DISQUS

SSReporters · 1 year ago

Believe it or not I've heard of FSC delays as long as 15 minutes.



Now, the Match Day program is terrible, Warren Barton should've stuck with calling games for Sky at the stadiums instead of being with Christian Miles (cringes).


The halftime show is something that has always bugged me. Two minutes of highlights of Everton/Blackburn, commercial. Highlights of Sunderland/Scousers, other scores from the Premier League, commercial.


They don't even know who the commentators are half the time (I've heard Bretos and Miles get the commentary names wrong before).


And in case you're wondering, in Canada (and I'm 2 1/2 hours away from the border), Rogers Sportsnet gets 1 Saturday game and The Score gets the main Sunday game, while Setanta gets everything else.


I bring this up because both channels are on basic cable for most companies up north, and what would you prefer to have, FSC giving you poor broadcasts for 4 low rate matches and having to pay extra for digital? Or the Canadian networks providing more in-depth coverage for 2 games on basic cable and ends up costing you less?


I haven't looked at Setanta, and I don't think Comcast even has it, but I'm hearing plenty of good reviews.



For Sky Sports: Very big day for Bill Leslie, getting to commentate with Andy Gray for I believe his first live Premier League game.



Finally, this is a list of SOME OF THE TWI commentators for today, and all were at the stadiums instead of in London:


Arsenal v West Brom - Ian Crocker and Efan Ekoku
Bolton v Stoke - ?
Everton v Blackburn - Daniel Mann and Davie Provan
Hull v Fulham - Rob Hawthorne and Brian Marwood
Middlesbrough v Tottenham - ?
Sunderland v Liverpool - Alan Parry and Paul Walsh
West Ham v Wigan - John Anderson and Tony Gale

patrick · 1 year ago

I miss Andy Houlihan. He was quality.

The new guy seemed like he was going to start talking runs and wickets and other things that I have interest.

The problem I have with Setanta besides the price, is the egg chasing.

I don't care about it. I want football. I don't want live coverage of the Paddy games, or any other game where they pick up the ball with the hands.

and I have a problem with the fact that I have to pay 15 bucks a month and don't get the internationals, well the England international matches.

also why no extra match today????

I didn't actually watch today, I woke up late and then watched the FSC matches, but what really bothered me about Setanta last season was the picture quality. Drop outs, sound loss, bad feeds etc.

FSC is not up to par and you did hit the nail on the head in regard to approach. Setanta is done by Europeans ( Irish) who talk about the game like persons who have it ingrained in their culture. While FSC, present the game as foreign and exotic.

tampasoccer · 1 year ago

Dolan is quality. Barton did OK for his first time, I thought.
But I was talking to my friend from Sweden during the L'pool game and he told me Torres had scored a minute before I saw it "live" on FSC. Can anybody tell FSC to stop delaying the broadcast. Gaffer, do they have an excuse for it? I think not!
It bugs the be-Jeeesus out of me.
Setanta's programming is a class of its own(never mind the rugby) FSC is a joke in comparison.They are learning, maybe in another decade or so...
Dear FSC: stop delaying the broadcast! stop delaying the broadcast! stop delaying the broadcast!!!

kkfla737 · 1 year ago

I DVRed it. Is this going to remind us of the debut of MLS Primetime Saturday last year?

Brian · 1 year ago

Gaffer,

Fantastic analysis. You're spot on when you say Setanta is for the serious fan while FSC is for the casual American viewer.

As already mentioned, I was extremely disappointed Setanta didn't have a match on Setanta Extra today. Do you know if that will change next weekend?

RaleighVillan · 1 year ago

In my area, North Carolina, here is the problem. You can get Fox Soccer on cable but not on Satellite. And you can get Setanta on Satellite but not on cable, and there is only one cable company, so all of us soccer fans in the area are screwed either way. To be honest, I usually DVR the games and watch them on a delay and skip the halftime show. And in this area, there aren't many places where i can watch whatever game i want. I guess it's what i get for being a yank that loves english soccer.

The Gaffer · 1 year ago

RaleighVillan and Brian:

The solution you may want to consider is Setanta Broadband which shows the matches via Internet and includes the "Xtra" match as it did yesterday featuring Hull against Fulham.

No Setanta Xtra scheduled next week because of rugby, but the Xtra match may be shown on Setanta Broadband instead.

