8 /10 1 Votes8
Country of origin United States Original release 2007 – 2008 Final episode date 2008 Language English | 8.1/10 TV First episode date 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Starring JP DellacameraRob StoneGlenn DavisJohn HarkesKyle MartinoAllen HopkinsAlexi LalasTommy SmythJulie Foudy Running time 2 hours (2.5 hours select games) Similar The Premiership, Soccer Made in Germany, Fox Football Fone‑in, Fox Soccer Report | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
Contents
History
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. Time slots varied under the deal, secured by Soccer United Marketing's providing of rights to the FIFA World Cup.
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. Tommy Smyth was later added as a co-analyst. Glenn Davis and Rob Stone filled in for O'Brien on occasion.
For the 2008 season, JP Dellacamera and John Harkes replaced O'Brien and Wynalda as the lead team with Davis, Smyth, and Julie Foudy occasionally filling in.
Following the 2008 season, ESPN discontinued the Thursday programming, citing lagging ratings 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.
Ratings
After averaging 223,000 viewers during the 2006 season, 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, 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.
Play-by-play announcers
- Dave O'Brien (2007), lead
- JP Dellacamera (2008), lead
- Glenn Davis (2007-2008), secondary
Analysts
- Eric Wynalda (2007), lead
- Tommy Smyth (2007-2008), secondary
- John Harkes (2008), lead
Sideline reporter
- Allen Hopkins (2007-2008)