Euro 2008 — Running Thread

[Football_Bat]

http://www.euro2008.uefa.com/

I'm pretty excited about it. I'm disappointed England didn't make the field, but I don't think Die Mannschaft will have a problem in their group.

Can I get my Fußball_Bat handle back for just this month? :D

ESPN is doing all 31 matches live, and the U.S. start times are friendly — late morning and early afternoon.

 

[hockeybeat]

Forza Azzurri!

 

[Webster]

Cannot believe that it was 4 years ago that I was flying to Lisbon for the first week of the tournament. That was a hell of a great time.

I'm going to say that it will be Germany and the Dutch in the finals, with Robben and the gang bringing home the trophy.

 

[Shoeless Joe]

I went to Euro 2000 for two weeks, and that was the best time I've ever had. A buddy of mine who lives in the US is Dutch. We stayed with his folks, so I was more or less going "native" instead of "tourist" which was great being not only at the matches but staying in a smaller town rather than a city.

Experiencing the tournament as the locals do was great.

(THREAD JACK - SORRY)

For all the soccer bashers on ESPN (Jim Rome, etc.), if no one in this country cares, why does ESPN continue to increase its coverage? Because apparently enough people do care to watch which translates into ratings meaning they can make money from ads.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I went to Euro 2000 for two weeks, and that was the best time I've ever had. A buddy of mine who lives in the US is Dutch. We stayed with his folks, so I was more or less going "native" instead of "tourist" which was great being not only at the matches but staying in a smaller town rather than a city.

Experiencing the tournament as the locals do was great.

(THREAD JACK - SORRY)

For all the soccer bashers on ESPN (Jim Rome, etc.), if no one in this country cares, why does ESPN continue to increase its coverage? Because apparently enough people do care to watch which translates into ratings meaning they can make money from ads.

Because the games are on weekday afternoons and the miniscule audience still beats viewership numbers for poker and weightlifting.

 

[Football_Bat]

The matches should also be on Setanta Sports if you get it on DirecTV — doubtless they'll also be on one of the Spanish-language networks too.

 

[Shoeless Joe]

That's my point. Even in the afternoon, they draw enough to justify the coverage. If the audience wasn't there, they wouldn't show it. They broadcast soccer because they can make money, not just for the heck of it. The bashers should keep their uniformed opinions to themselves. Basically, what they are saying "Nobody cares about this so my employer is an idiot for showing it."

 

[Armchair_QB]

So they outdraw poker? Whoop-dee-damn-doo!

 

[jdklamp]

Wonder if they are going to broadcast the games live from Bristol?

 

[Pastor]

I went to Euro 2000 for two weeks, and that was the best time I've ever had. A buddy of mine who lives in the US is Dutch. We stayed with his folks, so I was more or less going "native" instead of "tourist" which was great being not only at the matches but staying in a smaller town rather than a city.

Experiencing the tournament as the locals do was great.

(THREAD JACK - SORRY)

For all the soccer bashers on ESPN (Jim Rome, etc.), if no one in this country cares, why does ESPN continue to increase its coverage? Because apparently enough people do care to watch which translates into ratings meaning they can make money from ads.

Because the games are on weekday afternoons and the miniscule audience still beats viewership numbers for poker and weightlifting.

FYI: The EuroCup Final will be shown on ABC on Sunday at 2:45 in the afternoon.

I didn't realize that "barely beating poker" in the ratings would receive such a significant spot.

ESPN EuroCup Schedule

 

[Football_Bat]

Wonder if they are going to broadcast the games live from Bristol?

From what I could find, they're Bristoling it.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2008-05-27-usa-england-advance_N.htm

Euro 2008:

ESPN will announce today that it has added Andy Gray, a prominent English TV analyst who calls England's national team and English Premier League matches, as game and studio analyst for its coverage of the UEFA Euro Football Championship 2008.

