I support this petition. Your lack of Respect for the viewers is shocking and insulting. Instead of growing the popularity of another sport in the United States you are turning off the fan base you already have from watching your broadcast. I for one refuse to watch the World cup on ESPN.
I support this petition. Get the most bang for your advertising buck and listen to the people they will be targeting. Announcers make a difference with the product you are covering - both positive and negative.
I emphatically support this petition and hope that ESPN will take this eloquent request seriously. If properly qualified announcers are not present at the broadcasts, I will certainly switch to Univision. Best regards.
I support this petition. I watch the EPL games August thru May with excellent commentators. The World Cup only comes along every four years and we are counting the days until June 9. This is an event that calls for great announcers. Hire the best soccer people for the job. Those of us who KNOW soccer know the difference. Don't force me to turn off the sound while watching these games because if I do that I'll just go to Univision to watch.
You got me i think we need someone to make it exciting and awsome to make it feel like we are at the game hearing the excitment of the commantators and the crowd
Knowledge of the sport is what is supposed to separate ESPN from the other networks. Please treat the greatest sporting event in the world with the respect it deserves.
I support this petition. I swear to you if you do not change the announcers, I will be watching on Telemundo. You have 98 days to make your decision, so please make the wise one!
I support this petition. The greatest show on earth surly deserves world class commentators. ESPN can and should do better than that. Let’s have a ‘color’ person that’s played the game and knows how the game should be played. Please, do something about this. Thank you.
I support this petition. The best way to draw a US audience into this great event is to have knowledgable commentary from whom newcomers can learn and enthusiasts can be comfortable with and get maximum enjoyment from
I support this petition. Ok so you're going to replace next week's coverage of the Champion's League with baseball. I'm extremely disappointed about that, but this is the World Cup we're talking about. Don't embarass yourselves. We want football, not baseball!
I support this petition. The soccer coverage on ESPN bar the Champions League is horrendous. The likes of Rob Stone, etc. have no idea about international football or anything having to do with soccer in general, except maybe a passing knowledge of the US National Team and MLS. The greater ESPN network employs many international commentators who know what they are doing, example: Tommy Smith. I would much prefer to listen to Univsion, while pretending I know Spanish, than to watch JP Dellacamara try to tell me about something he read on a cheat sheet five minutes ago. I bet if you asked one of your hacks right now they couldn't even name all the teams in the tournament without help. Bring in the Champions League staff to announce the games to US viewers. Anything less will simply be robbing the viewers blind.
ridiculous. Soccer is still obviously a novelty sport for ESPN. Rae and Smyth are the obvious choice. They can connect with casual fans, enthusiasts, as well as people who have the slightest idea about the game.
I support this petition. Lets exercise a little common sense about who we pick to announce these games. I cannot expect anything less from the "worldwide leader in sports."
Yes. Yes. Yes. Please use only experienced soccer announcers who understand the nuances of the game and the dynamics of what's happening on the pitch. I want to enjoy watching the World Cup; groaning at poor announcing interferes with that.
Please don't ruin the beautiful game with sub-standard knowledge lacking commentary officials, at least throw a couple of knowledable announcers into the mix.
I support this petition. Even if you do not care about the millions upon millions of fans of the game who reside in this country (which, according to your actions, you obviously do not), please use top flight soccer announcers during the World Cup for the sake of your own business. Logical dictates that you should want to portray your network as being a world class orgasnization that is consummately professional in all areas. Thus, given the fact that you are a sports network, it makes no sense whatsoever for you to be a "hackish" rank amateur regarding the World Cup, which is without a doubt the pinnacle of the sporting world (of even greater import than the Olympics). I know that you are owned by Disney, but that is no justification for trying to appear to be a Mickey Mouse organization.
I totally agree, if ESPN chooses to let announcers that have no knowledge about soccer do the commentary on these games, I'll be happy to switch to Univision. And I don't even speak a lick of Spanish.
