ESPN Bids for US Premier League Rights

[MrMarcello]

Well that's just fantastic. Rather NBCSN retain. Can we expect ESPN to shuffle college football morning shows and NFL morning shows to accommodate the Premier League? Or do the early morning matches get shunted to ESPN2 and whatnot?

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

https://worldsoccertalk.com/2021/11/09/espn-bids-for-us-premier-league-rights/
ESPN bids for US Premier League rights

https://the18.com/en/soccer-entertainment/espn-us-premier-league-tv-rights-bid
ESPN Has Entered The Fray For U.S. Premier League TV Rights

https://www.tvrev.com/news/premier-league-rights-tv-english-us-nbc-streaming-espn
What English Premier League TV Rights Will Say About State of U.S. Market

 

[therealtboy]

More Shaka Hislop and Craig Burley, oh oh.

 

[FerociousCorgis]

fine with me. Already have espn plus and it has been incredible to watch hockey on. Screw peacock (nbcsports gold) bullshit.

 

[WI_Red]

fine with me. Already have espn plus and it has been incredible to watch hockey on. Screw peacock (nbcsports gold) bullshit.

You say that, but at least with NBC we had games on actual TV stations. As mentioned above, no way they are going to preempt NFL and college football pre game shows, much less the games. The PL will end up exclusively on streaming, just like BL is. Also, I really like the studio team and announcing crew (Arlo White, Lee Dixon, etc.) they have put together.

 

[Cloud7]

Is it my imagination or was the PL not on ESPN sometime in the not too distant past?

 

[Lord SInister]

Craig Burnley will have a field day bashing Ole .
I really enjoy the stupid banter between them in Extratime though.

 

[FerociousCorgis]

You say that, but at least with NBC we had games on actual TV stations. As mentioned above, no way they are going to preempt NFL and college football pre game shows, much less the games. The PL will end up exclusively on streaming, just like BL is. Also, I really like the studio team and announcing crew (Arlo White, Lee Dixon, etc.) they have put together.

at this point feel like more people have streaming service capabilities than "actual tv stations". Not sure if i know too many people who arent streaming one of netflix/hulu/hbo max etc.

 

[pseudo_canadian]

You say that, but at least with NBC we had games on actual TV stations. As mentioned above, no way they are going to preempt NFL and college football pre game shows, much less the games. The PL will end up exclusively on streaming, just like BL is. Also, I really like the studio team and announcing crew (Arlo White, Lee Dixon, etc.) they have put together.

Yeah this would be a mess with all of ESPN’s other programming.

NBC has done a good job.

 

[Teja]

Hmm I really like NBCSN + Peacock.

So do you just get ESPN+ and stream whatever PL game you want for 7$ a month? That seems pretty good.

 

[FerociousCorgis]

Yeah this would be a mess with all of ESPN’s other programming.

NBC has done a good job.

except for the fact that they hide at least half the games each weekend behind a pay service that has pretty much nothing else sportswise at least on it. ESPN has just a crapton of sports on espn plus so the value is there so much more than paying the extra for peacock so you can watch epl soccer and the office/nbc show reruns.

 

[WI_Red]

at this point feel like more people have streaming service capabilities than "actual tv stations". Not sure if i know too many people who arent streaming one of netflix/hulu/hbo max etc.

True, but it would mean yet another streaming service to add. For me it's less about that then about how ESPN has shit over all their other soccer coverage. Just compare how they treat USMNT WCQ games versus Paramount Plus/CBS. CBS does a fantastic job and their pre and post game coverage (of which ESPN has none) is incredible. Those guys (Gooch, Deuce, Edu, Davies) are like the TNT basketball crew of soccer.

 

[FerociousCorgis]

Hmm I really like NBCSN + Peacock.

So do you just get ESPN+ and stream whatever PL game you want for 7$ a month? That seems pretty good.

if they go the route of all the games that would be on nbcsn/peacock and just put them on espn plus it would be a great deal. Pretty sure they still have the bundle option too where you can get hulu/disney plus/espn plus for like 15 bucks a month or something in the states.

 

[FerociousCorgis]

True, but it would mean yet another streaming service to add. For me it's less about that then about how ESPN has shit over all their other soccer coverage. Just compare how they treat USMNT WCQ games versus Paramount Plus/CBS. CBS does a fantastic job and their pre and post game coverage (of which ESPN has none).

meh i think they are improving with their coverage. It was a concern of hockey fans when it went back to espn from nbcsn ironically enough. Now i am watching a crapton more hockey than i ever could with nbcsn. Coverage is pretty good for that too. Different market i know.

And for me honestly i dont care all that much besides just being able to watch the game. As long as the announcers stay out of the way im going to choose the easier route of watching. I posted in another one if you are in states check out the package with disney/hulu/espn plus all bundled together. Just a ridic good value IMO.