Here are the Setanta schedules for TV and Xtra: http://www.setantaus.com/en/NA/Our-Schedules/

Cheers,
The Gaffer

SamSpur · 1 year ago

I don't know if you're aware, Gaffer, that the Setanta studio coverage is a simulcast of Setanta UK. And that part of the reason the show was good after the 10AM games to the runup to Sunderland v Liverpool was because in the UK, Setanta has the rights to show that game (they have rights to the Saturday early evening game (12:15 here).

So if you're watching Setanta USA, you get the Arsenal/West Brom match at 7:30 (TWI coverage), then it switches to Setanta UK coverage for the Boro/Spurs match, right up to the runup to the Sunderland/Liverpool match. One dead giveaway is the Boro/Spurs match had Setanta graphics and announcers, not TWI (the ones you get on every FSC match, and all the other Setanta matches).

So one of the reasons the coverage is superior is that you're watching a studio show produced in the UK, which has a much higher production value, and is made to appeal to a more knowledgable viewer.

CFTV · 1 year ago

How does FSC pick which feed of the game they are going to air?

I ask because I found a feed online (ARRRRRR!) that had Tyler and Gray calling the United Game and that is different than the two guys calling the game on FSC right now.

I also agree with Chris that Miles and Barton looked way too stuffy in those suits yesterday morning. They should wear clothing that is a bit more casual. Of course Pat Dolan always looks stuffy but it fits his character!

I will be interested to see how today's Sunday Afternoon Wrap Up Show comes off...............................

Alan · 1 year ago

You really don't have control over what to watch with Fox. What you see is what you get. I would like to get more individual team coverage..also it would be nice to know what the freakin' announcers look like!

SamSpur · 1 year ago

CFTV, the feed you found is the SkySports (UK) feed. They always have different announcers than the ones on FSC (which are from TWI). SkySports always shows the 2 marquee Sunday matchups in the UK, and you'll usually hear Gray and Tyler on them.

Charlie · 1 year ago

Someone in a previous thread bashing Fox Soccer Catastrophe made the observation that FSC was like a public access channel trying to cover football. It's such a perfect analogy that I'm going to repost it in this thread.

I had already knew better than to make the mistake of watching FSC's pre-match show over Setanta's. When it comes to studio analysis, FSC isn't fit to shine Setanta's boots.

If it weren't for Bobby McMahon on that mess FSC calls a "Soccer Report," I wouldn't watch that either.

I better sign off before I get *really* upset. :-P

Matt · 1 year ago

This weekend was the first time I've ever watched Setanta (it was a free weekend on DirecTV) and I have a major problem with them.

I was watching Spurs-Boro live and planned to watch West Ham-Wigan, Fulham-Hull City and Bolton-Stoke later on. Unfortunately Setanta was updating the scores of the other games every time a goal was scored which ruined the games for me.

Burt Reynolds · 1 year ago

Did you see their games on Sunday? I thought the Newcastle - Man United stalemate and the Villa thrashing of Man City both very enjoyable and entertaining. 7 minute hat trick from Agbonlahor! I kinda agree with you on the dumbing down thing, but I thought they showed some great football on Sunday.

The Gaffer · 1 year ago

CFTV,

Super Sunday + from Fox wasn't too bad. Main criticism is that the blokes are now wearing suits. What pub do you go to where punters wear suits? This ain't South Beach!

Rest of the coverage was OK. Interesting to hear that Gary Richards predicts Mark Hughes will get the sack and David Moyes will be leaving soon. Much too early to be making predictions like that, I believe.

Cheers,
The Gaffer

Michael D · 1 year ago

Why does FSC pick up the TWI feed? Aren't Fox and Sky owned by the same corporation? After a summer with Andy Gray (not to mention his voice on the FIFA game) he's really my preferred color guy.

CFTV · 1 year ago

Obviously FSC has a deal with TWI since they are the producers of the Preview and Review Show. I know for sure we have had Tyler call games on FSC before.

Does he post anywhere where he will be calling games for the coming weekend when he finds out his assignment or is there a place on the net that posts the commentary pairs? And is it just me or has Tyler in the past called games solo without a color guy in the booth?

Oh and Gaffer if you get Dermott from FSC back on the interview podcast again ask a follow up about getting the old episodes of the Highlight Show as filler programming? He seemed interested in the idea when you brought that up last year......................