La Liga Season 2007-2008 on WorldSportHD

[Ilya]

Ok, the Vallencia-Villarreal game is on. Consider the new La Liga season on WorldSportHD officially open.
Hope all disputes are resolved soon and we'll start seeing live games...

 

[roachxp]

Are they going to show the Barcelona game on delay this week too?

Also anyone notice the Nascar commerical on Worldsport looks like a weekly show at 8pm Wed nites.

 

[Ilya]

No, it doesn't look like we will see Barca this week. They went to Villareal - Real Madrid game instead. I guess with the ongoing dispute this was a safer bet for Mediapro, who owns rights on Villarreal. (Not sure when this game will be shown - perhaps on the wekend)

 

[Chop-Chop]

Ilya,

thanks for the updates which give us insight into this craziness. Hopefully things will be resolved and we can enjoy La Liga this season.

How is the guide info on WorldSportHD nowadays. I recall from previous La Liga seasons that it had problems. It would be great if you knew someone there to let them know that it matters a lot if the live games and la liga report are properly labeled as new. Of course after being aired new the label should be gone. I have seen some programs labeled as new while they are old . This will allow for a clean Season Pass for both la Liga Live game and La Liga Report. Sometimes I am not able to watch the live game live and just catch it on my DVR on the same day with a couple of hrs delay.

 

[Ilya]

Chop-Chop, they do read this forum from time to time, so I am sure your comments will be noticed.

As for the program guide, it's actually more accurate than it used to be in VOOM times, though still a lot to be desired. Of course, when the field crew finds out which game they are going to only one day before the game, hard to expect the guide to be up-to-date.

By the way, the Sunday's Villarreal-Real Madrid game will be shown on Saturday at 3pm ET.

 

[Paul G]

News From Spain

Hello everyone, Paul here, i decided the best thing to do was to register so i could keep you up to date with everything.

I think there is good news regarding future games, The Spanish football league had a meeting about the TV dispute on Thursday and they gave the TV companies involved (Sogecable - AVS and Mediapro) a week to get their act together or else they will step in to resolve the issues.

The league highlighted the fact that they are upset about games not going out internationally - is Madrid and Barca are seriously pis*ed off that their games are nt being shown live outside of Spain. Clearly for them marketing is vital and they are loosing money from all of this.

So i hope that it could be business as usual next Saturday (no games this week anyhow as its time for internationals)...

However, although i say 'hope' I am not convinced it will be sorted...This is Spain after all and things have a hbit of dragging on

Whatever happens i will keep you posted.

cheers everyone

 

[MSG]

Welcome aboard, Paul.

Hope to watch new games this season.
Can't wait anymore.

 

[Sean Mota]

Paul,

thanks for the update... I love you guys as commentators.

 

[timfouts]

Paul,

thanks for the update... I love you guys as commentators.

Second that from me also.

 

[Chop-Chop]

Hello everyone, Paul here, i decided the best thing to do was to register so i could keep you up to date with everything.

Paul,

welcome and thanks for the effort. Please keep the updates coming. We love information.....:

I was in Spain last year and definitely want to go back to experience a "live" game at one of the "big club" stadiums. I am pretty sure that it is second narure to you guys now but it is something I want to experience now that the world cup is checked in my list.

 

[avarii73]

Paul, thanks very much for updating here

We really appreciate what you guys do for the La Liga games and the great commentary. If there were any way you all could slightly increase the audio levels of commentary, as many times it can get washed out with crowd noise (this isn't bad, but it makes it tough to follow everything at times).

The final game of the season last year was a classic and we appreciated seeing not only the game in HD, but the WorldSport camera views being rebroadcast on other providers such as GolTV here in the states. Nice to see that WorldSport is making some extra cash selling its video clips to other broadcasters.

Cheers & I hope Athletic stay up again this year! :up

Hasta luego,

Dave
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
been watching La Liga games since the VOOM days of the first season before you guys were the main broadcasters.

 

[Paul G]

Thanks everyone

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. Always nice to hear people are (more or less) happy with what we do.

