Author Topic: Boycott..your help please.. (Read 3332 times)

4pool · « **on:** March 27, 2002, 03:27:46 pm »

Dear Fellow Reds:
We in the USA need your help. ESPN has the television coverage rights to Champions League football. I'll make a long story short. Back in October ESPN advertised and planned to show our Dortmund match on Tuesday Oct. 30th. Many of us took off work to watch and were surprised when it wasn't shown. After numerous emails and telephone calls, we were told that ESPN would only show wednesday CL matches. Since that time ESPN has "broken" their policy and shown tuesday matches. I sent an email after the latest draw, which has not been replied to, asking if on "Wednesday" April 3rd they would show our match v Leverkusen as the only other choice would be Galatasary v Barcelona. Once again ESPN will show the Manchester United v Deportivo match on "Tuesday". With no match scheduled here in the USA for wednesday.

Therefore, i am asking that you "BOYCOTT" watching ESPN or ESPN International programming (other than IF they show a Liverpool match, were not stupid). Further, this includes ESPN.com and soccernet.com, their websites.

Loss of viewership for any programming or 'hits' on a website means loss of revenue from advertising. As with the boycott of the S*n newspaper for their lies about Hillsborough, this is what this boycott is about. The lies that ESPN have used as answers and the ignoring of 'customers' when the ask why?

You have my permission to repost this on other Liverpool fan websites. Be sure and spread the word to those less fortunate who do not have the internet as a tool when you talk with them. The internet is only the tip of the iceberg once words spreads.

So i ask you to either write your own polite email or copy this one and say add my name to the list of those that will boycott ESPN. Send your emails to:
ESPN_INC1@espn.com,Technical@soccernet.com,Kim.Kerscher@dig.com,Ashley.Swadel@espnpub.com,Alexis.Rapo@abc.com,no_more_ESPN_for_me@hotmail.com

The last address is mine to keep track of the number of emails they recieve. That is all that address will be used for.

Thank you for helping your fellow Reds in America.

You'll Never Walk Alone
4pool

laddo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2002, 05:09:58 pm »

good luck mate!

RedLoner · « **Reply #2 on:** March 27, 2002, 05:50:51 pm »

I had the same issue with TSN, the Canadian equivalent of ESPN; in fact, most of TSN's international programs are taken from ESPN. The last time I wrote to them was to request the transmission of the Roma match from Anfield, to no avail. Instead, they showed the Galatasaray vs Barcelona match the next day.

I don't know whether boycotting would be a realistic alternative; but I'll forward your e-mail for the benefit of the Canadian audience.

Good luck.

4pool · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2002, 12:30:33 am »

Come on you lot..

Whether you get ESPN or ESPN International or not, we need your help. ESPN has not shown ANY of the Liverpool matches in the USA. Yet they have shown us outside the USA. We've had the Mancs a bunch, Arsenal, and even non English sides one the ONE day they choose to show CL footy in the USA.

Please email them even if all you can do is boycott their websites.

This isn't about not watching Liverpool, although how happy would you be if you couldn't see ANY of our CL matches?

This is about them lying to us, deceitfull practises, and ignoring our emails.

Either your Kopites or Kopouts.

Are we a bigger club than Man Utd? ESPN will never know if we don't stand together...

I swear when we make the Final, ESPN will show the Mancs v Bayern replay here in the States.

redtel · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2002, 01:15:21 am »

Will send an e-mail. I have been in your position 4Pool and its very frustrating.

Hope you get to see the games somehow ,even if only on tape. :but:

TheKid. · « **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2002, 10:18:19 am »

Ill boycott them like but it wont make much of a difference as i have never watched any ESPN.

We should really all boycott ITV after what ITV digital has done!! (and coz they show fuck all of us on The Premiership!!)

Pheeny · « **Reply #6 on:** March 28, 2002, 10:56:28 am »

I'll boycott them too!But don't ask me to boycott Canal+Belgium cause we're always on there

:

MichaelA · « **Reply #7 on:** March 28, 2002, 11:56:42 am »

4pool,

You should contact LFC direct and see if they are able to do something officially, through the club or Granada media. It is a long shot, but it is in their interests to ensure the club has maximum exposure. I didn't realsie it was so difficult to see the games; I travelled to NYC twice last year, watching the reds in a bar on Bleeker St in the Village, and then the Charlton game in the Upper East Side...which was nice!

