Photo: Earl Gardner
Note from editor: HEY READER. Join our MLS fantasy league. It’s gonna be a great time and a great way to see just how little the PSP staff might actually know what they’re talking about. Or that’s just MLS, for ya.
Philadelphia Union
It took a minute, but the Union have their local TV deal. And it’s a good one. All games are on 6ABC or PHL17. Best of all, everyone in the Philly area can stream games free online at the team’s website. More from the Union here.
After overhauling Philly’s roster, sporting director Ernst Tanner will see the results.
MLS
CONCACAF Champion’s League was a doozy last night. The Impact sat back and advanced with a 0-0 draw, while Tigres just got by with an insane stoppage time winner. By a goalie. Par for the course.
🚨JIMMY GLASS GOAL 🚨
One goal needed to reach the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán goes up for a stoppage time set piece… pic.twitter.com/67z7d4bN07
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) February 27, 2020
PREDICTION SEASON! This time from ESPN.
The league has a new anthem by the one and only Hans Zimmer. It’s sure to get you pumped.
5 young stars ready to play for the USMNT.
NWSL
Big trade klaxon: National team vet defender Becky Sauerbraunn dealt from Utah to Portland.
Aside from the streaming through the site—nothing new since Open Cup games have been available this way—nothing much has changed. If you’re a cord cutter in the local region, you still need to watch live, using an OTA antenna or computer/tablet/phone. You could stream live through third party site Locast already. Unlike the ESPN+ out of region, no recordings for replays are available. You can go and purchase an Amazon Fire TV Recast for about $150-$200 to record the OTA games.
From Tim McDermott: “And yes, games will be available on demand on our web for 7 days.”
This is the biggest boost!!!
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I am very much looking forward to being able to re-watch the home games! I don’t miss a game at Subaru Park, but sometimes the big screen replays (or lack there-of) fail you. It will be very nice to be able to go back and catch what you might have missed live!!!
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This will also be good for parents who miss action due to kid distractions, and SOB who miss action from flag/chant distractions.
I don’t follow. How would you watch it otherwise without cable, an antennae, or a computer/tablet/phone?
The key to that statement is the need to watch it live in-market, regardless of the cord-cutting receiver.
Totally appreciate Hopkins update which the Union failed to clarify during their cutesy rollout.
Sometime I want to watch it even though I went to the game. Other times, like the 10:30 weeknight west coast kickoff, I want to watch it later. Glad I’ll be able to do that.
Worth noting that last year’s Bethlehem Steel left back Walter Cortes started for Deportivo Saprissa in Montreal last night. Played 71 minutes.
The Union call me every year. “Hey, it’s only 2 hours away, you should get a ticket package, we love you!”
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Well if it’s only 2 hours away, why do my options to watch a match suck? You want me to care, but don’t care to get a decent out-of-city-limits tv deal done.
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Rewind 4 years. I could watch live home coverage with JP commentating on my cable package (comcast sportsnet aired the games). Or, if I missed it, MLS Live was a good option. The scores weren’t spoiled, it was soccer specific and easy to use.
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Now: I can’t guarantee home coverage. I have to deal with away commentators at least 50% of the time. I can’t watch it on my tv through cable which doesn’t experience streaming problems like weak signals. And I have to use a streaming platform which often spoils the scores while navigating to the games, which are buried in a terrible UI.
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But yes, I know I’m cared about in the Harrisburg area and I should shell out money to regularly attend a game.
I truly miss the days of MLSLive!!
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It was such a good platform. All the games were archived, it was super easy to use and find your game with NO SPOILERS, you had full playback control and it was super easy to make your own replay. *sigh*
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The ESPN+ platform is a hot hunk of junk by comparison and embarrassingly using decades old tech at this point. It can be really hard to find your game. If you don’t open your browser directly to the MLS Live page (go bookmark this page now!) it is way too easy to run into ESPN splash page spoilers. If you ever get bounced out while watching it takes 5 min to get back to where you were. The playback tools are non-existent and you can’t move around less than 3min at a time seemingly. *sigh*
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But at least it’s there…(?)
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All of that said, you shouldn’t have any problems watching the games on ESPN+ in Harrisburg now. All the blackouts save for nationally televised games have been lifted.
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Another option is to stream using Locast or LocalBTV (this one has a recording option). PHL17 is on both of them.
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Also, look into LocGuard plug-ins for Firefox…
I know what you mean. I’m considered local to watch the crappy, announcerless streams from pre-season, but now I’m an outsider. WTF?
Harrisburg resident,
If you’re cool with the drive then the least I can do is buy a few pints for ya!!! 10 year STH. Not joking mate!
Cheers
Now all I need to figure out is how to get to the Union website from my Fire TV stick…
Was thinking the same thing. The Union need to unveil a Roku app for the season/in general. I think it would be a tech-savvy move how the industry is moving.
Hey John…not sure what type of phone you’re using but I use an android and i can bring up streams on my phone and use Smart View to bring it up on my ROKU tv. Not sure if that helps but…
Solid Union preview here: https://www.americansocceranalysis.com/home/2020/2/25/2020-season-preview-philadelphia-union
Good read. Thanks for sharing the link.
Ditto.
I believe I read the rights deal for MLS is up after the 2022 season and until then these options being out there are kind of a patchwork by the teams until a larger, more comprehensive rights deal is agreed to then. That could be a good thing come 2022-23, or very limiting. Gonna have to wait till then I guess