If you're a sports fan, I'd have to think you'd have wanted to watch the ManU/Barcelona game. ESPN is not just broadcast in the US. It's a worldwide network, and the majority of the world is interested in that game. I know I sure as heck was.

Just because it isn't big in Bardstown or Bell County doesn't mean that it isn't a big deal in other parts of the United States (along with Europe). ESPN isn't a regional network. Leading off with the biggest single game club championship in the world isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

Actually, it is big (relatively) in Bardstown, but, like everywhere else in the US, it takes a major back seat to football, basketball and baseball.

 

ESPN's audience is overwhelmingly American. And the American people have been rejecting soccer as the "next big thing" for more than 30 years. Trying to keep shoving it down our collective throats makes about as much business sense as the NBA continuing to try and shove the WNBA down our collective throats.

If you're a sports fan, I'd have to think you'd have wanted to watch the ManU/Barcelona game. ESPN is not just broadcast in the US. It's a worldwide network, and the majority of the world is interested in that game. I know I sure as heck was.

 

We're not the rest of the world. We're America.

 

The rest of the world hates what we do politically, and on more than one occasion you are on record as saying something to the effect of "who the hell cares what the rest of the world thinks?" with regard to our foreign policy. Why are you changing your hardline stance for a "furrin" sport?

If you're a sports fan, I'd have to think you'd have wanted to watch the ManU/Barcelona game. ESPN is not just broadcast in the US. It's a worldwide network, and the majority of the world is interested in that game. I know I sure as heck was.

 

Why would a "sports fan" want to watch this particular event? How many people love Cricket? SHould I watch those finals as well?

 

U.S. people as a whole aren't into professional soccer. Period. Its not our thing.

We're not the rest of the world. We're America.

 

The rest of the world hates what we do politically, and on more than one occasion you are on record as saying something to the effect of "who the hell cares what the rest of the world thinks?" with regard to our foreign policy. Why are you changing your hardline stance for a "furrin" sport?

 

ESPN isn't our government. They wouldn't show or cover it if it weren't immensely profitable for them to do so. Besides as I said, most sports fans in the US care about this game. I know everyone I know does/did.

I know its popular to hate soccer, but the finals of the UEFA Champions League is huge. Man U vs. Barca. That's about as good as it gets.

 

I saw quite a few statuses on facebook and Twitter about the game. I would have posted more about the actual game, but there is no point in talking about soccer on this site just to be ridiculed continuously.

 

They talk about Kobe, Lebron, and Dwight to death all day. It's okay to give a little love to someone else.

I love ESPN. Those who don't, turn it off. It's that easy.

I saw quite a few statuses on facebook and Twitter about the game. I would have posted more about the actual game, but there is no point in talking about soccer on this site just to be ridiculed continuously.

 

They talk about Kobe, Lebron, and Dwight to death all day. It's okay to give a little love to someone else.

 

 

Agreed. I think it's sad that America has a snobby attitude towards the sport. When played correctly, which they don't do in the MLS, it is every bit as entertaining as the NFL, NBA, etc....

Agreed. I think it's sad that America has a snobby attitude towards the sport. When played correctly, which they don't do in the MLS, it is every bit as entertaining as the NFL, NBA, etc....

 

Yeah, I don't care for the MLS at all. It's kind of a joke. But I will always watch the World Cup and European Championship League games. And I know there are many more like me and you in America that want to watch these games.

 

Soccer isn't on ESPN to often, so I am glad they at least recognize the importance of today's game.

The way I see it ESPN covers stories/teams/events more extensively if they think it will peak their viewers' interest. Sometimes they go a little overboard, I could care less about Michael Vick after the 7th or 8th straight day that they covered his release. The same goes with A-Rod and Manny's steroid issues, Peyton Manning being displeased with his new coaches, or Michael Crabtree's catch against Texas. All of those stories were interesting and compelling to me-a dedicated viewer of any and everything on ESPN and its family of networks-for about 2 days, then I got sick of them.

 

But what are you going to do? I could never quit watching ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews or ESPNU, no other local news program, website, blog or newspaper/magazine does as good of a job covering sports and the sports world as ESPN does. Sure they may not dissect every Millwauke Brewers/St. Louis Cardinals game from late may, but they do show a highlight and for the casual fan, that gets it done. I like ESPN, even if they do go a little overboard with their coverage of Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Boston teams, but the beauty of having a television is that you can always change the channel :thumb:

Not that anybody probably cares, but they are replaying the telecast right now on the Deuce.

ESPN isn't our government. They wouldn't show or cover it if it weren't immensely profitable for them to do so. Besides as I said, most sports fans in the US care about this game. I know everyone I know does/did.

 

Disagree wholeheartedly on both points.

 

It will likely prove to be unprofitable, much like the WNBA. For 30+ years soccer has been the "next big thing," and it still continues to flounder as a profitable enterprise in this country.

 

And you're wildly optimistic with your use of the term "most." You're a smarter guy than that, and I'll chalk up your use of the term to you being emotional, rather than logical. But we can do some polling if you want. Stuff like that's right up my alley.

Not that anybody probably cares, but they are replaying the telecast right now on the Deuce.

 

Most Americans would rather watch poker. There's a reason why that "sport" is so prominent on the airwaves.

ESPN isn't our government. They wouldn't show or cover it if it weren't immensely profitable for them to do so. Besides as I said, most sports fans in the US care about this game. I know everyone I know does/did.

 

 

I can think of maybe...3 people that I know personally at most who cared. It's an irrelevant sport to most Americans.

Agreed. I think it's sad that America has a snobby attitude towards the sport. When played correctly, which they don't do in the MLS, it is every bit as entertaining as the NFL, NBA, etc....

 

The others, maybe, but not a chance with the NFL in my estimation. I have seen my fair share of Chelsea games and World Cup games and they still bore the heck out of me.

 

Then again I am of the mindset that outside of football every single other sport has one primary failing. They aren't football. Solve that and I am all over it.