 

[Gandalf]

Living here I don't particularly care who gets it as I subscribe to all the different sports networks but whoever wins needs to keep Rebecca Lowe as the studio anchor because she knows more about football than most of those cretins on Extratime and she is a total MILF.

 

[MrMarcello]

The third link I posted mentions that it is possible US rights end up split amongst two broadcasters, perhaps NBCSN and ESPN in this scenario. Also mentions FOX is considering a bid to retake what it once had, albeit somewhat shitty coverage from my limited memory. Also would mean more shitty Lalas commentary and unsolicited opinions.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

VPN and DAZN Canada?

 

[mav_9me]

Living here I don't particularly care who gets it as I subscribe to all the different sports networks but whoever wins needs to keep Rebecca Lowe as the studio anchor because she knows more about football than most of those cretins on Extratime and she is a total MILF.

She is a brilliant anchor.

Extra time and all their discussion is some of the worst sports stuff on any screen/channel ever.

 

[United in sin]

fine with me. Already have espn plus and it has been incredible to watch hockey on. Screw peacock (nbcsports gold) bullshit.

Peacock is a great app to catch up on PL games. Have you actually used it? The fact you'd compare it to the 50 bucks a year and now defunct NBC sports Gold tell me you probably haven't.

ESPN have been categorically poor in their coverage of soccer on their main channels for years. Their PL coverage in the 90s was as poor as you expect and in 2010-13 was only marginally better than the old Fox Soccer Network and only because they had actual HD coverage and not the BS FSN claimed to be. I hope NBC outbid them

 

[mav_9me]

The third link I posted mentions that it is possible US rights end up split amongst two broadcasters, perhaps NBCSN and ESPN in this scenario. Also mentions FOX is considering a bid to retake what it once had, albeit somewhat shitty coverage from my limited memory. Also would mean more shitty Lalas commentary and unsolicited opinions.

Fox soccer was always awful. Their standalone streaming service was terrible

 

[peridigm]

Is it my imagination or was the PL not on ESPN sometime in the not too distant past?

In the US? Definitely imagination.

ESPN sucks. Get ready for Tommy Smyth, Ian Darke, and Taylor Twellman.

 

[FerociousCorgis]

Peacock is a great app to catch up on PL games. Have you actually used it? The fact you'd compare it to the 50 bucks a year and now defunct NBC sports Gold tell me you probably haven't.

ESPN have been categorically poor in their coverage of soccer on their main channels for years. Their PL coverage in the 90s was as poor as you expect and in 2010-13 was only marginally better than the old Fox Soccer Network and only because they had actual HD coverage

nope never bought it, just like i never bought the stupid nbc sports gold. Frankly i do agree with the overall sentiment of way too many damn streaming services out there. I at least get behind espn plus since i bundle it with disney/hulu for pretty cheap. Would easily get why some wouldnt want that. If espn gets premier league will see how they handle it. Ive been really pleased with their hockey stuff, so they have earned a little goodwill to see how they would handle this if it came to pass.

 

[FerociousCorgis]

In the US? Definitely imagination.

ESPN sucks. Get ready for Tommy Smyth, Ian Darke, and Taylor Twellman.

thought twellman was on fox? idk hard to keep track. Prob be a duo of twellman and lalas haha. Pretty sure espn would be overwhelmed with calls for refund then

 

[United in sin]

nope never bought it, just like i never bought the stupid nbc sports gold. Frankly i do agree with the overall sentiment of way too many damn streaming services out there. I at least get behind espn plus since i bundle it with disney/hulu for pretty cheap. Would easily get why some wouldnt want that. If espn gets premier league will see how they handle it. Ive been really pleased with their hockey stuff, so they have earned a little goodwill to see how they would handle this if it came to pass.

I have ESPN plus for the other football leagues but if the PL was given the same treatment leagues like Bundesliga and La Liga are getting on there they'd be a lot of expressed displeasure among subscribers as they'd see it as a significant stepdown in quality from the NBC coverage.

 

[WI_Red]

It's really not about the money as currently I need to have:

1. Paramount Plus for CL/EL and away USMNT WCQ games,
2. NBC Sports App for PL games
3. ESPN+ for BL games and USMNT home WCQ games

It's more about how NBC has done a great job in my opinion in making the PL an actual full day experience. Good pre game analysis, post game analysis and enjoyable announcers. They also do their fan zone events which look like a hell of a lot of fun. ESPN's coverage of the BL is horrid. Half the time the sound fritzes out and there is zero extras pre or post game. I see this as the HUGE step down we got when TNT/TBS go the Champions League. They did such a bad job they abandoned it in the middle of the tournament because no one was watching their shitty coverage.

