One week from today the final piece of the 2015-16 English Premier League will be decided. A single match between Middlesbrough and Norwich City will kick off at 10 am eastern time on May 25. The winner will advance to arguably the best soccer league in the world, the loser remains in England’s second tier league, the Football League Championship. Unfortunately, despite the high stakes, only a limited number of soccer fans — in particular those with cable subscriptions — outside of the United Kingdom will have access to the game.

Foreign broadcast rights for the Championship here in the United States and Canada fall to beIN Sports. Directly from the beIN website, they offer a free online system called beIN SPORTS CONNECT, allowing users to stream live events to their computers, iOS and Android systems. The downside is there is no standalone option for the service. You have to be in an area with beIN available to you, with a compatible cable provider and then purchase a qualifying cable package.

The good news is Sling TV offers a package for $10.00 per month that includes, among other sports options, beIN Sports. Perhaps this is one of the first times in broadcasting history where cord cutters without a traditional cable package sit in an advantageous position to those with a cable subscription. Despite some channel lineups coming with beIN, the vast majority of cable packages don’t offer beIN until their highest package, or as an add-on at additional cost. In my area in particular, beIN isn’t available for my current provider. A competing cable and internet provider does offer beIN, though it isn’t an included feature — it is available as an add-on for $10.00 with the second and third most expensive packages —  until the highest cost package, coming in at a hefty $91.00 per month. That bill is before taxes and without accounting for internet or installation and activation.

At this point it’s hard to say which is more accurate: that the cord cutting generation is winning or that the old school cable TV model is losing.

(Header image via beIN)

The UEFA Champions League final will be set Wednesday as Real Madrid and Juventus square off to determine who will face Barcelona in the finals. Barcelona defeated Bayern Munich en route to their finals bid on a 5-3 aggregate score, but it could have easily been 5-4, and a one goal lead — technically two due to the away goals advantage — as a shot in the 39th minute nearly brought a bit of panic to the Barca side.

Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski received a pass near the penalty spot, turned and sent a strike that beat Barca’s keeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen. From the game feed, as well as the reactions of the Bayern players, it looked as though it may have been a goal.

A different angle shows the entire ball did not cross the goal line, and thus the no goal call turned out to be correct.

While this second angle is no doubt an improvement over the game feed, it is still off-angle and not parallel with the goal line. The Champions League is one of the few leagues in Europe to not have some sort of goal-line technology (GLT) either planned or already in use. From the Dutch league to Italy’s Serie A to England’s Premier League, GLT is something that absolutely needs to be an industry standard.

Just two days ago GLT was the difference in the EPL as Swansea downed Arsenal 1-0 due to a no-goal call being overturned. Reddit user Poet-Laureate, via Gfycat, clearly showed the use of GLT to determine the game.

Both men’s and women’s World Cups as well as numerous domestic leagues have embraced the usage of GLT, though few international leagues have done so. Aside from the UEFA Champions League which pits clubs against each other, national teams in the 2015 Asian Cup nor the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations did not benefit from any form of goal-line technology. Similarly in North and South America the CONCACAF and CONMEBOL respectively have yet to implement GLT in any capacity. One of the reasons behind the lack of GLT is cost, as UEFA President Michel Platini deemed the technology too expensive in 2013, citing a preference to use the money “on youth programs and infrastructure.”

According to Statista, money paid to clubs in the 2012-13 season equated to €910 million.

Given the UEFA distribution model, 75 percent of the total revenue goes to clubs with the remainder being kept by UEFA. Revenue above the €430 million mark will be split at 82 percent going to teams and 18 percent to the league. It’s hard to cry poor with that amount of money being  publicly disclosed. Soccer leagues are unfortunately notorious for a number of murky and handshake deals — not to mention outright awful human rights — but not utilizing goal-line technology due to something as easily dismissed as cost is absurd. If the finals game is decided by a questionable goal or no-goal call, then maybe UEFA and other international leagues will stop sitting on their hands.

This year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup is set to be the grandest Women’s sporting event of all time. Today FIFA boasted a number of major technological advances to be unveiled upon kickoff, such as broadcasting 10 matches — including the final — in 8K Ultra HD format. The press release also announced each game will feature no less than 20 cameras and as many as 22 trained on the field, a step up from the 16 camera setup in 2011’s Women’s Cup.

The use of goal-line technology (GLT) is being revamped as well. Rather than stick with the GoalControl system used in the men’s World Cup in Brazil last year, FIFA has decided to go with the Hawk-eye system in Canada. Both employ seven cameras focused on each goal and will be called upon for a ruling if a goal or no goal situation arrises.

