Fang's Bites

Another Fox Soccer-Fox Sports EPL Game

On Sunday either before or after NFL coverage on Fox Sports, you’ll have the opportunity to see another English Premier League game. Again, it’ll be tape delayed. The Tottenham Hotspur-Arsenal game will be live on Fox Soccer at 11 a.m. Eastern then again on Fox either at 2 p.m. or 4:30 p.m.

We have the press release from Fox Soccer for you.

ON THE HEELS OF A RECORD-SETTING BROADCAST, FOX BRINGS BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE BACK TO THE NETWORK ON SUNDAY

Actor, Former Premier League Player Vinnie Jones Re-Joins Eric Wynalda and Cobi Jones in the Studio for Tottenham vs. Arsenal

Los Angeles (September 29, 2011) – FOX Sports Media Group continues to break soccer programming trends Sunday, October 2, by pairing Barclays Premier League soccer alongside NFL on FOX.  FOX Soccer, America’s premier soccer destination, brings live coverage of Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal FC at 11:00 am ET with FOX Broadcast Network airing an encore presentation either before or following NFL on FOX, depending on market.

Nearly 2.5 million viewers tuned in to FOX, FOX Soccer and FOX Deportes for Manchester United – Chelsea, the first Premier League match to be shown on U.S. free-to-air network television.  It was the largest audience ever to watch the Premier League in the U.S.

The record-setting tape-delayed Premier League match on FOX was second in total audience to this year’s live UEFA Champions League Final, also on FOX and FOX Deportes (4.2 million for FC Barcelona vs. Manchester United).

Sunday’s Tottenham-Arsenal match, a legendary rivalry of North London neighbors dating back to 1887, airs at either 2:00-4:00 PM ET or 4:30-6:30 PM ET depending on FOX’s NFL schedule.  Please check local listings.

Programming Schedule:

Sunday, October 2, 2011
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal FC
Live on FOX Soccer at 11:00 am ET
Encore on FOX at 2:00 – 4:00 PM ET (Pre-NFL) –or- 4:30 – 6:30 PM ET (Post NFL), depending on market; check local listings

That will do it. We have NBC’s preview for Sunday Night Football next.

It’s A Slowly Getting Back To Normal After Irene Linkfest

Yesterday about 2 p.m., I got the power back at the Fang’s Bites abode and after walking around the neighborhood, I saw that I was quite lucky in not getting any tree limbs falling on my house or any leaks in the basement. So while Hurricane Irene was quite deadly and caused major damage up and down the East Coast, I consider myself very lucky in being able to get through the storm without any major interruptions and I thank National Grid for getting the power back to my house within a day after being knocked offline.

Let’s do some linkage. Already a couple of major sports media stories breaking today.

First, Bill Carter of the New York Times writes that NBC has tapped Today show Executive Producer Jim Bell and former NBC Sports Emperor Dick Ebersol protégé as the Executive Producer of the 2012 London Olympics.

Tim Malloy at The Wrap says NBC feels Bell is uniquely qualified to helm the Olympics for the network.

Georg Szalai of the Hollywood Reporter writes that Bell will continue to oversee the Today show while working on the Olympics.

The lovely Rachel Cohen of the Associated Press writes that NBC will show all Olympic events live in one platform or another.

Ken Schott of the Schenectady Gazette is happy to see NBC airing events live.

In a related note, Meredith Galante of the Business Insider notes that the aforementioned former Emperor is selling his Colorado home for a huge pricetag.

And maybe this is why Ebersol is selling his house, Bill Carter and Richard Sandomir of the New York Times reports that the former Emperor is returning to NBC Sports as a senior adviser. You can’t make these things up.

Our other big sports media story involves the University of Kentucky revoking the school newspaper’s media credential for playing by its rules.

Scott Sloan of the Lexington Herald-Leader looks into why this occurred.

And from the Kentucky Kernel, the school newspaper’s managing editor Becca Clemons gives the publication’s response. This now is becoming a First Amendment issue and had the school’s Sports Information Department had handled this differently, this would not have blown up. Instead, the SID reacted poorly and this is the result.

To other stories now.

USA Today notes that there are a few changes coming to NFL Network including the hiring of Andrew Siciliano full-time and the shuffling of anchors for NFL Total Access.

Anthony Crupi at Adweek says advertisers are flocking to Fox’s UFC package knowing they can reach large numbers of young males.

To the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center and Jason Fry whose final column for the site provides sportswriters with the five changes in digital sports they need to look for in the very near future. Also, Jason has collected 19 of his National Sports Journalism Center columns into a eBook and it’s available for download at Amazon or at Smashwords. Jason has been a great resource here and I hope to let you know where he’ll be landing soon.

