MLS Primetime Thursday
| MLS Primetime Thursday | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Starring | JP Dellacamera Rob Stone Glenn Davis John Harkes Kyle Martino Allen Hopkins Alexi Lalas Tommy Smyth Julie Foudy |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 2 hours (2.5 hours select games) |
| Original release | |
| Network | ESPN2 (2007–2008) |
| Release | 2007 – 2008 |
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.
History
[edit]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]
Ratings
[edit]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.
Personalities
[edit]Play-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
[edit]- ESPN 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 Saturday
References
[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 & Local TV | Multichannel". 21 May 2024.
- ^ "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 superclásico - 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
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