FIFA has noticed the rise in second screening demands as well, and the presser specifically indicates a team of producers with a focus on mobile, tablet and laptop users. In order to view every game you’ll need a television package, as the matches will be split up between Fox and Fox Sports 1 for the English broadcast and NBC-owned Telemundo for Spanish. Nicolas Ericson, FIFA Director of TV, stated:

This is the biggest broadcast production we have invested in so far for a women’s football tournament. This supports FIFA’s commitment to develop and promote women’s football and it reflects the huge momentum and interest in women’s football around the world today.

Via Statista and using previous Women’s World Cups as the bar, nothing has come particularly close as far as live spectators since the 1999 Cup.

On the other hand, 2011 saw ESPN have its highest rated soccer game of all time in the 2011 final between Japan and the United States. Television audiences were up around the world in 2011 compared the 2007 Women’s World Cup as well.

This year offers a good blend time zone friendly starts — the early afternoon games are perfect for Europe — new programming and embracing the fans with second screen options for what is shaping up to be the biggest Women’s World Cup yet.

(Header image via FIFA)

Orlando City Soccer Club, one of Major League Soccer’s newest expansions, has signed an exclusive deal with internet and communications company Bright House Networks. Set to provide in-house high definition video, phone service and managed Wi-Fi as well as dedicated internet, Orlando City SC joins other MLS stadiums such as Sporting Kansas City and Vancouver Whitecaps FC among others to offer free Wi-Fi.

Phil Rawlins, President and Founder of Orlando City SC, believes this partnership will benefit the fans and club alike, stating

“As a club that is passionate about innovation and prides itself on constantly looking for ways to enhance our supporters’ experience, we are excited to partner with Bright House Networks. Through this partnership, we will offer our supporters a way to stay connected at our stadiums and enjoy interacting with each other during games.”

Fans using an immense amount of data at a sporting event is nothing new, though the usage of phones and tablets while at live game isn’t for everyone. Last year PSV Eindhoven, a perennial powerhouse in the top Dutch league, Eredivisie, had extremely vocal fans come out against the implementation of Wi-Fi in their home stadium (warning: language). As the linked article notes, Manchester United — arguably the most recognized name in soccer — banned iPads and tablets from its home stadium last year.

On this side of the Atlantic, it’s hard to imagine a sports fan base being hostile towards in-stadium Wi-Fi, if anything, the opposite is true: fans are beginning to wish for more connectivity. The difference in opinion could be cultural, or based on the differences in mobile phone billing between here and Europe. Phone and tablet subsidies aren’t a thing in Europe, and thus the monthly bill is much lower than in North America. Regardless of the reasons, Wi-Fi and devices are gaining ground in stadiums here, but not so much abroad.

Home field advantage on the soccer pitch, something that is somewhat quantified in a study for the Premier League, reached a point where a rule was involved across multi-league events back in the 1960s. Since the introduction of the Away goals rule in UEFA, not conceding goals at home is very important, and fans tend to believe they can help their team. Be it through signs, chants and songs or general participation, it isn’t hard to see why certain groups of fans would respond negatively to something they perceive as taking away from their home field advantage.

(Header image via Wikipedia)

Soccer is a massive business. Not just club level play, but international events such as Euro events, Gold Cup, and of course, the World Cup are massively popular and thus massive money makers. Despite the popularity of soccer itself, FIFA has a deservedly wretched standing with many fans. It seems as though the governing body of international soccer has recognized this, and is making veiled attempts to reconcile with fans.

From the outcry of fans regarding Russia’s anti-gay laws while they prepare to host the 2018 World Cup to the thousands of migrant workers who have died building Qatar’s 2022 stadiums, let alone the various corruption charges, FIFA had some serious bridges to rebuild. Perhaps it was the FBI’s investigation to countries bidding for the 2022 World Cup or the drop of major sponsors in Emirates, Sony, Castrol Oil, Johnson and Johnson or Continental, but it appears as though FIFA is attempting to re-brand their image.

On January 29 of this year, Major League Soccer announced their sale of the popular KICKTV YouTube channel to London based Copa90. Last week Copa90 then sent out a press released regarding a joint partnership as they joined forced with Pitch International, just three days after Pitch International sent out a press release saying they partnered with FIFA. The FIFA/Pitch International pairing will consist of PI airing the new show FIFA Football. The show will launch in May and according to Niclas Ericson, FIFA director of television, the show is about all aspects of the game.

FIFA Football is about giving fans a real insight into the game, on and off the pitch. Football is a truly global game and there are so many great moments to celebrate and fascinating stories to share from around the world. We hope this show will help to inspire the next generation to play, engage in and enjoy the world’s most popular sport.