Cam Martin at SportsNewser says syndicated radio host Paul Finebaum will be writing a column for SI.com.

Glenn Davis in SportsGrid has the latest Alec Baldwin-John Krasinski Yankees-Red Sox rivalry New Era ad that premieres tonight. It’s very funny.

Brandon Costa of Sports Video Group looks at Big Ten Network’s programming schedule to reflect the new football season.

Brandon writes about the launch of Kansas State’s new KStateHD.TV.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch takes to TwitLonger to ask why ESPN’s new social media policy is not being applied equally.

David Whitely of AOL Sporting News wonders if airing the Little League World Series on TV is too much pressure on the kids.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell says the addition of Texas A&M to the SEC won’t add much value to its TV contracts.

Claire Atkinson of the New York Post writes that the US Tennis Association is considering charging viewers for watching the U.S. Open online.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union wishes ESPN would lighten up.

David N. Dunkle of the Patriot-News (PA) writes a long-time Harrisville R&B radio station flips to ESPN Radio this week.

Mark Berman of the Roanoke (VA) Times says ESPN’s new contract with the ACC means more Virginia Tech sports on TV.

Dave Walker of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that former CNN/ESPN/YES/Fox Sports South host Fred Hickman has signed with a local TV station to become its sports director.

Susan Blaskovich of the Pegasus (TX) Times says Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban gets his chance to pick games on ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday.

The Grand Rapids (MI) Press notes the passing of long-time Detroit Lions beat writer Tom “Killer” Kowalski.

The Ann Arbor News has reaction to Kowalski’s passing.

Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Sentinel looks at how WTMJ radio will handle conflicts between the Brewers, Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers.

Bob has some interesting tidbits from the NFL Films America’s Game documentary on the 2010 Packers that airs next week.

Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business feels the number of documentaries released now focusing on the Cubs is bad timing.

Mike Imrem of the Chicago Daily Herald says he might be part of the problem in ESPN’s airing of the Little League World Series.

Josie Becker of LA Galaxy Confidential suggests that NBC use the ESPN model for hiring announcers for MLS instead of the Fox Soccer way of doing things.

Maury Brown of the Biz of Baseball says the MLB At Bat for iPhone and iPod Touch underwent a nice upgrade in time for the pennant races.

Brady Green at Awful Announcing enjoys Gus Johnson reenacting his famous Brandon Stokley call.

And I think that will do it for the links today.

Doing Some Thursday Linkage

Let’s provide links while I can. Trying not to make this a week where links are scarce. Let’s get this done.

First, Jessica E. Vascellaro and Darren Everson of the Wall Street Journal look at how infusions of TV rights money has changed college sports not necessarily for the better.

John Ourand at Sports Business Daily notes that Longhorn Network has picked up its first major cable provider just ahead of Friday’s launch.

Tim Baysinger of Broadcasting & Cable also writes about Longhorn Network’s carriage deal.

Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News looks at Fox Soccer signing a multiyear deal for the UEFA Europa League.

Emma Bazilian of Adweek says the Bleacher Report has raised $22 million in capital for future expansion of the site.

Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine explores the rich naming rights deal involving MetLife and the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Dave Kindred at the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center says there are not that many differences between “New School” and “Old School” writers.

Marcus Vanderberg of SportsNewser says the operator of an illegal sports video streaming site was arrested by the Feds yesterday.

CNBC’s Darren Rovell feels Danica Patrick’s popularity has hit the wall.

Dashiell Bennett of the Business Insider’s Sports Page notes that ESPN put up a controversial rendering (now since taken down) of Michael Vick as a white man.

Robert Littal of Black Sports Online has a problem with ESPN’s premise of making Vick a white man.

At ESPN Front Row, PR maven Mike Soltys informs us that the Alleged Worldwide Leader has revised its social networking policy.

Claire Atkinson of the New York Post says any talk of the NFL and Time Warner Cable being close on a deal for NFL Network is just that. Talk.

Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union notes that TBS has made a change for its Sunday MLB game due to Hurricane Irene.

Ken Schott says a local radio station will have a unique baseball-horse racing on-air schedule this Saturday.

Ken McMillan of the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record says the MSG Networks will be airing plenty of college football in the fall.

Ken adds that MSG Network will air a prospects hockey tournament next month.

Keith Groller of the Allentown (PA) Morning Call says an area native is doing overnight sports reports on WFAN.

