ESPN and España
What excellent timing! Just as ESPN, the American sports network that has won the rights to show 46 Premier League matches next season, was announcing that it will set up a new stand-alone channel to screen the games as it attempts to build a powerful presence in European football, the US team hands Spain a hiding in the Confederations Cup.
No, it's not the World Cup, but the historic win in Bloemfontein will be good for the image of the game in its most underdeveloped market, and the victory will surely have positive knock on effects for ESPN as it seeks to establish itself in a sport and in a part of the world where Americans are scorned. ESPN Premier League will be available on every platform, including cable and satellite, and the company has signed a deal with Sky, which is expected to offer the new channel to the six million customers who subscribe to its sports package.
Next stop for ESPN? It has to be the Primera División of La Liga de Fútbol Profesional.