If I have to listen to O'Brien call it the 18 box for the entire World Cup I will definitely be switching to the Spanish speaking channels. Why not use Derek Rae? The man is a model broadcaster and true professional who understands how to properly call a match.
I'd much rather have someone entertaining and insightful than these guys. I've lived in the UK and watched games with guys like John Mottson and the ESPN crew simply doesn't compare to any of them.
I support this petition. I'm sick of having to mute US national games. Having to go through the "glories" of Landon for half a game is much more than anyone should have to put up with.
It's not even the fact that they are American. Get some announcers who know the game, and don't talk about rubbish like Landon Donovans house in LA. This is not golf, or curling this is the #1 tournament in the world and it and we deserve better.
I support this petition. It's the biggest sporting event in the world. Every country competing in the World Cup will be fielding their best available players? Why aren't you "fielding" your best commentators?
The largest sporting event in the world deserves better than this! Just because soccer isn't huge in the U.S., doesn't mean it doesn't deserve qualified commentators.
I support this petition. I totaly agree with the idea of making a deal with bbc or itv to have them broadcast just liek the Euro 2004, US games can be broadcasted by Amercinas but everything else should be with passionm something that those commentators dont have, I am American by the way
I support this petition. I also support the idea of attempting to work with otherwise temporarily out of work Sky and BBC announcers (though some of the broader Scottish accents might not play well in Peoria)
I support this petition.
I watch the EPL each weekend and I support Real Salt Lake also, I know the difference in quality soccer broadcasting and Dave O'Brian and JP don't have it. Lets have someone else.
I support this petition.
If what I've heard is correct, this Dave O'Brian guy has ZERO experience announcing soccer games? To make this guy your lead announcer, especially when you have far better qualified people (Rae & Smyth) already on your payroll is disrespectful and insulting to the game and those in the United States who love it. Would you let some guy who had never done baseball play-by-play announce the World Series??? Doubt it ...
And you wonder why Euro football fans have stopped watching SportsCenter? I now get my sports news from BBC or Sky Sports. Thanks to Sirius Radio and Fox Soccer Channel, this is possible. And now you go and muck up the best chance this generation has of seeing and hearing a quality World Cup broadcast. Please reconsider and select a "quality" broadcasting crew. At least one comparable to your baseball crew of John Miller and Joe Morgan.
I just realized how annoyed I get when listening to commentators who don't have a clue. I love watching CL games on ESPN2 with those two guys working together. But US national games? MUTE!!
Just be sure to have two quality guys per game and please drop the pic-in-pic. It's about the LIVE GAME!
It's a shame that we live in america where football gets the raw deal every single time. I absolutely detest the US soccer announcers, i'd rather watch a game on mute than hear how great the MLS is doing and how well Landon has done in his return to the MLS. Derrick Rae is 10000 times better, if ESPN wants to keep their small footy audience, they need to re-evaluate their decision making
I support this petition. Im 17 years old and wil be spending a majority of my summer watchign the beautiful game in all its glory, and this time around i dont want to have to mute the TV.
I support this petition. It's univision for me if Dave O'Brian cannot learn to occasionally shut his mouth.
To quote an ancient Egyptian "Silence is more profitable than abundance of speech."
I support this petition.
Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth do a great job on Champions League broadcasts. Why not them? Better yet, work something out with the BBC or ITV or whoever will be using proper English speaking announcers. I may be an American, but I'd much rather listen to British or Irish commentators.
I support this petition. Please use commentators that know about 'the beautiful game';Since its the world cup use internationals- Please!!! See what Alan Hansen is doing? David Ginola? Martin O'Neil? Cantona???
Gentlemen, you have an incredible marketing opportunity here. Create an extra buzz by teaming up with the best the world has to offer. You created the first & best all sports network, why you you settle for less?
I support this petition. I can't believe that we have to sign a petition and I can't believe ESPN is not showing the Champions league live next week. Baseball? Please give us someone who will tell the viewers that the US team can do well in the WC because all the major nations have players who play in the best clubs and might be very tired for the WC. But the US has a good team also. Thanks. Richard.