Good Luck

Michael

Anthony · « **Reply #8 on:** March 28, 2002, 12:24:25 pm »

To avoid confusion between the 2 issues, the ITV Digital topic is being discussed at http://www.redandwhitekop.co.uk/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.pl?board=OffTopic;action=display;num=1017234020;start=0

Andy · « **Reply #9 on:** March 28, 2002, 12:55:32 pm »

what about ITV Digital then? Screwing the smaller clubs out of 180 million quid!!

:

:

i was bitching cos of the shoddy highlights they show of lfc, but that is unbelievable...

Anthony · « **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2002, 01:29:50 pm »

Andy, did you see the previous post?

4pool · « **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2002, 02:38:29 pm »

Getting back on THIS topic..lol

UEFA sell the rights to Champions League football. Some of us have emailed UEFA and complained about the coverage in the USA. UEFA, for their part, "will look into it."

ESPN gets the rights from Kirch media i believe, so it gets more complicated as UEFA can't tell Kirch what to do. As we in the USA understand Kirch media have won the rights to broadcast the CL the next 3 years. That being the case, ESPN will probably out bid others for the CL tv rebroadcast rights. As ESPN rebroadcasts in two ways. One, here in the USA on ESPN2. Two, into South America and Asia on ESPN International.

The problem is that ESPN corporate shows both tuesday and wednesday CL matches on ESPN International. Usually two matches per day. One live and one delayed. So Liverpool are shown virtually all the time outside the USA. ( As has been pointed out by some Asian Reds).

In the USA, we are stuck with ESPN showing ONE day on CL football and one match. PERIOD. No replays. No highlights package..nothing. We haven't seen ONE Liverpool match, ONE Liverpool goal...NOTHING! When it comes to CL football.
( Fortunately i have the e-season package and can listen via the webcast..but i'd rather watch live)

IF ESPN outbid and win the CL tv package for the next three years, we in the USA are guaranteed more lack of coverage as ESPN focus' is on the Mancs.

So get off your lazy arses and help..

Email the addresses in my original post.

For those that come to the USA, just don't travel when we're in the CL..you won't see us..

Are you Kopites? Or Kopouts?

Andy · « **Reply #12 on:** March 28, 2002, 02:42:01 pm »

sorry didn't read them properly

:

:

them smilies are wicked, aren't they?

anyway, back to the topic...

decky · « **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2002, 05:01:53 pm »

When I was in Toronto a few weeks ago I saw The Fulham game Live on sportsnet (rogers cable - free channel) and the Newcastle game on Fox Sports World live, do they not show CL? Fox is only about $7 a month

RedLoner · « **Reply #14 on:** March 28, 2002, 05:28:43 pm »

Quote

When I was in Toronto a few weeks ago I saw The Fulham game Live on sportsnet (rogers cable - free channel) and the Newcastle game on Fox Sports World live, do they not show CL? Fox is only about $7 a month

The Premiership is well covered here in Canada. Fox Sports World Canada and CTV Sportsnet combine to show 2 Saturday matches and 2 Sunday matches, and often another 1 or 2 mid-week matches; Liverpool and the mancs are the most featured, although they have a tendency to show the mancs live and us in a replay sometimes; I don't know how exactly it is in the US, but they get FSW International, which shows Saturday matches. 4pool is refrerring to CL matches, for which ESPN (TSN in Canada) currently holds the rights. I think that if FSW get their hands on these rights, things would be totally different. I'll mention that to ESPN/TSN in my e-mail.

mobydick · « **Reply #15 on:** March 28, 2002, 08:45:31 pm »

email is gone, glad to help.
lets hope it will make some difference.
it will at least give them something to think about
and I can't believe it's good business to piss people off.
YNWA

JayWay · « **Reply #16 on:** March 28, 2002, 09:20:25 pm »

What's boycotting gonna do? It won't even be a dent in their ratings at all. I think your overreacting.

It sucked yeah, I was pissed off to when the Roma match went all of a sudden from live, to 1-day delay, to not being shown at all, but it happens.

*Gareth* · « **Reply #17 on:** March 28, 2002, 09:37:13 pm »

E-mail's Sent. Good luck mate.

