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ESPN to show MLS, European football in Britain


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LONDON (AP) -ESPN has bought the rights to broadcast Major League Soccer live in Britain and Ireland as well as games from some European leagues.

The Disney-owned network is building up its live football content in Britain after already securing rights to show some Premier League matches.

The first live MLS match will be on Aug. 8 when England midfielder David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy plays New England.

ESPN also announced Tuesday it has won the rights to show German, Portuguese, Russian and Dutch league football.

ESPN has been picking up rights previously held by Setanta after the network collapsed in Britain due to financial problems.

Next season, ESPN will show 46 live top-flight English matches in Britain and 30 Scottish fixtures.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/socc...0125/index.html

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Fantastic.

Hopefully they pick up the French league (which I think will be fantastic next year) and the Turkish league too.

Does anybody know how this is going to work?

Is it going to be a stand alone channel like Setanta was, or is it incorparted into your sky package?

I'm gonna have to get me Sky + next year as I won't have time for all this football :D

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Fantastic.

Hopefully they pick up the French league (which I think will be fantastic next year) and the Turkish league too.

Does anybody know how this is going to work?

Is it going to be a stand alone channel like Setanta was, or is it incorparted into your sky package?

I'm gonna have to get me Sky + next year as I won't have time for all this football :D

It's a separate channel like Setanta. It will be 417 on Sky and it's £9 a month if you are already a Sky Sports subscriber.

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Fantastic.

Hopefully they pick up the French league (which I think will be fantastic next year) and the Turkish league too.

Does anybody know how this is going to work?

Is it going to be a stand alone channel like Setanta was, or is it incorparted into your sky package?

I'm gonna have to get me Sky + next year as I won't have time for all this football :D

It's a separate channel like Setanta. It will be 417 on Sky and it's £9 a month if you are already a Sky Sports subscriber.

I have Skysports 1 but I'm planning to get the whole lot switched on so I can watch more Champions League and La Liga.

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A multiyear deal with the German Bundesliga includes up to five live matches per week, plus weekly preview and highlight packages.

ESPN has also struck deals with the Portuguese Liga and IEC in Sports for exclusive UK and Ireland rights and with IMG for rights to two Dutch matches a week from the Eredivisie, and live matches from the Russian Premier League.

Additionally, it will broadcast pre-season friendlies from Real Madrid’s North American tour. Benfica’s warm-up match against AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur’s game against Olympiakos will air over the weekend of 8 and 9 August, which will also see the Italian SuperCup Live, the traditional curtain raiser to the Italian football league season.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/broadca...5004036.article

Some more info.

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You know, I was starting to reall, really worry about ESPN and how it just wouldn't be anywhere near as fulfilling as Setanta.

Clearly I was wrong. :pipe:

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Does anyone know anything about this channel and its availability on Virgin Media?

I would love it if they had a similar deal like they had with Setanta - getting it free if you have the XL package, but thats wishful thinking on my part!

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EPL - 2 games a week

SPL - 1 game a week

USA Major League - 2009 only

German Football - FIVE games per week

Portuguese Liga - Two games per week

The Eredivisie - Two games per week

The Russian Premier League

The Italian Super Cup

MLB - 10 games per week

NHL - 7 games per week

NCAA basketball - 5 games per week

NCAA Football - 100 live and as-live regular season games, live ESPN mid-week games, Conference Championship games, Bowls Games and the Bowl Championship

Other - PTI, ATH, Plus highlight shows for NASCAR, NBA, NHL, MLB and NCAA Football everyday

Holy f...

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How do I get this on freeview?

I've convinced my mum to get it in the living room for the Rangers games (We've already got Sky Sports) but I'd rather have ESPN in my room so I can get all of this!

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NCAA Football everyday

That fake Football spoils it but oh well, it is America.

The rest is making the channel even more appealing (Tho I'd have got the channel anyway for the SPL but I do love to enhance my Footballing knowledge). Every cloud (the Gridshit) has a silver lining.

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NCAA Football everyday

That fake Football spoils it but oh well, it is America.

The rest is making the channel even more appealing (Tho I'd have got the channel anyway for te SPL but I do love to enhance my Footballing knowledge). Every cloud (the Gridshit) has a silver lining.

:rolleyes:

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NCAA Football everyday

That fake Football spoils it but oh well, it is America.

The rest is making the channel even more appealing (Tho I'd have got the channel anyway for the SPL but I do love to enhance my Footballing knowledge). Every cloud (the Gridshit) has a silver lining.

:rolleyes:

(tu)

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