Aiming at the younger generations — not just as players but also fans — by acquiring and partnering with YouTube channels seems to be a savvy move by FIFA. The NFL catered to fans in January by putting sanctioned game clips and highlights on YouTube. Given the amount of heat put on the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell in the wake of several poorly-handled decisions, throwing service to fans, possibly in a bit of a distraction ploy, was an interesting tactic. Similarly for FIFA, their new partnerships do nothing to apologize for past (and present) missteps by soccer’s most influential organization, however reaching out to fans is at least a positive step for a company not well known for positive press.

(Header image via Facebook)

The growth of soccer is something we’ve been hearing about since the mid 1990s. Major League Soccer may not have the top tier quality of European leagues just yet, but the quality of play has certainly been on the rise, particularly in the last few seasons. Older stars such as Thierry Henry, Robbie Keane and of course David Beckham have given the MLS a touch of precision it has been lacking. When seeing what these players can do in the MLS, many fans have seemingly sought out higher levels of competition, namely the English Premier League.

Back at the midway point of the EPL season, NBC — who owns broadcasting rights here in the United States — released viewership numbers and they showed an uptick from last season. NBC claimed a 15% jump in TV views and an encouraging 36% increase in streamed games via PC, mobile and tablets. Corroborating the continued rise in soccer’s popularity is the latest Global Web Index report, showing an bump up across the board in EPL watching.

Of the sample of about 40,000 users across 32 different countries, 28% claimed they watched the EPL on television. Another 16% reported streaming the games through their connected devices rather than the traditional TV route.

Unsurprisingly the 16-24 and 25-34 age demographics lead the online viewership numbers, with 19% and 22% respectively streaming their games

Given the time zone differences — a Tottenham fan in San Jose, CA is faced with a seven hour difference or a Bayern fan in NYC still has a five hour difference — it remains a difficult reality for the European leagues to grow here. While some people, myself included, are more than happy to wake up early to watch games, eventually we may reach a point where the casually interested fans are not willing to sacrifice sleep for their soccer fix. Until we reach that point, the rising popularity of soccer, especially the EPL, is a welcome sight.

(Header image via Ungry Young Man)

The Southampton Football Club — which sits a surprising fourth in the Barclay’s Premier League — has just announced a new partnership with Healthspan Elite. Already partnered with the club for vitamins, probiotics and fish oils, the vitamin and supplement supplier will now become the official nutrition partner in the first deal of its kind in the premiership. Healthspan Elite is already official partners with the British Sailing Team, Glasgow Warriors, Edinburgh Rugby, the Scottish Rugby Union and three associations.

Through 25 games Southampton trails only perennial powerhouses Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United in the BPL. The Saints’ +21 goal differential is the third best as their defense and goalkeeping has combined to allow a league leading 17 goals surrendered. Since conditioning and health is essential, Southampton has relied on Healthspan Elite to keep their players fit. On the new deal, the Saints’ Head of Sports Science, Alek Gross was quoted:

“We’ve been using Healthspan Elite’s products for some time now and each of our players has a daily intake of vitamins to support the health and wellbeing plans we have in place. This partnership, however, will allow us to explore our strategy even further. By maximising the knowledge and expertise from both parties, we’re aiming to develop supplements that will aid the performance and recovery of our players.”

The deal will allow Healthspan Elite access to make use of the clubs internal player tracking, recovery timetables and the like, with both sides hoping to see gains in the player bounce-back performances. While Southampton plays their league games in the BPL for a total of 38 games, the Saints also participates in the Capital One Cup and Football Association Cup. As the matches and minutes pile up, players inevitably get sore, strained and the like. Any edge that can be had for top tier clubs will be taken advantage of, and Southampton is looking to do just that.

(Header image via Wikipedia)

Another one of the “Big Five” leagues has made a technological leap, with Italy’s Serie A unanimously approving the implementation of a goal-line system for next season. The options have been narrowed to three possibilities, including the FIFA GoalControl system used at the 2014 World Cup, the HawkEye system used by the Premier League and one unnamed option.

President of Italian soccer federation, Carlo Tavecchio, has mentioned a desire for goal-line technology (GLT) in the past, publicly stating he believed it will be implemented before next season. In an interview following exploratory meetings last month, Tavecchio was quoted:

“This morning’s meeting began a journey that will take us to the application of goal-line technology in our country during the predicted time-frame…I am convinced that its [GLT] use, starting from next season, will be unavoidable.”