NewHampshire_Exile · « **Reply #18 on:** March 28, 2002, 10:56:30 pm »

Quote

When I was in Toronto a few weeks ago I saw The Fulham game Live on sportsnet (rogers cable - free channel) and the Newcastle game on Fox Sports World live, do they not show CL? Fox is only about $7 a month

Fox Sport World cover the FA Cup and the premiership and we have seen quite a few games on there. I spoke to Fox and they would show the CL - if ESPN would let them. Which they wont. ESPN are lying arrogant spitefully bastards. Only they can show the matches and they will not do it.

The mancs have been shown about 5 times and both of their Q/F games are due to be broadcast.

LFC have been on once (Roma away)

If only for this reason then please please help.

And according to ESPN's own world club ratings the game between Bayer and Liverpool is the 4th and 5th best clubs in the world right now. AND THEY WILL NOT SHOW IT.

4pool · « **Reply #19 on:** March 29, 2002, 01:26:14 am »

As NHe has pointed out..Fox Sports World has the rights to premiership matches. Delayed on Saturday bt 2 hours ( basically when it's over at 5 pm, is when they show the match here in the USA), Sunday is ppv for live matches that start at 4pm. They have started to show some other matches delayed. Weekday matches are live if they are shown.

FA Cup matches are all delayed. For instance, the Arsenal v Newcastle match that was saturday noon, was shown on the Monday after.

But the point is ESPN hold the rights to Champions League football. We have no other television options.

As to whether the "boycott" will be effective...it won't if you don't email your support. We need to change ESPN's attitude towards "soccer".

Why can't we get matches on tuesday AND wednesday?

Why can't ESPN show two matches in the USA like they do on ESPN International?

Why can't they show them at 2am and we'll tape them?

Why can't they have a highlight package so we can see the goals from all the matches?

Why aren't the goals shown on Sportscenter, which is the equivalent of Sky Sports news?

To give you an idea of what ESPN2 will show at the time that Liverpool v Dortmund is played ( or the Barca match)

RPM 2NIGHT 1:30 pm to
2:00 pm
RACEHORSE DIGEST 2:00 pm to
2:30 pm
2002 COLLEGE SLAM DUNK & 3-POINT CONTEST
BASKETBALL
GSU SPORTS ARENA ATLANTA, GA UNITED STATES 2:30 pm to
4:30 pm

All of these programmes are repeats. None of these are live!
And you wonder why we are upset..

Gojedo · « **Reply #20 on:** March 29, 2002, 01:39:00 am »

ESPN's club ratings are bit of a joke and if you flick your way through thier programme schedules courtesy of Sky(no Sky, t.v guide) it's pretty much the same. In regards to Liverpool games there's not many that are shown down here but that's not ESPN, it IS a have especially with so many Man Utd games shown but I don't think I'd really watch ESPN anyway. XFL? Monster Trucks 2002, Golf for half the day, that shite they call 'football' and outdoor shooting pursuits. I'd get Sky for the footy but

robert · « **Reply #21 on:** March 29, 2002, 03:28:32 am »

EMAILED THEM. ALL THE BEST

ecmdtan · « **Reply #22 on:** March 29, 2002, 10:04:02 am »

Though I sympathise with your predicament, I can't see any Asian Red boycotting ESPN, as they always show Liverpool Games. To be honest, I believe they have shown more than 90% of all Liverpool games (Premiership & Champions League)this season live in Asia. I have noticed that they tend to even favour screening Liverpool games over ManU ones.

Maybe the guy in charge of deciding which games are televised live in Asia is a Red!

Anyways, it all boils down to viewership. I'm not sure what the number of red fans are like in the States, but logic dictates that if there are enough of you out there, and you let them know about it, it would only make economic sense to screen more live Red games.

Anyways, Good Luck to all you red supporters in the States. The other alternative is to move to Asia.

4pool · « **Reply #23 on:** March 29, 2002, 02:33:13 pm »

ecmdtan and all Asian and South Americans...

Please reread my intial post...

I said that we SHOULD watch when ESPN shows Liverpool. I'm not stupid..i don't think..lol

I WANT viewership to be high when Liverpool are shown.

What i'm asking is that we boycott their other programming and other matches that they show.