Looking ahead to next week, the League have given kick off times...If we eventually do the planned game R Madrid - Almeria (this depends on the rights dispute being solved in time), it will be at 8pm cet on Saturday night.

if that fails we have two (maybe 3) options of grounds where our cameras can get in: that would be Valencia - Valladolid (8pm cet Saturday) Murcia - Atletico Madrid (5pm cet Sunday) and possible Sevilla - Recreativo Huelva (7pm cet Sunday)

Things should get clearer as the week progresses.

One big problem in all of this is that we record the La Liga Report in midweek...and of course that previews the game we should be showing...of course with all the changes that has not always been the case so far this season. Actually it hasn't been the case at all!!

Anyhow, there should be a La Liga report this week as well...check out the city visit, which has to be the smallest place we have gone to yet...the fact is that after 4 years we are running out of new places in Spain to bring you. The joke in the studio is that sooner or later we are going to start visiting shopping centres!!

CU all soon, PAUL

 

[Ilya]

Hi Paul! Glad to see you aboard ... at last!

Watching the Villarreal - Real Madrid match right now...

 

[Paul G]

Missing in action

As you can probably tell, i missed the Villarreal game: mainly because we all though we would be in Barcelona for Barca - Athletic...So I made a major mistake and pomised my girlfriend to take her to the Costa Brava for 3 days before going into Barcelona for the match.....crass error. only an Englishman would plan ahead in Spain!

On the Firday we found out it would be Villarreal - Madrid rather than Barcelona and i was standed with fligth tickets from Barcelona on Sunday night and ag girlfriend who would NOT have appreciated being dragged down to Villarreal...So that is why Pete stood in.

Incredible game mind you.

 

[kstuart]

One big problem in all of this is that we record the La Liga Report in midweek...and of course that previews the game we should be showing...
Anyhow, there should be a La Liga report this week as well...the fact is that after 4 years we are running out of new places in Spain to bring you.

Two comments:

- It would be more effective if WorldSportHD could show La Liga Report before Saturday - both from a marketing viewpoint, and also for the viewers. 30 minutes before the match is too late to "sell" the match, and the viewers want to see a match rather than highlights and color.

Also, it would be really helpful to have a set day and time for the new episode of La Liga Report. So, Thursday or Friday would be ideal.

- Please feel free to use city tour segments from the first couple of seasons. Many of us have not had HD TV for one year, let alone 4 years. Most of your viewers have not seen the first year or two of La Liga Report.

 

[Ilya]

Wow! A rather unexpected score!!

Ok, back to Fox Soccer channel (which, by the way, is on a free preview this weekend): Island-Spain match is on right now...

 

[Paul G]

Latest news: there will be meetings held with the Football League on Friday after their 1 week deadline passes regarding rights issue. If things are resolved, which i put at 50-50, then it will be R Madrid - Almeria on Sat 8pm (hallelujah!), if not Sevilla - Recreativo on Sunday (7pm).

Sevilla would be v emotional as it is their first home game since Puerta died. I'll let you all know what happens in the next 24-36 hours. PAUL

 

[Paul G]

More later news still....almost certain to be Sevilla - Recreativo Huelva. Andalucian derby, between the side 3rd in La Liga last season and Recre, who finished 8th.

The summer saw Sevilla make some good signings and they smashed R Madrid in the Supercup, winning 3-5 in the Bernabeu. Recre meanwhile have lost players such as Uche and Viqueira and their coach Marcelona, who has joined Racing. He's been replaced by Victor Muñoz, but will they be able to withstand Sevilla's firepower in what will no doubt be an emotional evening in the Sanchez Pizjuan as Sevilla look to dedicate a win to the sadly departed Antonio Puerta?

 

[ethen]

Paul,

Thanks for the Updates. I also would like to see the City Tours from the Previous seasons of the La Liga Report. Excellent work.

 

[bdr1968]

Paul,

Thanks for the updates. My wife and I became football/soccer fans because of you and Sid. In these days of gushing sports commentators, you two are appreciated for telling it like it is. Keep up the good work.