What is EPSN thinking of? I know american sports casters dont really understand the champions league & its importance, but how could you NOT show this match live??? Im not american but this isnt a good thing for american soccer if they want it to grow, is it?
I support this petition.
Hell I'd do the commentary during the tournament for airfare over to Germany. Maybe ESPN should do a fan's view of the tournament and let fans do each and every game. There wouldn't be high expectations and it would be done as a labor of love.
You've got to be kidding me! Take the advice of everyone signing this petition: Get the announcers that represent football. Tommy Smyth for the win!!
I support this petition.
I appreciate JP Delacamera as an announcer. In fact, hockey announcers in general can keep up with the pace of the gane and understand both the technical and tactical aspects. Stone is a poser.
Why does anyone expect ESPN to do a good job with the world cup? Seriously, isn't this petition a huge waste of time - they'll never understand. Don't hire ANY U.S. commentators! Hire British announcers. Why doesn't ESPN realize that their mishandling of this event will actually HURT their reputation among real soccer fans? Idiots...
How about not having any announcers. Let us listen to the enthusiastic singing of each countries fans. Pre-game yes. Line ups yes. During the game NO! If you do decide to use commentators please pick from the many who know the game that have experience. Please tell them to have nice quiet moments so WE can watch the game with our own enthusiasm. Can someone tell me WHY do big television networks believe that we want to hear their silly talking heads? Thanks and enjoy this world cup. Should be a good one!
I have a choice because I understand Spanish and will watch Univision unless ESPN uses real soccer experts (such as Derek Rae) to call games at the World Cup.
I support this petition. I am an American fan. I enjoy ESPN's coverage of other sports but I don't understand why they've chosen these men to announce these games.
ESPN needs to leave it to the professionals. This isn't an ABC "Dancing With The Stars" special, this is the World Cup. Please give it the respect it deserves.
I support this petition.This guy was a joke and if he represents ESPN and how they feel about Soccer growing in this country then you guys should just give it up now. My 11 year old Soccer fanatic Son called a better game watching the game.
Best of Luck
I support this petition... PLEASE, give us the best you possibly can, its the World Cup!!!its MUCH bigger than the Super Bowl, and that has the best, y doesnt the biggest sporting event in the world?!
DOB knows less about soccer than his kids and is constantly making a mockery of this sport. The less said about Celo the better. I do not speak or understand Spanish but I will not be watching the World Cup on ESPN if something is not done about their announcers.
If this does not change, I will NOT be watching the world cup on ESPN/ Period. No viewers means no advertisers, no advertisers means no money, no money means no dice. Get it?
ESPN bills itself as "The worldwide leader in sports". Their lack of respect for the world's leading game flies in the face of that claim. Give soccer fans the product they deserve.
I support this petition. Perhaps the reason we need to go looking for foreign commentators is the fact that the sport is so poorly covered in this country, contributing to the lack of understanding by most American citizens. If we get commentators who've played and understood the game on a very high level, people may be able to learn from watching the World Cup games this year, making chances better for American commentators in the future, however far that may or may not be.
I support this petition. This is the most watched and played sport in the world, and at its highest level should only be broadcasted with the highest level of announcers.
I support this petition. JP,Tommy Smith, & Derrick Rae ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE you have qualified to do WC coverage... PERIOD! It's an absolute disgrace the way you continue to shove down our throatsannouncers who are not qualified to do footy at all! It's the reason I refuse to watch your mls coverage as well! PLEASE REPRESENT THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT SPORTING EVENT ON THE PLANET EARTH PROERLY WITH COMPETENT QUALITY ANNOUNCERS!!!
I support this petition. I will only accept announcers of the highest quality, that know the players quite well, including the other team. Bringing in a baseball announcer for horrible color commentary like "nice shot!" or "they really are playing great" will just make me move to watch the game on another station. Bring in an announcer with class, such as Tommy Smyth, which will allow you to have loyal followers for years to come. Announcers should have played soccer themselves, and know tatics of the game.
Don't let ABC dumb down your World Cup coverage. Please remove those wankers O'Brien and Stone and immediately replace them with Rae and Smyth. The World Cup is a soccer tournament - please hire soccer men to announce it!
I support this petition. We don't deserve it! Soccer is the world's most popular sport and its an injustice to provide bad coverage to Americans where everyone else everywhere else in the world gets coverage from people who know what they are talking about. Live the dream!!
I support this petition. Please end this needless suffering to us soccer fans. It has gone on long enough. And dont try and solve the problem by resurecting Shamus Mallon(sp?), the anglofile boob, who thinks football can only be enjoyed while sipping the proper wine varietal.
I have never heard of 2 of the names, the third doesn't understand the game; you could tell the way he played. The last name definitely has a foriegn accent, gets the players names wrong, talks of positions that were made popular by Billy Bingham and please, take your onion bag to Paris, it would be useful there.
I will be taking Spanish lessons or listening to the BBC.
p.s. If any prospective sponsors read this, my advice is "Don't bother!"
I support this petition. I really enjoy the Spanish language broadcasters although I don't speak Spanish. I see no reason why the announcers need to be American, but at least give us announcers who have a lifetime of football/soccer experience.
E -extraordinarily
S -stupid
P -pinhead
N -network
For God's Sake, go experiment with your made-for-TV sports. Leave the beautiful game to the experts. Experts it turns out you already employ.
