The Soccer Thread (IV)

Wouldn't a high-profile matchup make them more likely to do this kind of thing again in the future?

I'm not much of a Fox Sports fan, but this sort of thing can only be good for the game in the U.S., right?

 

Imagine what it might be like if soccer ever "makes it" in America?

 

Yeah, I'm thinking Real-ManUtd on national television would be better for the game here than, say, Porto-CSKA Moscow

 

For people who are watching for the first time, who want to give the game a shot, Barcelona being involved would be richly beneficial, as well. At their best, there's no team more attractive than them.

The only hitch is that finals, on the whole, don't tend to produce the most attractive games.

Still, as I said, this can only be beneficial. Could we one day see a bidding war for World Cup rights? (Although merely thinking of the idea of Joe Buck doing the World Cup final is enough to make two or three of my brain cells jump through my nose to horrible, horrible freedom.)

 

Final is on Saturday afternoon and will definitely beat last years ESPN rating.

 

And ESPN ups the number of EPL matches to 83 in 2010-11.

http://www.epltalk.com/espn-reaches-deal-to-show-more-premier-league-games-in-u-s-exclusive/15705

When, oh, when will soccer catch on in the USA!?!

 

Donovan take a corner, Saha heads it in. And it's 1-1.

 

Good times. Still crossing my fingers about the MLS CBA though.

 

Everton 2-1 Chelsea.
Villa 1-1 Man U.
Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool.

 

And Wolves 1-0 Spurs. Because nothing says Europe-bound quite like zero points in two games against a team that might get relegated.

 

Donovan was, by most accounts I've seen, fantastic for Everton.

United had Nani sent off in the first half for a challenge even SAF couldn't complain about.