Thanks, Fox Soccer, For Being Your Clueless Selves

Dear Fox Soccer:

See this photo? It features fans of a legendary English football club you apparently haven’t heard of, called Newcastle United. These fans are seated in an away section. For a friendly. In Columbus, Ohio.

Which is in the United States, by the way. You may already know that, but we’re not taking anything for granted, given your unfathomable decision not to televise a Newcastle United match that will help determine England’s last two spots in the UEFA Champions League (a major European competition) – on a Sunday during which you’re putting six other matches on various broadcast networks, including two that mean absolutely nothing. Meanwhile, Newcastle fans like those pictured at right will be home alone, shunning the pubs, squinting at a FoxSoccer.com web feed on their computers, provided they have the technology and bandwidth to support it, which, judging from the reliability of your web subscription service, is no sure thing. Nor are we sure if we’ll need a subscription to watch, as you’ve left that out of your announcement, as is Fox’s habit with key information. We’re guessing most of us will end up on jumpy pirate feeds from developing countries, keeping up with the match on Twitter during crashes.

We’re not upset or anything. As operators of a U.S. web site devoted to the above-mentioned English club, we like it when the credibility we build painstakingly day-by-day on behalf of the American soccer public is torn down occasionally in one moronic swoop. It’s an interesting challenge when a recognizable American media entity, like yours, hews to the worldwide stereotype of a country that knows or cares nothing about the sport in which you ostensibly specialize. We wouldn’t want people from other nations to think we grasp anything about the Premier League except the names and colors of four teams. It preserves an element of amazement when we pay attention to anything else.

Sunday will be a special treat for the legions of U.S. Chelsea fans who would otherwise hardly be aware of a match that occurs days before their Champions League final (a really big deal), particularly as their disappointing league finish is already cemented. What a chance to watch substitutes and second-tier players instead of stars and all their tiresome “skills”! Not to mention the teary-eyed Blackburn fans who will surely relish this opportunity to savor the pain and regret of their guaranteed relegation by taking in one last poignant Premier League telecast. And American fans with roots in two countries (Wales is its own country) can hardly sleep or breathe as Liverpool and Swansea prepare to battle for the glory that is 10th place. 

So thanks, Fox Soccer. Thanks for sinking to the exact level of cluelessness and unsophistication we’ve come to expect from a News Corporation property. Anything else wouldn’t be Fox.

Sincerely,

The gang at I Wish I Was A Geordie

Comments

[Ryan]

Well said. Absolutely pitiful that we get relegated to the website when other, completely meaningless games get major air time. Fox Soccer has managed to take a special weekend for U.S. EPL fans and turn it into a disgrace.

[Faheem]

Unfortunately, airing the NUFC game just makes too much sense.

Also, why is that Fox Soccer Plus only airs on Dish Network in standard definition? Finding an answer is impossible, and it's rather annoying when one is paying around $14 a month for 1 channel.

Well said though, lads. Hopefully this will change their small minded thinking process.

[Belton]

I'm going to play devil's advocate here. In the UK, I get the sense that a greater % of fans would watch a match that has league/Europe significance over the team they support (or would at least check-in more often). I'm not so sure the same % of, say, US-based Liverpool supporters would make that same choice. So it comes down to ratings & numbers. Liverpool most certainly has a larger US base than NUFC and will likely bring in better TV ratings regardless of the UEFA significance. If anything, I'm more surprised the game isn't televised because of Tim Howard rather than NUFC's Europe prospects.

[Vipers_Kingy]

Think yourselves lucky if you can see the game most weeks. Here it's go to the game or watch a pirate feed for the majority of matches. We have no legitimate web-based solution or even pay per view option in our own country! If sky or Espn don't pick it as their one game of the day, we are screwed.

Just like you boys, UK toon fans who haven't got tickets for everton are shit out of luck this weekend, so just forth is weekend, you will be just like the majority of Geordies! It's crappy net feed or random dodgy tv feed in a pub for us.

I can't begin to work out why there's no equivalent of the NHL's gamecentre live for EPL in the UK, massive revenue wasted right there. The grounds can only hold so many and away travel isn't always an option, it's not like they even operate in-market blackouts in the UK, there's just no good reason for it!

[Bob]

Belton, what you say may be true, but it's a chicken-and-egg question. People in the US won't become interested in the league in general until more than four clubs get all the coverage. Not broadcasting important matches is bound to stunt the ratings over the long haul. Only so many people here are going to jump those four bandwagons. To grow the audience there has to be interest in the sport, not just this or that team.

Vipers, we're lucky to see more matches on TV than in England, but keep in mind, most of us can't ever watch in person, nor do we get to socialize with lots of fellow fans or hear local commentary. Televised matches are our lifeline. You're right, though - the PL could be marketing itself a lot more effectively in the U.S. and being smarter about the broadcast rights. I'd pay top dollar to be guaranteed all the matches on my regular TV just like I can with every major US sport. The same is true for hundreds, maybe thousands, of bars here. It's frustrating when you want a product but the business can't or won't sell it to you. That's a sign of poor management.

[Belton]

Understood, Bob - but I highly doubt Fox Soccer sees its role as a facilitator of soccer education at the expense of short-term ratings $$$. They may be the primary deliverer of EPL games to US audiences but their horrific customer service, unreliable technology, and hilariously cheap TV show sets indicate that they are less concerned about our soccer enlightenment and more focused on getting *something* out there as cheaply as possible.

