It’s a sad day in America and a definite step back for soccer in the
U.S. when fans of the Red, White and Blue can watch Mexico’s World Cup
qualifier for free on the same day they must pay to watch the U.S.
against Guatemala.
In CONCACAF, host countries own TV rights for World Cup qualifiers. Our dear friends from Guatemala sold the rights to tonight’s match to a pay-per-view company.
As I wrote a few weeks back in my notebook, the PPV is quite pricey. To be honest, I don’t expect a good broadcast. I’m not buying the match. I’d rather spend that cash on a USMNT kit for one of my girls.
I wasn’t the first and won’t be the last person to say Mexico’s national soccer team is probably the most popular sports teams in America. The ratings for Mexico-Brazil earlier this month were better than anything for the NHL finals — and that was a friendly match.
But if soccer is going to make greater strides in the U.S., we need to have the World Cup qualifiers over the air. Free.
MLS and U.S. Soccer should buy the rights and use the games as giant infomercials for MLS. It would be a great investment in soccer in America.
Many Americans still have not bought into soccer yet, but most of us rally around our national teams. We shouldn’t have to go to PPV to see our national team while El Salvador and Mexico fans get their game for free.
In CONCACAF, host countries own TV rights for World Cup qualifiers. Our dear friends from Guatemala sold the rights to tonight’s match to a pay-per-view company.
As I wrote a few weeks back in my notebook, the PPV is quite pricey. To be honest, I don’t expect a good broadcast. I’m not buying the match. I’d rather spend that cash on a USMNT kit for one of my girls.
I wasn’t the first and won’t be the last person to say Mexico’s national soccer team is probably the most popular sports teams in America. The ratings for Mexico-Brazil earlier this month were better than anything for the NHL finals — and that was a friendly match.
But if soccer is going to make greater strides in the U.S., we need to have the World Cup qualifiers over the air. Free.
MLS and U.S. Soccer should buy the rights and use the games as giant infomercials for MLS. It would be a great investment in soccer in America.
Many Americans still have not bought into soccer yet, but most of us rally around our national teams. We shouldn’t have to go to PPV to see our national team while El Salvador and Mexico fans get their game for free.
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