I want Liverpool v Dortmund to have more viewership than say Real v Bayern. The more viewers that Liverpool bring to the table the more advertising dollars ESPN earns.

ESPN International WILL show Liverpool because Liverpool means a higher audience in Asia and South America.

What our complaint is, is that ESPN has the rights to show the Champions League in the USA and they only show one match per week. We want the same coverage as those that get ESPN International.

So please help out and email those addresses. Even if you only do it to help us..

Isn't that what we should do for each other?

4pool · « **Reply #24 on:** March 29, 2002, 02:39:08 pm »

To those that have gotten on board and taken the 5 minutes to email....we Reds in the USA thank you....

We All Live In A Red And White Kop....

Join our song and help us sing...

So i ask you to either write your own polite email or copy the one at the top and say add my name to the list of those that will boycott ESPN. Send your emails to:
ESPN_INC1@espn.com,Technical@soccernet.com,Kim.Kerscher@dig.com,Ashley.Swadel@espnpub.com,Alexis.Rapo@abc.com,no_more_ESPN_for_me@hotmail.com

The last address is mine to keep track of the number of emails they recieve. That is all that address will be used for.

Thank you for helping your fellow Reds in America.

You'll Never Walk Alone
4pool

redtel · « **Reply #25 on:** March 29, 2002, 05:16:44 pm »

Have e-mailed. As you may know we get Manure hyped by Sky etc but I did not know they were shown so much in the States. Is tie-up with N.Y. Yankees somehow linked ,as they are trying to sell merchandise for them. Is it possible that ESPN are being encouraged to show them through some link?

4pool · « **Reply #26 on:** March 29, 2002, 06:01:09 pm »

Because you asked here's the latest...

March 26, 2002

FOX Sports International attorneys have notified officials of Manchester United Television (MUTV) and New-York based regional sports TV network Yankees Entertainment and Sports (YES) over a potential TV rights violation, according to a report by Bloomberg News.

YES announced on March 25 that it had reached an agreement with MUTV to air 20 English Football matches each season via 2-day tape-delay, including English Premier League matches hosted by Manchester United, starting with Manchester United vs Chelsea on April 20.

YES parent YankeeNets, Inc. has a joint marketing deal with MUTV parent Manchester United Football Club PLC.

However, FOX had purchased EXCLUSIVE US TV rights in all languages to the English Premier League through the 2003-2004 season via its participation in a worldwide consortium involving FOX parent NewsCorp.

According to FOX spokesman Lou D'Ermilio, FOX intends to "vigorously defend" its exclusive TV rights to the EPL.

So we shall see if Man U invade US airwaves via Yankee's entertainment network..

What is sad is that at least the Yankees will( or want to) show football even if it's delayed and we can't get ESPN to show Liverpool at 2am in the morning so we can tape the match..

RedLoner · « **Reply #27 on:** April 1, 2002, 07:27:27 pm »

e-mail to no avail. TSN will be showing the mancs vs Dep. La Coruna on Tuesday and, it seems, Barcelona vs Panathinaikos on Wed. I guess the situation is the same in the US 4pool?

4pool · « **Reply #28 on:** April 2, 2002, 01:43:40 am »

NO..it's not the same.

Which is why i've asked for help from Everyone..Worldwide, whether you get ESPN or not.

We get the Mancs on Tuesday and the Mancs the following wednesday. Period. One match per week.

Which is our complaint here in the USA. Both matches will be shown on ESPN International on both days. Yet, we get but 1 per week.

Can't comment on Canada..

But our problem in the USA stems from the fact that ESPN have won the "rights" to show both days of CL footy and we get 1. How is that fair? Show both days..is all we're asking. All ESPN needs to do is show the same coverage they show the rest of their International viewing audience.

But that means not showing repeat bull shit programming instead of LIVE football in the bloody middle of the afternoon. What the hell are they losing out on?

SO EVERYONE ANYWHERE, IF YOUR A RED, HELP US OUT!!

RedLoner · « **Reply #29 on:** April 2, 2002, 03:13:03 am »

In Canada, TSN gets a lot of its international programming from ESPN, which is why we're close to being in the same ship (shit

) In any case maybe you can help us out in Canada as well, because we face the same problem with TSN? Could you folks please include this address in your e-mail, if 4pool doesn't mind? audiencerelations@tsn.ca

p.s. 4pool I did send out my support e-mail.

