I will not support any product advertised during the World Cup if the announcing is not up to international standards. I will watch, not listen, and I will send my letters of disgust to all companies concerned.
You have a product called the Champions League on ESPN 2. The announcers are world class.
MLS/SUM, you have a say in this as well. Please, please, PLEASE draw upon all your resources to bring in the top talent at ESPN, or borrow talent from GOL TV or other international outlets to make the viewing experience non-pariel. I don't see Rob Stone and Marcelo Balboa calling any games in the World Baseball Classic.
I support this petition. There is nothing worse than an insurance salesman trying to sell Cracker Jacks. That is waht is going on here. How can the biggest event in the world be be misrepresented by a big sports network like ESPN. It should be commentated by those familiar with the game, like the commentators who do the Champions League games. Please, make the change.
I heard you were bringing in Brent Musberger to announce games. See the point made in the petition. Brent Musberger hasn't called a soccer game in years. He is not qualified to present games in the World Cup. Al Michaels is not qualified to present games in the World Cup. Dave O'Brien is not qualified to present games in the World Cup. Use your heads.
I support this petition.
The day that Jack Edwards sounds like a competent futbol announcer is the day I sign this petition. Oh, wait...
I say Disney forks out the bucks and we get Andres Candor.
I support this petition.
What a shame to disrespect the sport by having someone comment on a game that they know nothing about. Or did he play when he was 10 years old???? Whatever ESPN...
I support this petition.
I love soccer and want to enjoy the matches in English. Unfortunately if the announcers are as bad as it seems I will do two things..
1. Watch on another channel
2. Cancel my MLS season tickets.
Please respect the soccer fans.
I support this petition.
Please respect the players and fans of this great sport by having announcers who are well versed and experienced in all aspects of the game.
I support this petition. Rob stone is the only american announcer that has any business doing world cup games. I am dissapointed they did not put more thought on the knowledge of the game when picking there guys. It counts for alot to people who know the game and the ones that dont could learn alot more from a guy like derrick raeand.
I support this petition. Dellacamera is a good announcer and a nice guy, but Dave O'Brien knows nothing about soccer and should not be doing this event. Derrick Rae and Tommy Smyth are both excellent, and the fact that you won't have either of them doing at least some games is an outrage. This is like putting Dick Vitale on game 7 of the World Series as his first baseball assignment.
Please, the accents only bother provincial americans who- let's face it- aren't watching soccer to begin with. Don't ruin this world cup for all of us with inexperienced announcers.
I support this petition. Please make Derrick Rae and Tommy Smyth your lead team. Why are these guys good enough for the premiere club competion on the planet; The UEFA Champions League but not the WC? Please make the change.
I cannot understand why ESPN would pay all of this money for the TV rights and then use a subpar (at best) announcer as their main play-by-play guy. It really makes no sense especially when they have a first class one (Derek Rae) already in their organization.
Please don't force feed us Dave O'Brien, ESPN! U.S. Soccer fans are already accustomed to watching soccer with Spanish-speaking announcers so we are willing to do it again unless a change is made.
I definitely agree with this petition. Also I would like to comment that ESPN's coverage of Football has always been so poor and shoddy that they not deserve to broadcast the World Cup.
I support this petition. Please let the knowledgable announcers, such as Drek Ray, Tommy Smyth comment the wold's greatest sports events. As usual, soccer funs in US enjoy when these two announcers have the MIC on their regual UEFA Champions League match days
I support this petition. without true soccer announcers who share a passion for the game, I will be tuning into another channel. One where the commentary enhances the game rather than sounding like nails on a chalkboard. I don't need to have the "off-sides" rule explained to me as is common with the broadcasters the american networks (ESPN/ABC) typically recite during their uninspired telecasts.
I support this petition. I refuse to watch another match at any level that is covered by Rob Stone, Eric Wynalda, or Marcelo Balboa. Don't even think about using former women's national team players as commentators.
I will watch Andres and Jaimie from Telemundo in a language that I am severly challenged by before I listen to completely US-centric coverage of a world sport.
Your advertisers should know they only have to pay half price! The largest part of your audience will not hear their commercials because you excluded the two only two truly knowledgeable and insightful commentators you have.
No doubt many like myself have already put in their order for satellite, but most will be listening in Spanish. That should tell you how vital good announcers are.
I support this petition.
Lets try not to ruin the biggest, most passionate tournament in the world the way we ruined all other american sports coverage.
I support this petition. The beautiful games needs more than someone babbling away on the aspects of a game they know less than the fans who are watching. Get some announcers who know and have real passion
I support this petition. It's a simple game... but an intimate, underneath the skin, knowledge of it is essential to calling it correctly... the PBP. In fact, maybe do away with the color commentator completely... they don't add anything except mindless babbling that steps on the PBP.
I support this petition.
American announcers with little to no true and genuine knowledge of the game are BOUND to ruin the matches for the rest of us. I'll hate to have to watch World Cup matches with the sound muted because of poor announcing.
