil year. I don't think it's a money thing so much as it is a petty thing, but maybe not.

 

[jmh]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Well that was garbage.