Parts of this article (those related to May 5, 2011) need to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2011)
MLS Primetime Thursday was the weekly presentation of Major League Soccer games on ESPN2 for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The program was presented by Adidas.
ESPN and MLS had previously had a contract where ESPN2 televised live games, usually on Saturday afternoons. Under the arrangement, no rights fee was paid, and MLS controlled production, advertising, and promotion.[1] Time slots varied under the deal, secured by Soccer United Marketing's providing of rights to the FIFA World Cup.[2]
For the 2007 season, an eight-year deal was signed with an $8 million rights fee. ESPN added several features in an attempt to improve presentation—high-definition broadcasts, a sky-cam for some matches, a virtual offside line, a ball tracer, a sideline reporter, and three commentators. For the inaugural season, 2006 FIFA World Cup announcers Dave O'Brien and Eric Wynalda served as play-by-play and analyst, respectively, with Allen Hopkins serving as the sideline reporter.[3]Tommy Smyth was later added as a co-analyst.[4]Glenn Davis and Rob Stone filled in for O'Brien on occasion.[5]
For the 2008 season, JP Dellacamera and John Harkes replaced O'Brien and Wynalda as the lead team[6] with Davis, Smyth, and Julie Foudy occasionally filling in.
Following the 2008 season, ESPN discontinued the Thursday programming, citing lagging ratings[7][8] and hoping to find better lead-in programming. It was replaced by the MLS Game of the Week, which rotated among a variety of nights and time slots.[9]
Ratingsedit
After averaging 223,000 viewers during the 2006 season,[1] ratings increased slightly in 2007, to 289,000 viewers, including a regular-season high of 658,000 viewers for David Beckham's second regular season match. However, ratings dipped to 253,000 in 2008. Attendance often lagged, with few sellouts for the weeknight matches,[10] with marquee club Los Angeles Galaxy unable to host home matches at the Home Depot Center on Thursdays due to its agreement with California State University, Dominguez Hills.
^ abGoff, Steven (May 3, 2007). "MLS Tries to Make Waves on Air". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
^"Cable Television News, Broadcast, Syndication, Programming & Local TV | Multichannel".
^"ESPN Names Commentators for MLS Primetime Thursday on ESPN2 :: PaddockTalk :: F1, Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, MotoGP, ALMS, and More!". paddocktalk.com. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
^. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
^"MLS Primetime Thursday Returns with Soccer Superstar David Beckham :: PaddockTalk :: F1, Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, MotoGP, ALMS, and More!". paddocktalk.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
^"ESPN dumps MLS Primetime Thursday". 19 January 2009.
^Krishnaiyer, Kartik (March 31, 2009). "The Collapse of ESPN's Soccer Empire". World Soccer Talk.
primetime, thursday, parts, this, article, those, related, 2011, need, updated, please, help, update, this, article, reflect, recent, events, newly, available, information, 2011, weekly, presentation, major, league, soccer, games, espn2, 2007, 2008, seasons, p. Parts of this article those related to May 5 2011 need to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information May 2011 MLS Primetime Thursday was the weekly presentation of Major League Soccer games on ESPN2 for the 2007 and 2008 seasons The program was presented by Adidas MLS Primetime ThursdayStarringJP DellacameraRob StoneGlenn DavisJohn HarkesKyle MartinoAllen HopkinsAlexi LalasTommy SmythJulie FoudyCountry of originUnited StatesProductionRunning time2 hours 2 5 hours select games Original releaseNetworkESPN2 2007 2008 Release2007 2007 2008 2008 Contents 1 History 2 Ratings 3 Personalities 3 1 Play by play announcers 3 2 Analysts 3 3 Sideline reporter 3 4 Studio team 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editESPN and MLS had previously had a contract where ESPN2 televised live games usually on Saturday afternoons Under the arrangement no rights fee was paid and MLS controlled production advertising and promotion 1 Time slots varied under the deal secured by Soccer United Marketing s providing of rights to the FIFA World Cup 2 For the 2007 season an eight year deal was signed with an 8 million rights fee ESPN added several features in an attempt to improve presentation high definition broadcasts a sky cam for some matches a virtual offside line a ball tracer a sideline reporter and three commentators For the inaugural season 2006 FIFA World Cup announcers Dave O Brien and Eric Wynalda served as play by play and analyst respectively with Allen Hopkins serving as the sideline reporter 3 Tommy Smyth was later added as a co analyst 4 Glenn Davis and Rob Stone filled in for O Brien on occasion 5 For the 2008 season JP Dellacamera and John Harkes replaced O Brien and Wynalda as the lead team 6 with Davis Smyth and Julie Foudy occasionally filling in Following the 2008 season ESPN discontinued the Thursday programming citing lagging ratings 7 8 and hoping to find better lead in programming It was replaced by the MLS Game of the Week which rotated among a variety of nights and time slots 9 Ratings editAfter averaging 223 000 viewers during the 2006 season 1 ratings increased slightly in 2007 to 289 000 viewers including a regular season high of 658 000 viewers for David Beckham s second regular season match However ratings dipped to 253 000 in 2008 Attendance often lagged with few sellouts for the weeknight matches 10 with marquee club Los Angeles Galaxy unable to host home matches at the Home Depot Center on Thursdays due to its agreement with California State University Dominguez Hills Personalities editPlay by play announcers edit Dave O Brien 2007 lead JP Dellacamera 2008 lead Glenn Davis 2007 2008 secondary Analysts edit Eric Wynalda 2007 lead Tommy Smyth 2007 2008 secondary John Harkes 2008 lead Sideline reporter edit Allen Hopkins 2007 2008 Studio team edit Rob Stone host 2007 2008 Julie Foudy studio analyst 2007 2008 See also editESPN Major League Soccer MLS Game of the Week MLS Soccer Saturday The game of the week for MLS on ESPN from 1996 to 2006 MLS SaturdayReferences edit a b Goff Steven May 3 2007 MLS Tries to Make Waves on Air The Washington Post Retrieved 2022 07 01 Cable Television News Broadcast Syndication Programming amp Local TV Multichannel ESPN Names Commentators for MLS Primetime Thursday on ESPN2 PaddockTalk F1 Formula 1 NASCAR IndyCar MotoGP ALMS and More paddocktalk com Archived from the original on 30 January 2013 Retrieved 22 May 2022 Upcoming Matches Galaxy s ongoing slide in LA superclasico FanBlog Soccer Archived from the original on 2016 03 04 Retrieved 2012 07 18 MLS Primetime Thursday Returns with Soccer Superstar David Beckham PaddockTalk F1 Formula 1 NASCAR IndyCar MotoGP ALMS and More paddocktalk com Archived from the original on 31 January 2013 Retrieved 22 May 2022 ESPN dumps MLS Primetime Thursday 19 January 2009 Krishnaiyer Kartik March 31 2009 The Collapse of ESPN s Soccer Empire World Soccer Talk ESPN Making Changes to MLS Broadcasts Sports Business Journal External links editESPN MLS Homepage MLS Homepage Preceded byMLS Soccer Saturday 1996 2006 ESPN2 Major League Soccer MLS Primetime Thursday2007 2008 Succeeded byMLS Game of the Week Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title MLS Primetime Thursday amp oldid 1105844844, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