[MnToonArmy9]

As a Minnesota Vikings fan I am now concerned that the conspiracies that dog that once proud franchise have infected my adpoted Magpies.

I demand an investigation!

[Ddk9]

Until Newcastle re-establish themselves as a force you will get the so called 'Big Four' clubs mainly on the TV. (only Liverpool and Man Utd have any claim because of their history, the rest like Man City or Chelsea, who have bought the title, get airtime because of the sponsorships and big money club status probably associated with them and as such have more advertising allure) The problem is exactly as he post has put it, the Premier League wont take off in the US because its not covering every match or the important ones. These should be priority due to the fact the games air so early your going to need a reason for people to watch. Hope you's get better coverage soon. PS Im a Toon fan and have a season ticket. Agree with Belton, we still don't have coverage if the game isn't pick of the day. We aren't so privileged either.

[Bob]

The infuriating thing is that Liverpool and Chelsea don't have mega-large U.S. fan bases; those are bigger clubs, relative to the rest of the league, in England than here. Yes, Chelsea and Liverpool are somewhat more recognizable names than Newcastle in America, but Man U and Arsenal account for the lion's share of American fans. I'd be surprised if a meaningless Chelsea match draws significantly more American viewers than a Newcastle match with critical importance. If it's really based on ratings, OK. But my sense is this decision was about habit and ignorance, not ratings.

[Mathew]

Amazing. This makes no sense as they've shown nearly all Newcastle games this season but decide not to show this one OR the Spurs game on the last day of the season??
HOWEVER -
If you go to 'FOX Soccer 2 go' you can get a 1 month free trial with XOOMFOX and watch it that way online. Don't forget to cancel afterwards or you'll get a $20 charge each month...

[Aussiegeordie]

Don't like to rub it in, however here in Australia we see all the PL games. Although I must say last week I was back in the UK and found it very flustrating to have to go to a pub (mind you that was not so bad full of fellow geordies---good crack even though we were hammered)to watch the Ncle-Wigan game and then although in London on the Wednesday evening, having to watch the Chelsea- Toon game on a dodgy website (atdhe.net) in the hotel because because I could not get tickets and Fox/Sky would not show that game?

[Ryan]

I do feel badly for those in the UK in terms of how hard it is to see Newcastle play in your own country. We are a bit spoiled here that many of the games are carried on TV. If not, I have a couple of go-to websites that always have a decent feed.

But I would gladly trade in a whole season of watching NUFC just to go to SJP for one game in a season. I will make it there someday for sure, but due to cost I haven't been able to yet. I really wish the Premier League would get it together and allow all of you fans in England and elsewhere around the world to be able to watch more games if you can't travel to the game in person. Everyone deserves to enjoy the wonderful club that is NUFC.

[Toon69]

Well I live in Cyprus & get to watch all the Toon games via AD Sports HD channels in my local taverna, tho this weekends game is gonna be a problem, what with all the games being shown at the same time, I'm gonna have to fight it out with Mancs, Cessepool, Arse-nil, Chelski & Spurts fans to get the Toon game shown as the tavena only has 3 decoders & 5 TVs to watch the game on but believe me, I maybe the only Toon in town but I will have that game shown.. lol

[Mathew]

I'm going to more interested in the Spurs game anyway - while I'd like to have Newcastle on the big TV at least it's on live online plus it won't matter if Newcastle wins 10 - 0 we still need Spurs to tie or lose and or the Gooners to lose. I'm just happy so many games will be going on at once!!

[Sean]

Yeah... bummer it's not on TV, but it will be a free live feed on foxsoccer.com. Take a look for yourselves.

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/premierleague/event/premier-league-title-relegation-survival-sunday-2012

Now we just need to figure out how to pipe the feed to a TV and then convince my pub to go through the effort of doing it for us.

[Bob M]

If you want to get Fox Soccer internet stream from your PC to TV, you may want to look into PlayOn (http://www.playon.tv/) Basically, it will stream the video from your PC to a compatible device connected to the TV (XBox/Wii/PS3/XBMC/ETC or iOS/Android). It ships with a Fox Soccer plug in and there are also 3rd party scripts you can install that will stream from other "less supported" streams. You get a two week trial when you install it so you can test it this weekend and wait for a sale if it works for you.(I got it half off at Christmas and they just finished a free Roku deal).

Or if you're willing to wait for a little while, I've been very successful over the last couple of weeks finding torrents of the matches.

[Dave From Newcastle]

Glad to see it was going to be free as that was one of my biggest concerns. During our year in the Fizzy Pop league I watched many a games on espn3 and while not perfect, it is ok.
For those of us in Chicago it could actually be worse as we do not have a FSN channel and therefore the Chicago area Gooners are SOL for seeing their team (hopefully) wet the bed during Roy Hodgson's last match before he gets sacked in 6 weeks from England.

Now lets get a win Sunday!

[Sean]

Gentlemen, we have lift off!!!! Anyone in the DC / Northern VA area can watch the match at Ireland's Four Courts in Arlinton VA. They are going to hook up a laptop to the TV in the front room and show the feed from foxsoccer.com.

Howay!!!!

[Ian]

Guys, Fox Soccer is livestreaming the game for free here:
http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/premierleague/event/premier-league-title-relegation-survival-sunday-2012