Comments on: Premier League Playoffs? http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/ Exploring football culture around the world. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:56:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Arriaga http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3050 Arriaga Sun, 17 Feb 2008 03:57:52 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3050 "Definitely would be interesting to see some hard ratings figures for FSC and Setanta. I keep hearing that more people in America watch soccer than hockey etc., but I never see numbers, and it’s never clear how much of the audience is watching the Premier League compared to the Mexican league on Spanish networks or—I don’t know—Real Salt Lake." I admit that I know an infinitesimally small fraction of the U.S. soccer viewing community, but in my experiences, American fans (with the obvious exception of Hispanic fans) care very little for the Mexican league, at least not enough to actively watch broadcasted matches that are rarely, if ever, translated into English. Most watch Premier League games on stations like FSC, Setanta, GolTV and the like, and even the casual soccer fan is far more familiar with the English league than they are with, say, Serie A or Bundesliga. I think the idea of a PPV package of the Premier League in the style of MLS Direct Kick would be a great idea, though I think HD broadcasts are still a ways off unfortunately. Oh... and no one watches Real Salt Lake. Not even in Utah. ;) “Definitely would be interesting to see some hard ratings figures for FSC and Setanta. I keep hearing that more people in America watch soccer than hockey etc., but I never see numbers, and it’s never clear how much of the audience is watching the Premier League compared to the Mexican league on Spanish networks or—I don’t know—Real Salt Lake.”

I admit that I know an infinitesimally small fraction of the U.S. soccer viewing community, but in my experiences, American fans (with the obvious exception of Hispanic fans) care very little for the Mexican league, at least not enough to actively watch broadcasted matches that are rarely, if ever, translated into English. Most watch Premier League games on stations like FSC, Setanta, GolTV and the like, and even the casual soccer fan is far more familiar with the English league than they are with, say, Serie A or Bundesliga. I think the idea of a PPV package of the Premier League in the style of MLS Direct Kick would be a great idea, though I think HD broadcasts are still a ways off unfortunately.

Oh… and no one watches Real Salt Lake. Not even in Utah. ;)

]]> By: Davyd Trunyov http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3036 Davyd Trunyov Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:12:33 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3036 Like the majority of soccer fan my reaction to 39th Game or any regular overseas game was very negative, but after some thinking I made a 120-degree turn. In this globalized world there is a competition for fans, participant and revenues. We have team America football (NFL), team baseball (MLB), team basketball (90% NBA and I guess FIBA), team hockey (I think they are in trouble) and team soccer (a very dysfunctional team). Based on a personal experience, if soccer lets you go somebody else will grab you. In my opinion FA should consider staging FA Cup final overseas and Football League should take League Cup overseas, both tournament will get bigger attention out side England and bring new fans. And UEFA should consider taking CL or Cup finals overseas. Like the majority of soccer fan my reaction to 39th Game or any regular overseas game was very negative, but after some thinking I made a 120-degree turn.

In this globalized world there is a competition for fans, participant and revenues. We have team America football (NFL), team baseball (MLB), team basketball (90% NBA and I guess FIBA), team hockey (I think they are in trouble) and team soccer (a very dysfunctional team). Based on a personal experience, if soccer lets you go somebody else will grab you.

In my opinion FA should consider staging FA Cup final overseas and Football League should take League Cup overseas, both tournament will get bigger attention out side England and bring new fans. And UEFA should consider taking CL or Cup finals overseas.

]]> By: Brian http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3024 Brian Sat, 16 Feb 2008 01:16:53 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3024 Tom, sorry I missed that. If we're talking about a domestic playoff format, I'm sure it would lead to some exciting games, but on the whole I'd rather watch a 90-minute special in which the TV executive who prioritized Wigan-Chelsea over Liverpool-H&W would be mercilessly taunted by the audience. Definitely would be interesting to see some hard ratings figures for FSC and Setanta. I keep hearing that more people in America watch soccer than hockey etc., but I never see numbers, and it's never clear how much of the audience is watching the Premier League compared to the Mexican league on Spanish networks or---I don't know---Real Salt Lake. Tom, sorry I missed that. If we’re talking about a domestic playoff format, I’m sure it would lead to some exciting games, but on the whole I’d rather watch a 90-minute special in which the TV executive who prioritized Wigan-Chelsea over Liverpool-H&W would be mercilessly taunted by the audience.

Definitely would be interesting to see some hard ratings figures for FSC and Setanta. I keep hearing that more people in America watch soccer than hockey etc., but I never see numbers, and it’s never clear how much of the audience is watching the Premier League compared to the Mexican league on Spanish networks or—I don’t know—Real Salt Lake.