ABC/ESPN will televise 31 games in the tournament, which only aired on pay-per-view TV in the U.S. in 2004 and 2000. The networks normally use American announcers in part to help explain the sport to novice fans. All game announcers this time, however, are foreign-born: Gray, Adrian Healey, Robbie Mustoe, Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth. They'll call it off TV monitors at ESPN's Connecticut offices. "It's a departure for us, a nod towards the game's globalization," said Tim Scanlan, who's overseeing ABC/ESPN coverage.

 

[dixiehack]

Someone with more initative than myself could set up the pick 'em.

http://games.espn.go.com/euro/frontpage

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Wonder if they are going to broadcast the games live from Bristol?

From what I could find, they're Bristoling it.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2008-05-27-usa-england-advance_N.htm

Euro 2008:

ESPN will announce today that it has added Andy Gray, a prominent English TV analyst who calls England's national team and English Premier League matches, as game and studio analyst for its coverage of the UEFA Euro Football Championship 2008.

ABC/ESPN will televise 31 games in the tournament, which only aired on pay-per-view TV in the U.S. in 2004 and 2000. The networks normally use American announcers in part to help explain the sport to novice fans. All game announcers this time, however, are foreign-born: Gray, Adrian Healey, Robbie Mustoe, Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth. They'll call it off TV monitors at ESPN's Connecticut offices. "It's a departure for us, a nod towards the game's globalization," said Tim Scanlan, who's overseeing ABC/ESPN coverage.

Yes, they'll be in the booth in Bristol.

Tough to blame ESPN for that. The tournament runs 22 days, so that's a lot of hotel nights and per diem for the announcers. You add that to the cost and suddenly airing Euro turns into a money-loser instead of money-maker.

But I'm very happy Andy Gray is joining ESPN for this.

 

[GB-Hack]

Someone with more initative than myself could set up the pick 'em.

http://games.espn.go.com/euro/frontpage

Alright then.

Group name: SportsJournalists.com

Password: Tartanarmy

Bloody Steve McClaran is waiting for you.

 

[Beaker]

I'm definitely psyched, though I'm dissapointed Ireland and England aren't in the tourney. I don't really have anyone to root for.

 

[GB-Hack]

I'm definitely psyched, though I'm dissapointed Ireland and England aren't in the tourney. I don't really have anyone to root for.

Here, try this. You can pick a whole new country to cheer on for the summer.

http://assets.espn.go.com/espn/euro2008/index.html?addata=2008_eurti_xxx_xxx_xxx#/teams/selector/

 

[Football_Bat]

Speaking of the UK, did anyone see the numbers David Healy put up in Euro qualifiers?

Holy crap. Thirteen goals in 12 games. Northern Ireland must've been a one-man show, though.

 

[dixiehack]

I'm definitely psyched, though I'm dissapointed Ireland and England aren't in the tourney. I don't really have anyone to root for.

Here, try this. You can pick a whole new country to cheer on for the summer.

http://assets.espn.go.com/espn/euro2008/index.html?addata=2008_eurti_xxx_xxx_xxx#/teams/selector/

If I say I want an aggressive team with an explosive offense, I have zero choices highlighted. So much for appealing to the casual fan.

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

Care for a fantasy challenge chaps?

http://en.fantasy.euro2008.uefa.com/

League code: 123739-22811

Same format as the Premiership fantasy league. Action starts June 7.

 

[Pastor]

I'm definitely psyched, though I'm dissapointed Ireland and England aren't in the tourney. I don't really have anyone to root for.

Here, try this. You can pick a whole new country to cheer on for the summer.

http://assets.espn.go.com/espn/euro2008/index.html?addata=2008_eurti_xxx_xxx_xxx#/teams/selector/

If I say I want an aggressive team with an explosive offense, I have zero choices highlighted. So much for appealing to the casual fan.

"Casual fans" don't want aggressive. They want fast paced.

The tournament will be fine. The only teams that people will shy away from watching are Greece and Croatia. The rest will be entertaining enough.