Justin Fenton and Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun report that police have confirmed that former Orioles pitcher and broadcaster Mike Flanagan took his own life outside his home on Wednesday.

Peter Schmuck of the Sun says now is not the time to speculate why Flanagan chose to end his life.

The Sun’s Kevin Cowherd writes that Flanagan made people laugh as a player and as a broadcaster.

In Press Box, Dave Hughes says Flanagan’s death is still a mystery.

Matt Brooks in the Washington Post’s Early Lead blog says Flanagan’s death has hit the Orioles very hard.

Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner writes that Danica Patrick’s move to NASCAR makes the Baltimore Grand Prix one of her last IndyCar races of her career.

Ken Tysiac of the Charlotte (NC) Observer says thanks to its new ESPN contract, ACC basketball will get plenty of TV exposure.

Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News has a primer on the Longhorn Network.

Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has CBS Sports Chair Sean McManus feeling the SEC will be standing pat for the foreseeable future.

Jimmy says Verizon FiOS will be distributing the Longhorn Network across the country.

The Houston Chronicle says a local TV station will begin airing Thursday night high school football games.

David Barron of the Chronicle writes that the Longhorn Network is ready to launch, but won’t be seen widely in Houston.

Ed Sherman in Crain’s Chicago Business says Notre Dame has renewed a radio rights deal with WLS-AM.

Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times looks at a big reveal from ESPN Films’ documentary on the Steve Bartman 2003 NLCS inc

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has Sports Illustrated saying the beating of a San Francisco Giants fan in the Dodger Stadium parking lot earlier this year sealed the fate of the franchise.

Mason Kelly of the Seattle Times says a local high school gym got a facelift thanks to an ESPN program.

Only Deadspin. It has a spy inside ESPN’s State of the Union meeting with higher ups.

Sox & Dawgs looks at SNY’s UConn football coverage.

The Toronto Sports Media blog notes that long-time Maple Leafs voice Dennis Beyak is apparently heading to Winnipeg.

Sports Media Watch has some various football programming notes.

That is going to finish the links for today.

Our Mid-Week Links

Any time I put “Quick” in the title, it appears I find more linkage than I set out to. Nothing wrong with that. Again, I ended up being outside of the office for an extended time and it looks like that will happen again tomorrow. Don’t know work is so crazy all of a sudden. I hope the weekend won’t be too busy, but you never know until it gets here. So I won’t put “Quick” in the title today.

In the meantime, I’ll do as many links as I can.

Mike McCarthy of USA Today writes that ESPN has actually dropped two NFL studio analysts to help make room for five new guys coming to the network.

Michael Hiestand at USA Today explains why Jerry Rice chose to become a TV analyst now.

In Sports Business Daily, John Ourand has the story on how NBC Sports Group signed a new multiyear contract with MLS.

Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch writes that the NBC Sports deal might be the boost that MLS has been seeking.

Jack Bell of the New York Times looks at the particulars of the deal.

Joe Flint of the Los Angeles Times’ Company Town blog says NBC Sports Group grabbing the MLS is a big blow to Fox Soccer which previously had this portion of the contract.

Daniel Feuerstein from MLS Talk also reviews this new MLS contract.

Now to other links.

Mike Reynolds at Multichannel News says Cablevision and Tennis Channel may spar again when its contract with a cable collaborative expires. Again, this could affect viewership of the U.S. Open in New York.

Autoweek talks about ESPN renewing its deal to air the Indianapolis 500 on ABC for the long-term.

Marcus Vanderberg of SportsNewser notes that a longtime Baltimore Sun writer is leaving to join the WWE.

Cam Martin of SportsNewser tells us that age was a factor in having CNBC’s Darren Rovell replace John Feinstein on the ESPN Radio affiliate in Washington DC. It’s never good to admit that publicly.

Ben Axelrod from SportsGrid says U.S. Women’s Soccer team goalie Hope Solo will be posing nude for ESPN The Magazine’s Body issue.

Major League Baseball has announced its postseason schedule and it starts early and would end well before Halloween.

Over to the aforementioned Darren Rovell who provides us with his annual College Football All-Name Team.

Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog looks at Darren joining a DC sports radio station for a weekly guest spot.

Dan writes that a DC TV station will air Baltimore Ravens preseason games for the first time.

Bert Pfankuch of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune is changing cable companies and tearfully says goodbye to Golf Channel.

Angela Woolen in the Macon (GA) Telegraph says ESPN is in town to air the Little League Baseball World Series Southeast Regional this week.

