All 64 Matches of 2010 FIFA World Cup on ESPN Radio

[stationless listener]

http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/03/all-64-matches-of-2010-fifa-world-cup-on-espn-radio/

All matches in the round robin stage and the round of 16 will be called from ESPN Radio’s state-of-the-art studios in Bristol, Conn. Dellacamera and Smyth will then travel to South Africa to call two of the four quarterfinal matches, the semifinals, the third-place and final matches from site.

ESPN Radio broadcasts of 2010 FIFA World Cup matches will feature prematch, halftime and postmatch studio segments, highlighted by Xs and Os matchup previews, reporting from match sites, national anthems, and more.

Additionally, the radio network will feature 2010 FIFA World Cup studio programming commencing with weekly, one-hour FIFA World Cup Soccer Specials Friday at 8 p.m. ET, April 2 through May 28. The specials will move to 6 p.m. daily beginning Tuesday, June 1, though Sunday, July 11, following the conclusion of the title match.

ESPN Radio will broadcast 13 matches live on its main channel – the three US Team matches in the round robin phase, two matches in the round of 16, four quarterfinals matches, the two semifinals, the third place and final matches. Affiliates will distribute the remaining games separately.

The last line concerns me. It means that any local ESPN affiliate can choose not to air matches other than the ones they have to air. For example, my local affiliate is WEPN. Since most of the games will be in the early morning in my time zone, chances are that there would be space to air the matches, if ESPN can give their morning team a long break for during that time the World Cup is played. Other than that, I could see some problems. Also, what happens when simultaneous matches are played, which are a must at the end of the first round? By the way, the schedule is posted up on the page I linked above.

I'm going to try to contact the local affiliate to see if they will put all of the matches on the air.

 

[Mainedude2007]

they can set up alternate channels if needed, and I think most of the games are on an alternate channel

the thing that would piss me off the most about this:

all the US games are being fed on the main channel (meaning if they play at Noon on a tuesday, sorry Cowherd, we're preempting you with soccer)

and all the semifinal/final games are going to be on the main channel, regardless if we're in it or not

 

[quadraphonic]

If this is all on the main channel, and is required of stations, it's the worst idea I've heard of from a radio network.
That's requiring a lot, after cramming down all they cram down to begin with.
They would go from "co-branded" to "co-braindead."

 

[nutballgazette]

ESPN will be out of Business after this.

 

[stationless listener]

If this is all on the main channel, and is required of stations, it's the worst idea I've heard of from a radio network.

ESPN Radio will broadcast 13 matches live on its main channel – the three US Team matches in the round robin phase, two matches in the round of 16, four quarterfinals matches, the two semifinals, the third place and final matches. Affiliates will distribute the remaining games separately.

Anyway, they've already started the promos on the top of the hour. It was quite interesting to hear them.

They've also sublicensed their non-English and non-Spanish World Cup radio rights to Worldband Media: http://www.worldbandmedia.com/

 

[Rusty Muck]

ESPN will be out of Business after this.

Ha ha, if only. The affiliates may hurt a bit, though.

I've never been able to listen to a soccer match in its' entirety all the way through (there has been PBP of past indoor soccer teams in my hometown peppered throughout the years) so it might be interesting to try out. But this is a sport in this country that is so highly segmented that will make something like this difficult to work.

For the record, it's also terribly difficult to listen to ice hockey PBP coverage at all on the radio either... maybe it's the ADD in me...