I support this petition, but would support it even more if ESPN would hire Quinn Buckner to do sideline reporting for the ever so slight chance that Thierry Henry would blast one right through that Ginormous gap of his, mistaking it for the goal, and as it happens, having Stuart Scott hollering, Boo-Yah!! Got ya in the grill dogg!!
I support this petition. I am Irish and me and my Irish mates think that Tommy smyth is the best that there is on TV anywhere. I would say that I live in Woodlawn NY that we have our fair share of Irish mates. Go Tommy do the wee county proud we love you.
I'd rather watch the World Cup in Silence than listen to the ESPN commentators - people that are not soccer experts and hardly qualify as novices. Hire professionals or I'll be subscribing to Setanta.
I support this petition. For too long the annoying voice of Max Bretos (and others like him) has tainted the airwaves, it's about time that we get announcers that not only know the game better than anyone...but sound like they know the game!!!
I support this petition.
This is a disgrace not to use people who understand the game.I will watch the games with commentators who do not speak English.At least the inflection in their voices will be at the right time!!
I support this petition.
ESPN, soccer has to be such a small portion of revenue that you should be able to take a few chances with it. Don't cater to the lowest common denominator.
I support this petition. If you can get expert announcers for cheerleading and spelling bees, why is it so hard for you to get announcers that actually know the difference between a kickoff and a kick in the ass?
I support this petition.
Do not taint this beautiful game, that we as supporters love dearly. It is a game that thrives on atmosphere and passion. We do NOT need a couple of low rate commentators just running through the motions, to call the World Cup. You wouldn't have dick vitale commentate the players championship in golf!! All we ask is for your help and give us derrick rae in the upcoming tournament. Thank You!
Please consider using experienced european announcers over american below standard announcers. It's fine for MLS, but viewers of the world came deserve better.
I support this petition. And stop the split screen advertising and score tracker at the bottom of the screen! we're trying to watch a match and we don't need a smaller viewing surface!
I support this petition because the announcers on ESPN in the USA are horrible. I would rather watch the world cup in another language than listen to unaware soccer ignorant announcers.Perhaps you can use the ESPN SE Asia english language announcers! I will watch on another chanel if need be.
The World Cup is the greatest sporting event in the world. Please do not treat it like some sort of fringe sport by using substandard announcers such as Dave O'Brien, JP Dellacamera, Balboa, Eric Wynalda, and Rob Stone. We don't want endless babbling about distances between European cities, homer proclamations of "Mine eyes have seen the glory", hockey calls such as "SCORE", and a general disrespect for the sport. Please give us Rae and Smyth and people at that level. Also, if I watch a tape delay game, we do not want the final score of that game crawling across the bottom of the screen. ESPN ruined a great Holland vs. Brazil match in '98 by showing the final score during the first half of the game. Absolutely shocking.
I support this petition. I rather watch the Spanish channels than what you have going on ESPN right now. Keep Tommy Smyth & Derek Rae...everyone else can go.
I support this petition but do not put Tommy Smyth in his place, he knows nothing about the game, even my irish mates can't stand him. Talk to Hector Pizzarro from Fox Americas, he is looking for world cup work
Please consider the sentiments being expressed in this petition. In the simpelist of terms fans of soccer/football wait for four years for the World Cup to come around. The excitement, anticipation,the passion and devotion that fans of the game feel following their teams' results through the tournament is both pure joy and agony at the same time. Please do not blunt the beauty that is this seminal tournament by putting in second rate television announcers. Fans of the game need and demand that ESPN put their best annoncers Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth in place of the line up of O'Brien, Dellacamera, and Stone. Casual fans of the game will be more likely to be drawn into watching games by listening to quality announcing of Rae and Smyth then the dribble that comes from a non-soccer announcer and two second rate soccer analysts. Thank you for your time in considering my comments.I look forward to hearing the announcement of Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth taking over the announcing reins for the World Cup.
The current announcers are awful. Balboa was a solid player but he doesn't belong behind a microphone. Please sack this moron and his counterpart. His counterpart is worse than he is, I thought he was dead when I first heard him speak. Is it possible to be any more bored listening to this duo commentate? I wanted to start clipping various parts of my anatomy off with a dull pair of clippers but instead I just muted it and watched in silence. ESPN PLEASE change these two put Smyth and Rae in their place, those two are solid solid announcers. My spanish is average at best but at least I when I watch Univision they know and love the game as much probably more than I do.
I support this petition. 100%. For example, how would American Football fans feel if two British/Scottish or any other European were the commentators for the Superbowl?????
I support this petition.. I will not watch the World Cup on ESPN. I will watch it on Univision even though I dont't understand Spanish. If ESPN will get an knowledgeable, and experienced announcer I will definitely tune in and watch it on ESPN. I would like to see announcers from England or have the international feed.
I support this petition because Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth are the only ones that will provide the most decent commenting. Why have someone else in their place? If they both aren't going to cover the World Cup then ESPN will be crap!
I support this petition.All you had to do was watch ESPN 2 for the past 2 days to see quality announcers. Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth fit like a glove. They know when to talk when to shut up. They also have something useful to say when they talk. they are the best.
the worlds greatest sporting event deserves THE BEST that Espn has to offer, even if that means you have to hire some new guys. PLEASE don't make me watch UNIVISION!!!
I support this petition. Would you elect John Madden as president? Hell no then why would youhave other NFL announcers for the world cup! Down with the steroid snorting announcers and get some bloody Europeans in the mix! FU ESPN! and Go Nick and Steven!
I would like quality announcers who understand the game and players. You won't see Vin Scully doing American Football or Hockey Games.
Please reconsider
Please get some people who know what they're talking about! During the USA v Mexico match last April, the commentaters spent half the game talking about how the players "aren't used to playing at this high of an altitude" to coverup the fact that they didn't know what they were doing. I don't want to hear about "they had to train in Denver to prepare for the German alps" all during the World Cup.
