[cmasia]

Al Jazeera is launching 2 sports channels in August.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/47504423

http://beinsportsusa.wordpress.com/

https://twitter.com/#!/beinsportsusa

With Gol losing La Liga, and Fox losing Serie A and Ligue 1, will D* take both channels?

Expect a big bid from beIN for the 2013 - 2016 English Premier League rights as well.

Here's a quote:

"We are working together with Imagina US as our partner, and we are already in the last stages of negotiation with different providers, having secured two major deals so far that will bring the channel to subscribers' homes on August 1."

 

[paco1986]

With Gol losing La Liga, and Fox losing Serie A and Ligue 1, will D* take both channels?

As the sports leader, DirecTV should add these two channels.

 

[cmasia]

There is an ominous quote in the Multichannel News Story.

http://www.multichannel.com/article...air_of_Soccer_Channels_in_U_S_this_August.php

"Although he would not identify the providers that beIn Sport was in advanced carriage talks, Briceño insisted that the matches would be available to U.S. soccer fans this upcoming season. "You may have to switch providers," he noted."

 

[btk89]

Why in the world do want anything at all from Al Jazeera???

 

[sigma1914]

Why in the world do want anything at all from Al Jazeera???

Because their news station is excellent and now they're getting sports channels. Just because you don't want it doesn't mean no one does.

 

[bigwilly087]

Why in the world do want anything at all from Al Jazeera???

Its not necessarily about wanting something form Al Jazeera, its about wanting the content they provide. They have a huge bankroll and as rights become available they will be bidding on them.

 

[pablo]

Silly name.

But would like to have them, as well as AJE in HD!

 

[espnjason]

I had a very bad taste in my mouth at first. But as I was strobing through D*'s channels just a few minutes ago I thought to myself that Al-Jazzera/beIN Sports may not be such a bad addition considering what they would offer. But of course it will burn and create resentment from a lot of subscribers that wanted other channels.

This will be a real interesting couple of months leading into August. I may have to modify my HD wishlist.

 

[Coca Cola Kid]

Silly name.

But would like to have them, as well as AJE in HD!

Anyone with an internet connection can watch AJE for free. PQ is pretty good too.

http://www.aljazeera.com/watch_now/

 

[pablo]

Anyone with an internet connection can watch AJE for free. PQ is pretty good too.

http://www.aljazeera.com/watch_now/

I know and I do, but it would be nice to just flip on the channel on TV.

Also, for those thinking Al Jazeera is just a mindless pro-Islamist channel, check out this great two-part documentary on Gaddafi that aired a few days ago:

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/spotlight/libyaontheline/2012/05/2012518181433100263.html

Available in HD, no less

 

[mhking]

Anyone with an internet connection can watch AJE for free. PQ is pretty good too.

http://www.aljazeera.com/watch_now/

One of the pluses to my Roku...

(along with BBC Parliament, BBC News and BBC World News -- among others)

 

[joed32]

One of the pluses to my Roku...

(along with BBC Parliament, BBC News and BBC World News -- among others)

Yep. Roku has it live 24/7. I thought Al Jazeera was Al Jihad and the Arabic version may well be like that but the English version has almost all British journalists and does have good coverage of the middle east. They also have sports news and talk shows, etc. No slant at all.

 

[lokar]

It would seem that with these rights movements, there is no longer much of a need for Fox Soccer Plus or Gol TV. I can't imagine D* paying for 5 soccer channels when there really isn't enough content for 5 channels. So is the following breakdown for 2012-2013 accurate?

EPL - Fox/ESPN2
MLS - NBCSN
La Liga - BeIn
Serie A - BeIn
Ligue 1 - BeIn
GOL - German plus a couple of South American Leagues
Championship - Fox Soccer Plus

 

[pablo]

Only thing is that the live stream of AJE isn't very high-quality, especially in full screen. But better than nothing, I guess. I know the channel is available on some US cable providers but very sporadically. Hopefully, DirecTV adds it somewhere down the line.

 

[adkinsjm]

It would seem that with these rights movements, there is no longer much of a need for Fox Soccer Plus or Gol TV. I can't imagine D* paying for 5 soccer channels when there really isn't enough content for 5 channels. So is the following breakdown for 2012-2013 accurate?

EPL - Fox/ESPN2
MLS - NBCSN
La Liga - BeIn
Serie A - BeIn
Ligue 1 - BeIn
GOL - German plus a couple of South American Leagues
Championship - Fox Soccer Plus

FOX Soccer Plus picked up the Scottish Premier League, Aussie Rules football, NRL and Super League rugby league, and still has the rights to the Premiership, Celtic, and Heineken Cup rugby union competitions.

 

[espnjason]

It would seem that with these rights movements, there is no longer much of a need for Fox Soccer Plus or Gol TV. I can't imagine D* paying for 5 soccer channels when there really isn't enough content for 5 channels. So is the following breakdown for 2012-2013 accurate?

EPL - Fox/ESPN2
MLS - NBCSN
La Liga - BeIn
Serie A - BeIn
Ligue 1 - BeIn
GOL - German plus a couple of South American Leagues
Championship - Fox Soccer Plus

The EPL deal is only current for the upcoming season. The EPL U.S. rights bid for 2013-16 is on the horizon, I believe it is this summer if I'm not mistaken. If Al-Jazeera/beIN should start throwing their weight around, there will likely be a joint bid of ESPN/FOX and Univision.

Eredivisie (Netherlands) and the Portuguese Liga are up for grabs as well and GolTV or whomever may get them on the cheap. I am not saying that is possible, but definitely worth an examination.

Pardon me for coming across as a fiend, I just like following clubs outside the UEFA Champions league and the National Team competitions. I just hope D* will continue the stellar live coverage of UCL matches. It is good daytime television.

 

[lokar]

Pardon me for coming across as a fiend, I just like following clubs outside the UEFA Champions league and the National Team competitions. I just hope D* will continue the stellar live coverage of UCL matches. It is good daytime television.

Amen to that, it is good to know that all Champions League games are available and it is even better when you watch the D* exclusive matches since the screen is blissfully clutter free, a rarity in this day and age.

 

[Coca Cola Kid]

Only thing is that the live stream of AJE isn't very high-quality, especially in full screen. But better than nothing, I guess. I know the channel is available on some US cable providers but very sporadically. Hopefully, DirecTV adds it somewhere down the line.

Looks pretty good to me. Not HD, but probably at least DVD quality. I only watch the direct feed from their own website and not a secondary source.

 

[delawaredave]

Why not get US Stations first, maybe Comcast Sports Philadelphia!

 

[larryharry59]

Why not get US Stations first, maybe Comcast Sports Philadelphia!

BeIn Sports USA is/will be an American station when it launches. It's headquarters will be in Miami.