Posted August 13, 200915 yr http://www.epltalk.com/espn-adds-premier-l...er-line-up/9899 ESPN Adds Premier League To Soccer Line Upby The Gaffer on August 6, 2009 · 285 comments IMPORTANT UPDATE: As of Wednesday afternoon, August 12, 2009, we understand that ESPN and Fox Soccer Channel are still involved in negotations to bring the two EPL timeslots to soccer fans in the United States. The deal hasn’t been signed yet, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it can be resolved in time for Saturday’s first game of the season. ESPN has acquired the TV rights to two of the weekly Premier League slots on US television for the 2009-2010 season. Beginning on August 15, 2009, each week ESPN will feature the 7:45am ET Saturday game and the 3pm ET Monday game. Those two weekly timeslots were previously held by Setanta Sports who in the past had sub-licensed those games from Fox Soccer Channel. Despite Setanta losing the two timeslots to ESPN, Setanta US will continue showing the two 10am ET Saturday slots (one game on Setanta US, and the other on Setanta Xtra), as well as the early Sunday morning ET kickoffs and the Tuesday and Wednesday midweek Premier League matches. The games shown by Setanta will also be available on its broadband package at http://www.setanta-i.com ESPN’s acquisition of the early Saturday morning kickoff and Monday afternoon matches are a massive coup for the Disney-owned company who have significantly increased its soccer coverage recently. ESPN has yet to make a formal announcement regarding the acquisition of the Premier League TV rights (the two timeslots), but will presumably show the games on both ESPN2 and ESPN360. Here are what games we know for certain that will be shown on ESPN2 between August 15 and November 21 (schedules are subject to change): Saturday, August 15: Chelsea v Hull City, 7:45am, ESPN2 Monday, August 24: Liverpool v Aston Villa, 3pm, ESPN2 Saturday, August 29: Chelsea v Burnley, 7:45am, ESPN2 Saturday, September 19: Burnley v Sunderland, 7:45am, ESPN2 Saturday, September 26: Portsmouth v Everton, 7:45am, ESPN2 Monday, September 28: Manchester City v West Ham United, ESPN2 Monday, October 5: Aston Villa v Manchester City, 3pm, ESPN2 Saturday, October 17: Aston Villa v Chelsea, 7:45am, ESPN2 Monday, October 19: Fulham v Hull City, 3pm, ESPN2 Saturday, October 24: Wolves v Aston Villa, 7:45am, ESPN2 Saturday, October 31: Arsenal v Tottenham, 6:45am, ESPN2 Monday, November 9: Liverpool v Birmingham City, 3pm, ESPN2 Saturday, November 21: Liverpool v Manchester City, 7:45am, ESPN2 Note: For those Saturday mornings when there isn’t a 7:45am ET game available, ESPN will have first choice of the Saturday 10am game from Setanta Sports. View the complete listing of Premier League games on US television for August through the end of November (or as complete as we know it at press time). For supporters of Premier League clubs in the United States, this is wonderful news. Having the games shown on ESPN2 will bring the league into more homes in the United States as well as making games more accessible for TV viewers who are unable to receive Setanta. ESPN2 will kick off the Premier League 2009/2010 season by showing the first game of the season featuring Chelsea against Hull City at 7:45am ET. The game may feature the debut of American striker Jozy Altidore who today signed with Hull City. For followers of the Premier League in the United States, supporters will need to have Fox Soccer Channel, ESPN2 and Setanta Sports to watch all of the games available. To supplement those networks, it’s advisable that EPL fans also use ESPN360 and Setanta-i. By Fox Soccer acquiring back the TV rights for the two timeslots from Setanta and sub-licensing them to ESPN, this gives Setanta Sports more financial stability. Setanta US will continue to stay in business this season and, in addition to the Premier League, will be showing Champions League football (via broadband and on TV), Carling Cup, Championship games, World Cup qualifiers, FA Cup and more. In addition to picking up two of the Premier League TV slots previously held by Setanta Sports, ESPN also picked up the TV and broadband rights to the Australian Football League in the United States and Canada. The US video rights for the 2010-2013 Premier League seasons have still not been finalized. With ESPN picking up two of the Premier League slots for the 2009-2010 season, the move definitely increases the likelihood that ESPN will mount a serious bid for the 2010-2013 rights when available later this year. No news yet from ESPN regarding which broadcasters will be presenting the Premier League games and whether they’ll be using in-house commentators calling the games off the screen or if they’ll be using the international commentators feed. What are your thoughts about ESPN adding the Premier League to its soccer line up, and how will it change your viewing habits if any? Click the comments link below to share your opinion. Related Posts: Edited August 13, 200915 yr by ChelseaYankee
August 14, 200915 yr The first paragraph states. IMPORTANT UPDATE: As of Wednesday afternoon, August 12, 2009, we understand that ESPN and Fox Soccer Channel are still involved in negotations to bring the two EPL timeslots to soccer fans in the United States. The deal hasn’t been signed yet, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it can be resolved in time for Saturday’s first game of the season. Well as of Friday morning there is still NO signed agreement. It may go down to the wire and indeed may not be made in time for the Hull City match.
August 14, 200915 yr ESPN arn't picking up Setanta games - Setanta doesn't exist anymore!! I think the reason you're getting all these games because ESPN has claimed the rights for the games, so we know in the UK have the channel ESPN America, which shows all American sports on it and the EPL games it has too. I think this ESPN America will be our equivalent to ESPN 2 for you lot. At a guess.
August 14, 200915 yr ESPN arn't picking up Setanta games - Setanta doesn't exist anymore!!I think the reason you're getting all these games because ESPN has claimed the rights for the games, so we know in the UK have the channel ESPN America, which shows all American sports on it and the EPL games it has too. I think this ESPN America will be our equivalent to ESPN 2 for you lot. At a guess. Apparently Setanta US wants to sub-license their games due to financial and time constraints. Fox Soccer apparently has first choice of these games I guess, so the negotiations still seem to be going on due to this. Edited August 14, 200915 yr by PraetorianGuard
August 14, 200915 yr As of rigt now te time slot for 4.30am PST on ESPN2 does not show it as being a football match. It'd be nice, but I hate these early games, especially when I've to go and help out at a community event tomorrow...no sleep this weekend then!
August 15, 200915 yr That is interesting, Setanta Canada is still active and working and has pretty much all the rights to the games, plus their charging 14,99$ a month for the subscription. This is really annoying and bizarre.
