NBC Gets Premier League Rights
Looks like NBC has won the television rights to broadcast the Barclay's Premier League in the United States, and they are not playing around with their coverage. All 380 EPL games will be televised. Here's a breakdown from NBC Sports' website on how that's going to play out:
"All matches will be presented live on television with studio pre and post game coverage. The matches will also be streamed live via NBC Sports Live Extra. Games not aired on a designated NBC Universal channel will be made available to distributors via Premier League Extra Time, a package of overflow television channels available at no extra cost for customers who receive NBC Sports Network. As NBC acquired both English and Spanish rights, the bundle will include 76 Spanish-language telecasts, 10 on Telemundo, 66 on Mun2." - NBC Sports Article
So, they're going all out for this, which is great for the growth of soccer in the U.S. Or is it...? Here's why I ask that question. NBC already has the rights for MLS. I know the EPL is one of the top leagues in the world, but shouldn't more time be spent on growing our own domestic league? MLS needs all the help it can get. Sure there are places that don't need the help (Portland and Seattle), but when there are teams in major markets that can't sell out, don't you think we should worry about that? MLS is still growing and NBC has a chance to further that development by giving it unprecedented coverage. Instead, they give that coverage to a league that's already at the pinnacle of popularity all over the world, once again putting MLS in the position of red-headed stepchild to the rest of the soccer world. I hope MLS commissioner, Don Garber, is able to find a place that will give MLS the chance to flourish that it needs. I want to see soccer grow in the U.S., but not at the expense of our domestic league.
Side note: I watch Serie A more than the EPL anyway, so this helps me none. Oh well.
A Half-Dozen Outdoor NHL Games?
The NHL has seen huge success with its Winter Classic. Pick an outdoor stadium (usually a baseball or football stadium) and put two teams in it for an entire weekend spectacle filled with all kinds of events leading up to the thing everyone paid to see, the Winter Classic. Now, there are rumblings that there could six, count 'em, SIX outdoor games next season. The Winter Classic will be the first of the bunch on New Year's Day. That puts the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs against each other in Michigan Stadium, more commonly known as "The Big House." This was supposed to happen this year, but we were too concerned with dying on hills, escrow, and HRR. But I digress... Later in January, the NHL ice moguls are going to have their work cut out for them as the Anaheim Ducks will play the Los Angeles Kings in Dodger Stadium. The next day sees the Hudson River Rivalry come to The House That George Built as the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers battle it out inside Yankee Stadium. Being as big of a Devils fan as I am, not going to that game is not an option for me. Then, on my birthday, the Rangers and the New York Islanders also get to play in Yankee Stadium. Both games should make the week leading up to the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium very entertaining. After the Olympics are over, the Pittsburgh Penguins will travel to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Blackhawks. Later in March, the outdoor games come to a conclusion with the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks squaring off at BC Place in the Heritage Classic. Quite the lineup, but is this good for the league?
Monetarily, this looks like a it's going to bring in a ton of revenue. The Winter Classic has been wildly successful and these games should bring in a good deal of money for their respective teams and for the league. However, the majority of fans wonder if less is more. When it's just the Winter Classic to look forward to, everyone is excited for it because it's a one-of-a-kind event. Now, with potentially six outdoor games on deck for next season, the fear is that everything becomes watered down. I tend to agree with that sentiment. Although I am so stoked that my Devils finally have an outdoor game, I was hoping that it would be the only one when it comes around. Being a Devils fan, I guess beggars can't be choosers, but it's still something to think about. Is as much attention going to be paid to all of these games? Will the Pens, 'Hawks, Sens, and Canucks all get shafted because their games are at the end of this run? Will people care about two hockey games at Yankee Stadium during Super Bowl week, let alone one? Will an outdoor game even work in LA? Honestly, I think the NHL should have left well-enough alone and stuck with just the Winter and Heritage Classics. Unfortunately, the fact that the NHL is thinking of diluting a grand spectacle for the sake of a few extra dollars doesn't even come close to surprising me.
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