ESPN Jumps To New Low

Filed in archive Champions League on April 26, 2006

source: freemanriver

espn's soccer coverage in the US reached a new low today. The Champions League second leg between Milan and Barcelona isn't being shown on ESPN, instead they're bringing us the "US National Jump Rope Competition" where teams of four kids jump over a rope before a panel of judges. Pressing 'info' on my remote control revealed a further insult... it was the 2005 National Jump Rope competition. So, according to ESPN, last years Jump Rope competition is more important than this years Champions League Semi-Final.

OK, it's not quite as simple as that. From what I can tell ESPN buys the rights to show the Champions League but then sells certain matches on to Setanta TV (who don't broadcast on my cable network). Presumably ESPN get more for selling the games on than they would from advertising revenue, so financially it all makes sense, but that was no comfort to me as I watched those kids jump over that rope.