ESPN/ABC WORLD CUP COVERAGE SUCKS

[fred flintstone]

These people have broadcast enough World Cups, you'd think they'd have figured out how to do it, but noooooo!. The announcers are terrible. Too busy trying to impress us with background information about the teams, players and the World Cup, which THEY ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE GAME! I played soccer in high school. I am not totally unfamiliar with it. But these telecasts are really hard to follow. Either the shots are too wide - or the close ups too extreme (I know: "Up Close and Personal" is the ABC way). And the announcers are no help. To start with, they should do something closer to radio play-by-play here - real radio play-by-play, not ex-jocks doing jock talk. In all fairness, maybe ABC is stuck with the basic video feed every other country gets. But, at least, they should stop cluttering it up with all sorts of graphics (again, that's the ABC way, too). C'mon, guys, get back to basics. Tell us who is doing what. Save all the background crap for when the clock is not running.

 

[toby]

I think they are trying and failing to make soccer intresting. However, only thing that could do that would be to release a pack of Pit Bulls on the field.

 

[Mediafrog+]

In all fairness, maybe ABC is stuck with the basic video feed every other country gets.

Checking the Ecuador-Poland game yesterday, the basic video on ESPN2 was identical to what Univision had, so a pool feed is in use. Each network adds its own graphics/announcers/clutter.

 

[adam95]

STOP THE PRESSES! Someone is watching the World Cup!Seriously, I agree 100% that the so-called "announcers" should stop telling us about the adversity these players have went through to get to where they are, showing us beautiful downtown Berlin in all its splendor & glory, and telling us the make & model of the bus that drove them from the hotel.As we know, it's not just a problem with soccer; this sort of thing happens in all sports. My feeling is thatthey're trying to mix-in some human interest stories so that someone who doesn't normally follow sports will get hooked on a great story and continue to watch.For real play-by-play, mute the TV and turn on the radio.

 

[TroyG]

STOP THE PRESSES! Someone is watching the World Cup!For real play-by-play, mute the TV and turn on the radio.

I'd rather be watching Univision. Serious Soccer fans watch Univision because they follow teams from Latin America (Countries below The U.S.) Futbol is their religion. You win 3 games, move to the second round, After that , It's win-or go home.

 

[oldvnewschool]

These people have broadcast enough World Cups, you'd think they'd have figured out how to do it, but noooooo!. The announcers are terrible. Too busy trying to impress us with background information about the teams, players and the World Cup, which THEY ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE GAME! I played soccer in high school. I am not totally unfamiliar with it. But these telecasts are really hard to follow. Either the shots are too wide - or the close ups too extreme (I know: "Up Close and Personal" is the ABC way). And the announcers are no help. To start with, they should do something closer to radio play-by-play here - real radio play-by-play, not ex-jocks doing jock talk. In all fairness, maybe ABC is stuck with the basic video feed every other country gets. But, at least, they should stop cluttering it up with all sorts of graphics (again, that's the ABC way, too). C'mon, guys, get back to basics. Tell us who is doing what. Save all the background crap for when the clock is not running.I guess this is what we get for inventing American Football ;DAnd speaking of bad coverage. I thought I was watching the Breeders Cup on ABCnot The Belmont Stakes. These other races they showed before it don't mean jack.Jeremy Schapp a Doctor. Paging the ghost of Roone Arledge please we have a problem. And will somebody tell Brent Musburger that even though you wore a goofy hat that doesen't make you Clem McCarthy JR. :As far a World Cup Coverage goes. It doesen't matter how bad it's doing in the U.S. . to Fifa all that matters is thay 1 billlion people around the world is watchingthe event. As I said, if the coverage is bad it's simply because ABC Sports is actually ESPN in disguise. All ABC cares about is Lost, Desperate Housewives, and Grey's Anatomy. I hope Charles Gibson can bring some credibility to the network.But he can't do it alone.Meanwhile I'm more interested in NBC's Stanley Cup Coverage which, By default will be way times better than OLN's, needs to perform well in the ratings to justify theNHL's first season back since the lockout. SO WHY ISN'T BOB COSTAS OR AL MICHAELS THERE?

 

[ixnay]

STOP THE PRESSES! Someone is watching the World Cup!For real play-by-play, mute the TV and turn on the radio.

I'd rather be watching Univision. Serious Soccer fans watch Univision because they follow teams from Latin America (Countries below The U.S.) Futbol is their religion. You win 3 games, move to the second round, After that , It's win-or go home.

I prefer to watch soccer on Univision and Galavision too, , or for that matter wherever I don't have to hear an American or Canadian voice describing the game. To my ears, soundwise, the American voice and its dialects are ill suited to calling soccer. I haven't had the chance to watch the WC yet because of my schedule and the time difference, but whenever I watch soccer on an American outlet, I mute the sound.ixnay

 

[TroyG]

Besides futbol (Mexican Soccer), another sport Mexicans follow more closely is wrestling, especially WWE. They take this more seriously, because it's very religious. I wish ABC could use Andres Cantor right about NOW! "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"-Andres Cantor, The BEST in the Business. La Copa Mundial Dos Mil Seis. Solamente Univison. Las Redes del Mundial.