Shame on the TV Networks for Not Airing SuperLiga

By: Marc | August 15th, 2007

Last evening’s SuperLiga semifinal between Pachuca and the Houston Dynamo was a Classico in all senses of the word. It was a clash between the two defending club champions of Mexico and USA and the game was fabulous. It had everything: goals, attacking play, yellow and red cards (three players ejected), tremendous athletic performances (in 96-degree heat), impressive skill by both teams, and nail-biting overtime and penalty kick shootout to determine a winner. What more could any soccer fan want?

Yet this terrific match was not televised.

Okay, it was, but only sort of. It could be seen in crappy low-resolution glory on MLSnet.com, or in Spanish on Telefutura a channel no one gets (I get hundreds of DirecTV channels and pay extra for soccer channels and I don’t get Telefutura).

Meanwhile, ESPN changes its schedule to add extra LA Galaxy games so we can watch the “Beckham cam” of David sitting on the bench and nursing his sore ankle.

Anyone but me see something wrong with that picture?

Yes, it’s great David’s in the league, and yes I understand he’ll bring in the ratings the same way Tiger Woods does for golf, but at the same time, fans become long-term fans by seeing *compelling* games, not boring nil-nil draws between mediocre low-level teams in which Beckham doesn’t even play.

Why doesn’t ESPN or FSC or GolTV call up MLS right now and get the rights to re-air the Houston-Pachuca semifinal?

And what about the LA Galaxy-DC United semifinal tonight? David Beckham’s supposed to start in that one. Will a network pick up that broadcast? How about the final on August 29th? It’s now guaranteed to be an MLS-Mexico final and should be a good match, regardless of who advances. (If it’s the Gals, their whole season resides on that match, so it would be a cracker.)

Now I’m sure a lot of SuperLiga broadcast decisions were made months ago. Perhaps it’s too late to change anything now. I’m not a lawyer or a television executive and I have no idea how these contracts work. But it seems to me the nation is missing out on something really special and I’d just like more soccer fans to be able to see these incredible games. Every match has been exciting and as we get closer to crowning a champion, it just gets bigger and better. I just wish I could watch it on TV!