I support this petition.
Balboa might have played for the United States, but he's an awful color commentator. Color should add something to the game; Balboa's talking just fills space.
Dave O'Brien isn't much better, but he's not the main concern here!
I support this petition. You're making FOX look like the real leader in sports. They at least know a little about football (soccer). If you could get Max Bretos you should. He's got great knowledge of soccer and is definitely pro-american. This is serious. Pay attention beacause this world cup will start a huge soccer following in America. Remember I said that.
I support this petition. This is a beautiful game and not very hard to understand. The announcers you have dumb things down on a massive scale, explaining every little thing that happens on the pitch. You need to have announcerswith experience, who actually know the game and who will pause and let the game speak for itself at times. You need to let Derek Rae and Tommy Smith call some of the games.
Please just let Derek Rae and Tommy do every match as they know when to be quiet and let the match flow. We don't care about what they think the teams are thinking.
I support this petition 100000% Change the announcers or lose many of your viewers. The U.S market is based on the people's wants..so listen to what we want!!
I support this petition. There is NO adequate reason not to assign Derek Rae the head announcer position. He's a fantastic, educated football announcer.
I support this petition.
As a US citizen, I find myself constatnly defending football on cable TV. It is the most exciting experience to watch a match when the announcers have extensive knowledge and passion about the game. Please do not ruin this World Cup. This is bigger than the olympics for us!!
Besides if you got some English/Irishmen on air with accents you might boost viewership among women.
I support this petition. I will be in Germany for the WC, but for the sake of all stateside viewers, please reconsider. If I were in America, I would rather listen to the games in Spanish (which I barely understand) than listen to your scheduled announcers.
I support this petition. We are tired of having people who just want to hear themselves talk instead of intelligently calling the game. None of your announcers hold a candle to Ian Dark, John Champion and the rest of the English crew. Soccer is an intelligent game and needs high-level intellectual commentary.
I support this petition. Derek Rae, JP and Marcelo Balboa are okay but the rest are awful. I would rather watch the games on another channel if you have Dave O'Brien!
I like Rob Stone, but the other 2 you can have. Tommy Smyth and Derek Rae would seem to make the most sense to m e, especially since they already work for ESPN.
Key demos for the suits that care:
age 28, male, income level (High)
Basically the most coveted advertising demo on the planet.
Please do not ruin our World Cup experience with announcers that know nothing about the game at the highest levels. It is important to bring in competent and knowledgeable commentary to the world's largest spectators sport. If the commentators are lacking quality like those of the 2002 ESPN broadcast, I'll definetly be watching Univision...If I'm in the States, that is!
I support this petition.
It's amazing how Tommy Smyth is still with ESPN, he is clueless, just like the rest of them, he has been for years, whenever he's commentating I turn the sound OFF!!!...
I support this petition. I will only watch Univision or Telemundo if ESPN insists on insulting the true football fan w/ mediocre commentors who have no knowledge of the beautiful game.
I support this petition.
you constantly have poor announcers. I have no idea why you would even want to televise this since it is clear that by your announcing choices tht you you don't care or understand the game.
ESPN has no excuse not to use top flight announcers considering that Rae and Smith are already doing the Champions League. Please use people who love this game and tournament like the fans do!
I support this petition. It is very difficult for casual fans of the game to understand and appreciate the game without skilled announcers. Excellent American commentators exist as well as former players. John Harkes comes to mind as former player with a good TV presence and knowledge of the game. ESPN please reconsider.
I support this petition.
ESPN was established as a network to provide access to the sporting world. Americans are not ignorant to this sport, and to provide commentators who appreciate the beauty of the game less than the average American fan is a poor decision. ESPN possess quality commentators in Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth, don’t hide them for the largest sporting event in the world.
I support this petition. Even though Celo is a fellow alumni of San Diego State, his constant explanations of the game as if I were a novice viewer are annoying. I want Tommy!!!
Please upgrade your commentators for the world's greatest sporting spectacle. Otherwise, you'll be forcing me to seek foreign channels (spanish) or, at worst, to use the "mute" button on the remote.
I support this petition because football fans we deserve to listen to informed football commentators who actually know the game. As a 50 year old fan who's followed football (soccer is a french and american word) his entire life, including 25 barren years listening to uninformed US 'soccer' commentators while, it's about time American broadcasaters gave this sport and it's fans what they deserve. Some trajic past mistakes include commercials actually running during the games allowing goals and other highlites to be missed...even missed the only goal in the WC final in 1984 so they could shill that muck that passes for beer over here, Budweiser, and it's only been in the last year or so as the English Premier league games have been broadcast by Fox and cable services that ANY decent coverage has been available and as far as I can see ESPN have done almost nothing to respect what is the WORLDS PREMIER SPORT...get with it ESPN, listen to those who know, how'd you like to listen to the SuperBowl or World Series with Tommy Smyth doing it?...yeah, me neither, if you stick us with Musberger and other like minded dolts we just wont listen, telemundo, univision and satellite radio are better options...and we'll take them.
