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MLS On VS. = End Of Fox Soccer Channel?

DToTheJ

DToTheJ

It is being reported that Major League Soccer is in "early discussions" for a contract with Versus (or VS). This on the heels of their deal with Fox Soccer Channel expiring later this year (their other deal with ESPN does not appear to be affected). Reportedly, MLS executives appear to be "impressed" with Versus' NHL coverage.

Full story:
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/453270-Major_League_Soccer_and_Versus_in_Early_Talks.php

So, suppose MLS and VS do reach a deal... what would then become of Fox Soccer Channel? Certainly, there is a slew of other soccer events around the world that can be covered, but didn't the network change their name from the former Fox Sports World at around the time they started their deal with MLS? And more importantly, how appealing, realistically, can a soccer network be to the American viewer without MLS coverage?
 
Versus is received in twice as many homes as Fox Soccer Channel, so MLS has significant incentive to jump. And losing MLS would hardly be a loss for FSC. They have so much other soccer programming that filling the day would not be difficult even without MLS.
 
Fox Soccer Channel shows mainly matches from Europe and South America. Some would argue the quality of
play is higher than MLS. I think there will be plenty of programming left for them to please soccer afficionados.

Versus is actually showing Stephen Strasburg's last minor-league game this afternoon. Looks like they are
trying to become a more well-rounded sports channel to better compete with ESPN.
 
According to what I'm reading somewhere, FSI has basically told MLS that it will NOT be paying to renew the rights fees for MLS games on FSC. Logically, that means MLS now has to shop around the games package currently airing on FSC.

So maybe that's where the VS rumors are starting from.

It wouldn't be bad from MLS' perspective, if they do a deal with VS. They'd be in more households and VS might give them the attention similar to what they're giving to the NHL.

However, here's the BIG unspeakable: VS might actually dip its toes into this soccer thing. If they do then it is HUGE NEWS. With VS comes Comcra...er Comcast and with Comcast comes possibly NBC/Universal. With NBC/Universal comes NBC Sports and Telemundo. Think "real competitor to World Cup rights in the States." All it takes is a taste this thing and Comcast is going to want more. With Disney thinking about selling ABC, ESPN might lose their OTA outlet, opening the way for NBC or even FOX to take over the usual OTA World Cup slate of matches.

Fox, meanwhile, may be concluding that they can be satisfied with EPL, Argentine league and Serie A. Who knows but look for them to play for the Russian league or the French Ligue Un rights to put on their Fox Soccer Plus channel. They should also put on English-language broadcasts of the Copa Libertadores to draw in more fans. Although with its paltry ratings for the Champions League final, they might not be able to retain CL rights after their current contract ends.

Another thing is how would this affect the relationship between MLS and Univision? Would Telemundo move in to take those games sometime in the future?
 
As someone who watches FSC all the time, MLS content on the network at most makes up about eight hours per week on their schedule, counting replays. That's almost a fraction of their entire schedule and I have noticed in the last year that they have reduced MLS coverage considerably.

They are definitely angling more towards the international soccer fan now that Setana Sports is gone and they took their deals to create Fox Soccer Plus; the 2am replay of Sky Sports News is now of plain Sky News, and the Fox Soccer Report is almost 90% international news, with 8% about the MLS and 2% lower-tier American and Canadian leagues. At best the MLS deal on FSC has been the equivalent of MLB Network's baseball package, with the big games always going to ESPN and other matchups on MLB baseball-wise and FSC MLS-wise.

I could see though that because of the NBC/Comcast deal this might allow Versus to pull a "ESPN on ABC"-type arrangement on NBC and get a few more MLS games on there, rather than the four-five games sprinkled throughout the MLS season now.
 
...And?
The MLS has to be the least important sports package a network can pick up. Fox Soccer Channel broadcasts more international soccer games because it's more popular than the MLS.
By the way, Hispanic audiences aren't very interested in MLS compared to Mexican Soccer. Mexican Soccer is HUGE and finds a home on Univision AND Telemundo, along with smaller yet growing third network Azteca America. If there is an MLS game, it's more likely to be shown on Telefutura or Telemundo, I don't think I've ever seen a MLS game on Telemundo
 
mrschimpf said:
They are definitely angling more towards the international soccer fan now that Setanta Sports is gone and they took their deals to create Fox Soccer Plus...
Click to expand...

With Setanta Sports (USA) gone, who has picked up the non-soccer international sports (Gaelic Football, Australian Football League, etc.)?
 
I wish they had stayed "Fox Sports World" here in the states and give us Rugby and Aussie Rules Football.

BTW, the NHL LOVES Versus/NBC/Comcast. I can't wait until Comcast gives ESPN a run for their money.
 
They can go back to that name if MLS jumps to Versus. By then it would be "Fox Sports World Minus US"...unless you want to count WPS

Alternatively, they could be "Fox Football Channel" or "Fox Footy Channel"...FFC for short. Not to be confused with "Fulham Football Club."

My preference would be "Fox Association Football Channel". Or F.A. F.C. It just sounds more professional that way, not to mention it would be appealing to the eurosnobs. ;)
 
I could see the following scenario happen (if MLS does do a deal with Versus):

- ESPN/ESPN2/Deportes will continue airing World Cup matches through 2014 and may continue after that. They'll have locked up the US Men's National Team TV contract real tight by then. All those WC Qualifiers are a good business for them. One big question is how they would be able to show US-Mexico in Mexico the next time it happens.

- FSC/Fox Sports en Espanol/FSN/FS+ along with GolTV to concentrate on international club competitions and international friendlies or WCQ'ers. Will they be able to keep the Champions League and the Club World Cup or will these migrate to ESPN?

- Versus, with a possible team-up with mun2, gets MLS games from FSC. A combined Comcast/NBC would be in position to get major FIFA-sanctioned competitions like the Club World Cup and the World Youth Cup, if they desire to. It would be a natural extension to NBC airing Olympic soccer. One thing that they could that is big is if they can get the TV rights to US-Mexico in Mexico. Imagine the Azteca game at a more respectable English channel this time.

- I don't see Univision losing the Spanish-language telecast rights to MLS, although they're not exactly bringing in as big of an audience as with Mexican soccer. As long as FIFA requires anyone bidding for the World Cup video rights to "take in" the domestic competition as well, nothing much would change.
 
stationless listener said:
My preference would be "Fox Association Football Channel". Or F.A. F.C. It just sounds more professional that way, not to mention it would be appealing to the eurosnobs. ;)
Click to expand...

What if FAFC started marketing it by pronouncing it "FAFF-ick"? :) Here in the Balt/Wash region, MASN pronounces itself "MASS-in". Does NESN still refer to itself as "NESS-in"?

If the ESPNs start calling themselves "ESS-pin", Armageddon will be near. :eek: ;D

ixnay
(prounounced "IX-nay")
 
Fox Soccer Plus came about after FSI took back rights to several sports properties from Setanta US when that no longer could pay the sublicense fee and, subsequently, went out of business. Once FSI got those properties back they decided to start a premium channel to replace Setanta US in several system, even adding more distributors like Time Warner Cable.

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/plus
 
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