I know that when you hired JP Dela Camera he was the only guy in the US that knew anything about soccer and was comfortable with a microphone in front of him. But compared with the options now available to your network, he's useless. Derek Rae is a wordsmith and a poet. His timing is amazing. USE HIM!!!
Dave O'Brian is a toolbox. Eric Wynalda and Marcello Balboa were great players, but they are not commentators. Neither is Brandy Chastiane for that matter. Use Derek Rae! He's on the payroll already and he actually speaks english fluently
Please reconsider your choices for the commentating team. Dave O'brien is clueless. He's american and he can't even speak the language. Please utilize your Champions league teams. Derek Rae is a Poet!!!
I still have not gotten over his calling Josh Wolff "Jason." Because of this and other incidents that show that Mr O Brien does not know anything about the sport he is calling I will be watching the World Cup on one of the Spanish networks this summer.
I'm a soccer mom and JP, Marcello, and Eric make my ears bleed. Please use Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth. The champions league commentating teams you employ are infinitely more listenable
Please don't force me to use my 2 years of high school spanish to try and decipher the passionate commentary on your competition for viewers, Univision. I would much rather luxuriate in the verbal stylings of Mr. Derek Rae and the sometimes annoying, but often funny Tommy Smyth. I would of course also support your sponsors as well.
I support this petition. I know you feel that americans are clueless when it comes to soccer, so why would you hire clueless american announcers to commentate on your telecasts? Please use the wonderful european staff that work your champions league games
I strongly support this petition. Announcers like Derrick Ray and Tommy Smith make the Champions League the best soccer coverage around! Please reconsider your choices.
I support this petition. I'm an american who never played this game and I know but a few words of spanish yet, I fell in love with soccer because of the obvious knowledge and style of Andres Cantor. ESPN - you have a great announcer in Derek Ray. It's a no-brainer.
You are morons, or you are deliberately trying to kill interest ifn World Cup Football in America.
It is ESPN that will suffer, not football, through asinine choice of staff.
I don't think I can stand to hear the word "kicker" or "cauldren of sound" or saying that 40 degrees is cold all game or that a team is losing because they only have 4 days of rest.
I support this petition.ALL WE ARE SAYING IS GIVE SOCCER(FOOTBALL) A CHANCE....P.S...ESPN SUCH HYPOCRITE I WONDER WHAT THOSE PROMOS LOOK LIKE ELSEWHERE AROUND THE WORLD..."AWFUL"SHAME ON "ESPN"
I support this petition. well it took the world cup but thank god we're doing something about it.."lets tell these nitwits how we feel....DEREK RAE TOMMY SMITH SEAMUS MALLIN JOE TOLLISON AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST J.P DELLA...THE BEST VOICE ...CAMERA..OK
I support this petition.
Yes, the NFL rules the United States, but please give soccer a chance to grow in this country.
Please get announcers that know football can mean soccer in other countries
I support this petition. Please don't ruin this wonderful chance to bring new people to the game by ruining the flow with ignorant, chopy american bred announcing
I support this petition. Any big time soccer event deserves big time announcers, not Rob Stone or whoever else has been doing it lately, like Balboa and his crap partner. It does take something out of the game when the announcers suck. Lets treat the World Cup with the respect it deserves and get good announcers. And if anyone thinks I am talking about Max Bretos, I'M NOT, HE IS THE WORST.
The ESPN coverage is nothing short of shocking. O'Brien is crap and Balboa belongs nowhere near an analyst post. Go poach Max Bretos from FoxSoccerChannel. He isn't my favorite guy, but he knows his stuff.
I support this petition. ESPN, you are letting down the millions of fans across the USA who will be tuning into the World Cup by nott akign this event seriously. I will tune out your commentary team and listen to a web audio stream.
Save yourself some money ESPN, and just pick up the BBC audio portion. If that isn't possible, have your announcers listen to John Motson, Barry Davies, and Martin Tyler, to learn how it's done!
I support this petition.
The apathy of the American public towards the "world" game could be improved if ESPN will treat the broadcasts as they should be...this IS bigger than the Super Bowl, World Series, etc. Step it up ESPN!
I support this petition.
The apathy of the American public towards the "world" game could be improved if ESPN will treat the broadcasts as they should be...this IS bigger than the Super Bowl, World Series, etc. Step it up ESPN!
I support this petition.
Consider listenning to your own excellent Derek Rae. What would make you even think about anyone else when you already employ the best.
We don't want a cheeleader. We insist on a proven and knowlegable voice with the gravitas worthy of a world cup.
I support this petition.
This is not a cross-over sport where baseball guys, and basketball guys and the bobsled color commentator have any business even being considered. This is no way to promote the world's most beloved sport.
I support this petition.
If you want to be the world leader in sports media, then surely you need to take the world's most popular game more seriously. So far, the ESPN commentary has been a joke. If this continues, ESPN will continue to miss out on the market share of one of the biggest, if not the biggest, world sporting events.
There are several well respected US soccer announcers that know the game, and ESPN should be using them to spearhead their coverage of the games.
I support this petition. The ESPN announcers spoil the enjoyment of the game. Usually I turn the sound down and try to pick the game up on internet radio. Use professional announcers that have a background in the game. Derek rae is very good. Tommy Smith is clueless. Janus would be good or someone that we can respect as a former player or a credible source of knowledge. Bobby McMahon from FSC is excellent.
I support this petition. Please use Derek Rae for play-by-play and do NOT use Dave O'Brian. Rae knows soccer, O'Brian doesn't have a clue and will literally drive viewers to Univision.
I support this petition. Please spare us from the announced team. Derek Rae should be the #1, plus you could pluck some announcers from Fox like Allen Hopkins and Max Bretos...