]]> By: Tom Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3023 Tom Dunmore Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:53:47 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3023 Brian, I agree point three is the most devastating. But again I'm also suggesting such playoffs could be played in England and make a boatload of money: it's more about the potential global television audience than anything. Brian, I agree point three is the most devastating. But again I’m also suggesting such playoffs could be played in England and make a boatload of money: it’s more about the potential global television audience than anything.

]]> By: Brian http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3022 Brian Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:48:49 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3022 Tom, Ian's point #3 seems the most devastating to me. The idea of the league champion being determined by a game played in a foreign country sounds to me like something that would provoke even as much outrage as the 39th-game idea. England would suddenly be the host of a massively devalued regular season and then bid the top teams farewell to play for the championship in Tokyo? I'm afraid the <em>Sun</em> might actually cave in on itself and become a black hole. Of course it's a whole separate question whether Richard Scudamore is secretly using the 39th game as a decoy and playing for some other stakes. I'm increasingly having a hard time seeing him as that crafty or intelligent, but man, if he wants us to underestimate him, he has done an amazing job. Tom, Ian’s point #3 seems the most devastating to me. The idea of the league champion being determined by a game played in a foreign country sounds to me like something that would provoke even as much outrage as the 39th-game idea. England would suddenly be the host of a massively devalued regular season and then bid the top teams farewell to play for the championship in Tokyo? I’m afraid the Sun might actually cave in on itself and become a black hole.

Of course it’s a whole separate question whether Richard Scudamore is secretly using the 39th game as a decoy and playing for some other stakes. I’m increasingly having a hard time seeing him as that crafty or intelligent, but man, if he wants us to underestimate him, he has done an amazing job.

]]> By: Tom Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3021 Tom Dunmore Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:23:32 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3021 Well, first they'd have to start filming every Premier League in HD and providing live production for the games, which doesn't happen right now in England and isn't cheap. I would be interested to know how many currently watch games on FSC and Setanta -- anyone have any ratings info? Well, first they’d have to start filming every Premier League in HD and providing live production for the games, which doesn’t happen right now in England and isn’t cheap. I would be interested to know how many currently watch games on FSC and Setanta — anyone have any ratings info?

]]> By: Dave's Football Blog http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3020 Dave's Football Blog Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:14:28 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3020 BTW, the current price of NFL Sunday Ticket on DirecTV is about $259/season. So no, I don't think $200/year is too much to pay for 38 weeks of the Premier League in HD. Even if they only find 500,000 subscribers for it, that's still an extra 50 million quid in gross revenue -- more than they'd get from a one-off West Ham v. Chelsea match here. BTW, the current price of NFL Sunday Ticket on DirecTV is about $259/season. So no, I don’t think $200/year is too much to pay for 38 weeks of the Premier League in HD. Even if they only find 500,000 subscribers for it, that’s still an extra 50 million quid in gross revenue — more than they’d get from a one-off West Ham v. Chelsea match here.

]]> By: Dave's Football Blog http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3018 Dave's Football Blog Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:01:39 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3018 Asked and answered. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eredivisie#European_competition If the Intertoto Cup goes away, I think we can expect that 6-9 competition to disappear, too. Asked and answered.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eredivisie#European_competition

If the Intertoto Cup goes away, I think we can expect that 6-9 competition to disappear, too.

]]> By: Tom Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3017 Tom Dunmore Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:40:24 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3017 Ian, agreed on all points. One question, though: it's quite possible they could do these playoffs domestically, and make a ton of cash (which obviously is the ultimate need rather than building-global-brands-guff). That leaves points one or two, but steadily we start to get to the point where everyone is worn down and glad they're not going abroad, don't we? Like you, this whole turn of events has left me with little patience for anything Scudamore says, but sadly I don't see anyone taking the honourable way out. Hudsonland, good question. Can anyone help? Ian, agreed on all points. One question, though: it’s quite possible they could do these playoffs domestically, and make a ton of cash (which obviously is the ultimate need rather than building-global-brands-guff). That leaves points one or two, but steadily we start to get to the point where everyone is worn down and glad they’re not going abroad, don’t we? Like you, this whole turn of events has left me with little patience for anything Scudamore says, but sadly I don’t see anyone taking the honourable way out.

Hudsonland, good question. Can anyone help?

]]> By: Hudsonland http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3014 Hudsonland Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:30:26 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/02/15/premier-league-playoffs/#comment-3014 Doesn't the Eredivisie do a play-off for CL/UEFA cup? Anyone know how well that works? Doesn’t the Eredivisie do a play-off for CL/UEFA cup?

Anyone know how well that works?

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