Given the usage and growing acceptance of GLT in domestic and international leagues, seeing another one of Europe’s power leagues roll out a system is excellent. Of the Big Five, the Premier League already uses GLT, the Bundesliga will use it next season and with usage on the rise elsewhere — including US-based MLS clubs and the Dutch Premier League — it should be just a matter of time (and funding) before it is a universal part of soccer. While neither this year’s Africa Cup of Nations or Asian Cup offered GLT, it will be in use for the UEFA Euro 2016 matches. This year’s Women’s World Cup will feature goal-line technology for the first time, marking another step in the right direction.

(Featured image via the Serie A Facebook page)

In the Barclay’s Premier League, the status quo continues for the online broadcasting options for at least one more season. Both Sky Sports and BT Sport won the broadcasting rights, now showing 126 and 42 matches respectively per season starting from the 2017-19 season through 2018-19. Both numbers represent a jump from the 116 and 38 currently shown, however the price was high. Sky Sports and BT paid a combined £5.136 billion (nearly $8 billion USD) — coming to more than £10 million per match — with BT paying £960 million and Sky picking up the rest of the tab.

Neither BT Sport or Sky Sports currently broadcasts internationally, and with NBC’s contract set to expire after the 2015/16 season, the bidding for the Premier League will come to a fever pitch next year. Currently with either BT, Sky or NBC you’ll need a cable package, but here in the United States there is not a way to view the streams from BT or Sky without using a VPN. Even by tricking the system into thinking you’re in the UK, you’ll still need a paid subscription to view the content.

The same goes for both broadcast apps (available on Android and iOS)  as there is no standalone package available yet. A brief exchange with a BT Sport chat helper cleared up any potential for a stream option here.

The tables below, courtesy of Statista, show the Premier League’s rapid growth above their fellow European competitions as well as the amount paid to the clubs from broadcast revenue.

The leagues, from left to right, are the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga and Ligue 1. These leagues are often referred to as the “Big Five” as they represent the top competitions in not only Europe, but the world.

Despite being the most popular of the European leagues, the PL’s popularity is still on the rise, as is the price to broadcast it and view it. While this deal does not hurt or help anyone already with a cable deal in the UK, for the rest of us it is merely treading water until the international rights open up again next year.

Sources: Sky Sports and BT Sport
Header via Wikipedia

Soccer is inarguably the world’s sport, however acceptance to the top flight of sports in certain nations is yet to come. Despite not advancing out of a tough group with powerhouses Spain and Netherlands, as well as surprise second-place finisher Chile, Australia did have a relatively strong showing in the most recent World Cup — particularly in the narrow 2-3 loss to Spain. Even going back to the 2010 World Cup where the Socceroos were edged by goal differential after finishing group play tied at second place with Ghana, the support from television broadcasters hasn’t translated well for Australian soccer.

Australia is currently hosting the 2015 Asian Cup, where 16 teams from around the Pacific and Indian Oceans have been hitting the pitch, and Australia is just one victory away from making the finals. The path for Australia — and for viewers — hasn’t been the easiest one however. Each match Australia has played has been televised on ABC (Australian Broadcasting Company) or Fox Sports in Australia with casts on CCTV-5 for China, with other broadcast partners showing games around the world. These numbers do not reflect various streaming services either — strictly television.

After finishing second in their group behind South Korea, Australia dispatched China 2-0, as over 95 million people spread across the globe tuned in at some point during the match. From China, an average of 27 million people watched the quarter final matchup, shattering the previous record of 23 million. China is not alone in their upward numbers, as both Japan and South Korea have seen rises in viewership. With the success of the television numbers — numbers that should be taken with a large grain of salt as any viewer using an unofficial stream is not counted — it is curious to find that ABC is airing only the Australia games live. Fox Sports has handled all other games, though some were shown on a tape delay.

Here in North America exclusive Asian Cup coverage has been given to ONE World Sports, a channel that is unfortunately limited in availability. After ESPN lost out on the World Cup broadcast rights it would have made sense for them to get back into the soccer game with a tournament of this size. Given NBC’s recent expansion into European soccer, grabbing the Asian market would have also made sense for them.

For now, as a big fan of the South Korean team, I’m forced to find alternative online options rather than watching on TV, even though my TV package includes dozens of sports channels. If time zone differences are the argument against showing the Asian Cup — and given my sleep schedule over the past weeks, that is a strong argument to make — then how is Canada streaming the games via ONE World Sports, while the United States is left in the dark? While the popularity of soccer continues to gain ground here in the United States, if the old saying of “misery loves company” is true then Australia is our brother in the struggle to find the proper medium to deliver sports content.