If you watched yesterday’s semifinal on tv, you missed the second goal by Argentina. Why? Because there was a mid-game break for commercials. Shocking this kind of thing still happens. I understand a network needs to make money, but it isn’t the mid-80s anymore. Fans deserve better. Unacceptable.
Image via Tslpl
UPDATE - Damn, this is just getting uglier and uglier.
Now Ukranian club Shaktar Donetsk have reported Manchester City to FIFA over the 475,ooo Pound still owed to them over the transfer last summer of Brazilian Elano.
A spokesman for FIFA said: ‘We can confirm Donetsk have lodged a claim with FIFA regarding this matter. As the relevant procedure will start in due course, we can’t provide further comments for the time being.’
Reports out of the Ukraine are suggesting City still owe 3.1 for this summer’s payment, but that check is in the mail.
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has been given a boost in the transfer kitty market after a 30 Million Pound injection of cash as the Premiership side drew against their future television earnings.
If you’re wondering how risky this decision might be, then you’re spot on as once a club is relegated, their television earnings are depleted significantly.
From Mark Hughes’ capture from Blackburn, the failed signing of Ronaldinho, Thai owner Thaskin Sinawatra’s money and legal trouble, injuries that led to the depletion of Hughes’ offense (Benjani, Vassell, Bianchi and Bojinov all out) and a Uefa Cup loss at home to Danish side FC Midtjylland, this just keep getting worse for the baby blue of Manchester.
Wonder how long this will go before the English FA steps in?
Richard Sandomir from the New York Times has a great insider look at the amount of events being called from 30 Rockefeller Plaza and the temporarily vacant set stage of Saturday Night Live.
So if you just thought it was Marcelo Balboa and Brandi Chastain calling games from here in the United States because it was SOCCER, throw in archery, badminton, baseball, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, handball, shooting, softball, table-tennis, tennis and weight lifting as the other, other sports in Beijing.
image via NYTimes
Here is a great new addition to the MLS site, the US soccer pub micro-site and map. Check it out here . I can tell you that Trinity Hall in Dallas and The Globe in Chicago bring outstanding atmosphere come international tournament time and have quality selections of brews.
Where is your favorite soccer pub? How many have you visited on this list? Are there any quality places missing?
Image via MLSnet
Televisa launching Spanish language soccer channel Planeta Futbol for Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries, featuring Premier League, Mexican tournament matches and La Liga.
Image via Lexblog
“NBC Universal, which will broadcast the Beijing Games in the United States, will start four new dedicated cable channels in August that could be available to 80 million TV households, company officials said.
One channel will be devoted exclusively to carrying men’s and women’s soccer games 12 hours a day, while a second channel will carry men’s and women’s basketball games 14 hours a day….”
FC Uptown
Image via Engadget
The Walt Disney Company must be pretty happy after learning that the U.S. telecast of the 2008 European Championships Final was seen in 2.55 million homes.
That means the first U.S. telecast of the Euro’s was seen by 3.76 million viewers.
The LA Galaxy / DC United match that played before the finals was picked up in 1 million homes.
image via ThroughAGlass
Setanta Sports has dropped 125 Million Pounds for the rights to broadcast 60 matches a season around the UK and Ireland for the next four season, more than doubling it’s current 54.5 Million Pound deal that was set to expire in 2010, but now will run through the 2013/14 season.
What does this mean for clubs? More money to spend on players which means more opportunity for the big two (Celtic and Rangers) to have better chances to compete at the Uefa and Champions League level more consistently, while the smaller clubs will be given a larger kitty to spend on players, thus making the league more competetive.
And don’t forget that the SPL already has a deal with the BBC that runs through 2012 which shows match highlights and online content.
image via Wikimedia
Dunder Mifflen’s whack job will be staying put for the next three years after Ricky Gervais announced on his personal blog (one I highly recommend) that Steve Carell had re-upped with The Office.
Nothing like turning on my TV and seeing Michael Scott coming to me from Scranton every week.
image via Ifilm
This was the view from the perch about an hour before we went live for our Pre-game show.
KSL 5.3