 

[simonhch]

I don't like peacock in general but NBC's coverage has been largely excellent, so much better than it was on Fox. I really hope they keep it to gives us some continuity, I don't have much faith in ESPN making as big of a deal of it as NBC have done. But maybe the investment will necessitate it. Ine thing I could definitely live without are NBC's absolutely shocking 'Fan Zones', which are just cringe and annoying. The two Robbie's are also pretty shit; but I'm nitpicking now. Their coverage has been excellent and countrywide awareness and engagement with the PL has skyrocketed under their broadcasting.

 

[United in sin]

It's really not about the money as currently I need to have:

1. Paramount Plus for CL/EL and away USMNT WCQ games,
2. NBC Sports App for PL games
3. ESPN+ for BL games and USMNT home WCQ games

It's more about how NBC has done a great job in my opinion in making the PL an actual full day experience. Good pre game analysis, post game analysis and enjoyable announcers. They also do their fan zone events which look like a hell of a lot of fun. ESPN's coverage of the BL is horrid. Half the time the sound fritzes out and there is zero extras pre or post game. I see this as the HUGE step down we got when TNT/TBS go the Champions League. They did such a bad job they abandoned it in the middle of the tournament because no one was watching their shitty coverage.

The Bleacher report sets for TNT CL coverage were so minimalist and depressing as well

 

[calodo2003]

When does the current NBC contract run out?

 

[Sayros]

Oh that would be great, to have the PL on a streaming platform in the US would be excellent.

 

[visiting villain]

really hoping that it stays with NBC. They treat it like a crown jewel and it will just be another sporting event on ESPN with little to no coverage for most teams (especially if no pre/post game shows)

 

[visiting villain]

When does the current NBC contract run out?

end of this season

 

[edcunited1878]

When does the current NBC contract run out?

May 22, 2022 - at the end of this current season.

 

[ExoduS]

I hope NBC outbids ESPN but ESPN has Disney money ... I do not like Peacock app. Paramount+ is 3 times better, but NBC and NBC Sports did excellent coverage of the PL. ESPN+ has Spanish league already, Paramount has UCL and Italian league so it would be I guess financially better for streamers for PL to move to ESPN, however ESPN is total garbage. They we sh1t with UCL coverage.

 

[MrMarcello]

The expected bid amount is $200m to $250m per season over six years. With that kind of loot thrown around one would think ESPN would likely enhance their coverage, if the sole winner versus two winners. But they do so little for Bundesliga and are absolutely atrocious with MLS coverage that I would be thoroughly surprised to see them take a different direction. The third link I posted mentioned that dollar figure places it firmly at BIGXII and ACC level of cost, so there would surely be incentive to make an effort. I expect two bid winners, probably NBC and ESPN though I could see a CBS or FOX throwing a wrench into it. FOX frightens me because their commentary is abysmal but CBS might do something worthwhile along the path of NBCSN. I'd love it, just love it, if this forced ESPN into creating an all-footy channel.

 

[Zaphod2319]

ESPN got into a bit of funding problems going hard for more NFL games and it was their coverage of other sports that took the hit. I hope NBC or CBS win. NBC has done the best with coverage of PL and CBS/Paramount has had the best coverage of CL, Europa, and Europa Conference. I enjoy the silliness of ExtraTime, but the regular coverage on EspnFC has gone down since ESPN took over coverage of La Liga. Just look at how much service La Liga has got! All ESPN+ and no real shows to go with it. feck ESPN the SEC and NFL wannabe network!
(fan of a SEC team but hates the biased coverage and promos)

 

[AsonUnique]

Part of me thinks this would be great for growth in the US. More highlights and recognition on Sports Center would be awesome. But I am nervous it will just get pushed to ESPN+ due to the competition with College Football and NFL. I think I would prefer it to stay on NBC where it is more of a priority.

 

[Bluelion7]

Yeah this would be a mess with all of ESPN’s other programming.

NBC has done a good job.

Yeah … this one worries me. As it stands now I get to see most games (and not ONLY the big name teams) with what is pretty solid quality coverage. I can’t imagine ESPN treating it with the same importance, especially given the time slots and days it would occupy. Texas Tech v North Dakota in college football would bump Man Utd vs City in their eyes. They can say it wouldn’t, but I don’t believe them. NBC has been committed to really bringing the league alive for those who struggled to find ways to watch over the years. Moving away from that would be incredibly shortsighted imho.

 

[baskinginthesun]

Yep. Sort of got into the swing of things with NBC doing the PL. They've done an excellent job with the coverage and providing pre and post match analysis. It seems like the group (Rebecca, Robbies, Tim Howard) all have good chemistry on TV and make the discussion really good and to the point.

ESPN would be awful. They have too many sports to cover and not enough people to really make a good product. And I'm not a fan of the ESPN+ app.

 

[FootballHQ]

Does Ray Hudson work for this lot?

 

[Zaphod2319]

Does Ray Hudson work for this lot?

Since they started doing La Liga he does commentary on those games.

 

[Flytan]

If it saves me money, fine, but ESPN coverage of everything is trash in the US now. It's embarrassing how little talent they have as a company.