4pool · « **Reply #30 on:** April 2, 2002, 04:30:34 am »

TA..thanx for your help.

No problem adding TSN to the email list..

Macca · « **Reply #31 on:** April 2, 2002, 07:44:27 pm »

4pool - where are you located? It's on ESPN Canada, so if you can get a snide link, you'll be sorted

RedLoner · « **Reply #32 on:** April 2, 2002, 09:04:49 pm »

Macca, you mean the Liverpool vs Leverkusen game? Can you get ESPN Canada on cable?

4pool · « **Reply #33 on:** April 3, 2002, 03:21:35 am »

I live in the Dallas Texas area. It's a bit of a hike to Canada from here..lol

My understanding is that ESPN shows both quarter final matches on ESPN International. Those that have the 'big' satellite dish can find ESPN International programming or Euro tv. So it's available there. otherwise those in the USA are s-o-l.

ESPN refuses to show the same programming to those of us in the USA that they show elsewhere in the World.

They have the USA tv rights, they should show the matches to us rather than stupid f#cking reruns.

:

rob_the_red · « **Reply #34 on:** April 3, 2002, 07:07:13 pm »

Yeah, but if you boycotted ITV Digital you wouldn't have been able to see this season's CL winners last night (they were the ones in red, by the way!).

TheKid. · « **Reply #35 on:** April 3, 2002, 07:11:10 pm »

Do you really think Bayern can do it tho??

:

rob_the_red · « **Reply #36 on:** April 3, 2002, 10:20:23 pm »

Bayern weren't on ITV Digital, shit for brains, they were on ITV1!

Anthony · « **Reply #37 on:** April 4, 2002, 02:05:18 am »

Dear Pot,

If you had read this thread completely (including the words over 5 letters which for your benefit we typed veerrrryyyyy slooooowwwwwwwwwllllllyyyyyyyy) you would have seen that this is not a thread about ITV Digital and their atrocious treatment of the Nationwide League but about the American TV Network ESPN which, despite having the rights to show 2 nights of Champions League Football, only deign to show one in the USA!

See the first page again if you want to see a link to the ITV Digital thread but try, this time, to make a constructive comment...

El mooro · « **Reply #38 on:** April 4, 2002, 03:31:26 am »

My constructive comment is stop fuckin' moaning septic reds.

I spent the last year in Aussie, and missed nearly all the Champion's League Games.

However I was able to see the f.a. and premiership matches.
Infact I saw far more premiership liverpool matches than I would if i had been back in the u.k.

So you don't have it all bad do you?

Three tips:

1) no one here moans about not having the super bowl
2) t.v. is not a charity...if it was worth showing lfc games they would
3) if you ndont like it move to england-where you would actually see lfc far fewer times than you do in the states.

Whatever next, london pakistani's moaning that channel 4 don't show enough kabuddi? Or new york japanese complaining that there's not enough world series ( world series my ass ) sumo on the tele?

Enjoy what you already have, and put up.

j

4pool · « **Reply #39 on:** April 4, 2002, 05:13:11 pm »

One always can "live with it".

Here in the USA Fox Sports World does the Premiership Matches and Uefa Cup ones. No Problem.

Our problem is, ESPN has the rights to show the CL, paid all that money for them, then show LIVE footy in the middle of the day when there is no other LIVE sports happening in the USA. What harm is that v rerun sports programming? Why do they only pick one match day of the two to show a match?

So far they have lied as to why the "programming" department chooses what they do when they answered our (USA Reds) emails back in October when they advertised Reds v Dortmund and cancelled at the last minute. Since then we have not received any explaination after we pointed out their lie to them. So were on ignore. Fine..

Our option is to "take it" or do something about it. Some of us choose the later....We have tv options here in the USA..more than 4 channels. So if we don't watch any ESPN programming and turn to Fox or other sports channels eventually ESPN's 'numbers' decline. less advertising dollars come in.. and they'll wonder why they don't have the viewership they once had. Maybe a little customer service and truthfull answers would help for a start. Not to mention showing what they paid for or letting someone else show CL footy. That about sums it up..

Author Topic: Boycott..your help please.. (Read 3332 times)

RedLoner

Pheeny

RedLoner

RedLoner

RedLoner

RedLoner