I support this petition. Derek Rae is the man for the job. Its who we listen to all year and can respect his undoubted knowledge of the game. Why change a winning team?
I support this petition. Under no circumstances should Dave O'Brien or Rob Stone be allowed to call a World Cup match – it’s bad enough when we have to put up with Stone for MLS.
I support this petition.
Derrick Rae and Seamus Malin are two of the best English language soccer announcers in the world. Dave O'Brien, Dellacamera, and Rob Stone are three of the worst. Enough said.
I can understand why you put Joe Theisman on the new MNF, even though most people hate him. Its good for ratings. I also understand how you can allow ESPN to be pushed around by the NFL in terms of content and programming (see: playmakers). But to have a baseball guy doing the WORLD CUP is disgusting. He is a terrific voice and is probably great at his job...but his job isnt soccer. He knows nothing about the sport or how to call it. Its not like football where inbetween plays Madden can make his nonsence comments. Theres an eb and flow, a progression unlike any sport that constantly stops the clock. Please, use experianced announcers for the World Cup games, or atleast some of them, or I fear we will have to view the games elsewhere. If you must, have that crew do the US games. But for those of use who will be spending our summer dialed into ESPN, please allow us the ability to enjoy the sport we love. Get a quality person in the booth...or at the VERY least, please get a few tapes for Obrien to watch so he can learn a thing or two before June. Please consider American soccer fans who feel our hands are tied by ESPN to not experiance the game as fully as the world celebrates. You are not however, our only hope...so please make changes.
Even non-soccer fans watch the World Cup. Give them the opportunity to learn about the beautiful game from commentators who are knowledgeable and passionate about the sport.
I support this petition. I feel that in order to educate those who are not that familiar with the game we need to have the very best. We need to have the likes of Tommy Smyth with many years of experience commentating world class soccer. I feel it will be a grave mistake to use the wrong commentators with little to no experience for this massive event.
if it comes to it, i will buy a uhf satellite system in order to watch the world cup properly please change the announcing line up so that I do not hve to resort to that.
I support this petition with great conviction. For fans to fully appreciate this event we need announcers who know what they are doing. Please do not ruin our experience, and your reputation, with people who are not qualified.
I wholeheartedly support this petition. The announcers do not have to be American. They only need to understand the game, it's subtleties, and what makes it great. If these announcers continue, I expect to use the volume button on my stereo instead of my t.v. Please change the announcers before the World Cup. Why not Ray Hudson (former coach of D.C. United)? The man's hilarious, enthusiastic, and i hear he needs a job.
I support this petition. Why would Disney pay that much money for television rights just to wheel out the guys who do figure skating, girls basketball, and DIII wrestling?
I support this petition. Let's get some guys with some knowledge of the game, who have played an/or coached the game.This is the greatest sport in the world and it deserves some broadcasters with some passion for the game. Futbol por vida!!!!!
I support this petition. I watch ESPN regularly and usually enjoy your sports coverage. I am afraid that your World Cup announcers are not capable of adequately announcing the games. David O'Brian made numberous errors in the USA-Poland game. Has he ever seen a soccer game? Please reconsider your announcing crew or I will watch the WC in Univision instead.
i would rather have the EA Sports FIFA 2006 anouncers. Cmon guys... seriously -its no wonder this sport will never take off in this country. hell, even though we wouldnt get to see her much -how about heather mitts?
I watch ESPN and listen to ESPN radio daily. For american sports the coverage is stellar. But to see your announcers for the world cup have little knowledge about soccer shows your apathy for the sport. I dont expect the likes of dan patrick to spend hours on the sport, but you do have people working for you more qualified to announce the matches. With channels like FSC and Univision, it would not be wise to alienate a passionate group of sports fans. After march madness till preseason football, espn gets very boring. Please make the World Cup the pinnacle of the summer and give it the respect it deserves.
I enjoy many of the ESPN announcers for your other headline sports, e.g. College Football/Game Day. However, I want to see top quality "football" announcers covering the world cup. Please give us the respect we deserve as soccer fans.
as far as I'm concerned, this guy is THE WORST soccer announcer I have heard in my life. two words come to my mind: verbal diarrhea. its what happens when people just talk for the sake of talking.
I wholeheartedly support this petition.
I support this petition entirely...like Matt said, baseball and soccer are completely different in style and in presentation. Nobody wants to hear the world cup being commentated on in the style of the world series...please change it