Ben Flanagan from the Huntsville (AL) Times recaps comments from South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier to Dan Patrick in which he stated that he felt ESPN gave Alabama preferential treatment.

Bob Wolfley at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says former Packers running back Ahman Green joins Big Ten Network for selected games this college football season.

Bob talks about former NFL coach Bill Parcells rejoining ESPN for this season.

Scott D. Pierce of the Salt Lake Tribune writes that NBC Sports plans to put one or two Notre Dame games on the NBC Sports Network starting next season.

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily finds an angry message to Dodgers owner Frank McCourt inside Dodger Stadium.

Ferd Lewis at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser says an announcement to tout a new University of Hawaii sports channel has been delayed again.

Bruce Dowbiggin in the Toronto Globe and Mail goes over caddie Steve Williams’ bitter remarks to CBS shortly after Adam Scott won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Kristen Douglas of the Campbell River (Canada) Mirror says NBC Sports was in the local area to shoot a segment for an adventure show.

Sports Media Watch advises us to keep on an eye on the battle between ESPN and the NBC Sports Group.

Awful Announcing’s Matt Yoder goes over Jerry Rice’s hiring at ESPN.

And AA talks with soccer announcer extraordinaire Ian Darke.

The Biz of Baseball’s Maury Brown says MLB’s attendance numbers are quite deceptive.

The Football Girl blog looks at the ESPN/NFL Network analyst wars plus the NFL on Fox announcing lineup.

And that is going to conclude the linkage for today.

Fox Soccer To Launch New Look In Conjunction With New EPL Season

This weekend with the opening of the English Premier League season and eventual opening of the new UEFA Champions League and Italy’s Serie A, Fox Soccer is launching a new look, logo and brand on its two channels and website. Fox Soccer Channel officially becomes Fox Soccer and its old yellow and black logo will be officially retired to TV pasture.

Fox Soccer will carry three English Premier League games live including defending champion Manchester United on Sunday.

Let’s take a look at what Fox Soccer is saying about this weekend. I look forward to Chelsea taking back its deserved place on top of the Premier League table this season.

THE WAIT IS OVER!
FOX SOCCER KICKS OFF NEW PREMIER LEAGUE, UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AND SERIE A SEASONS WITH CRISP NEW BRANDING ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS

America’s Premier Soccer Destination Celebrates Official On-air, Online Launch of New Logos, Sets, Graphics

Los Angeles, CA (August 10, 2011) – FOX Soccer, America’s premier soccer-only multimedia destination, unveils its official multi-platform makeover with a new name, re-designed logos, upgraded studio sets and a high-tech on-air graphics package for the first time on all programs both on-air and online.  The launch coincides with one of the most important times of the year for soccer fans:  the kickoff of the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League and Italian Serie A seasons.

“Season Kickoff is highly anticipated by all soccer fans as their favorite teams and players start anew,” said David Nathanson, FOX Soccer’s General Manager.  “It’s the perfect opportunity to introduce the new FOX Soccer and raise the bar for coverage of the world’s most elite competitions.”

Whether it is an unbelievable goal by Wayne Rooney in the Barclays Premier League or Lionel Messi weaving through defenders in the UEFA Champions League, great sports moments happen LIVE and in HD each week on FOX Soccer beginning August 13 (see opening weekend schedule below).  In addition, FOX Soccer brings highlights and commentary on its two weekend shows, “Matchday,” and “Goals on Sunday.”  On Matchday, FOX Soccer’s Christian Miles teams up with former Newcastle and English Premier League player Warren Barton for pre-match analysis of Barclays Premier League Saturday games on FOX Soccer.  Goals on Sunday, formerly “Super Sunday+,” brings Miles back into the studio to host a highlight show packed with the week’s best soccer action, including top goals of the week.  Miles is joined by Warren Barton, former MLS standout Kyle Martino and FOX Soccer analyst Keith Costigan.

All shows will feature new logos, re-designed sets and are produced in premium facilities on the FOX studio lot on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.

FOX Soccer Kickoff Programming:

Saturday, August 13
9:30 a.m. ET  LIVE, HD                 Matchday
10:00 a.m. ET LIVE, HD                 Liverpool vs. Sunderland
12:00 p.m. ET LIVE, HD                 Matchday
12:30 p.m. ET LIVE, HD                 Newcastle vs. Arsenal

Sunday, August 14
11:00 a.m. ET LIVE, HD                West Brom vs. Manchester United
1:00 p.m. ET LIVE, HD                 Goals on Sunday

There you have it.

Fox Soccer To Air Abby Wambach & Alex Morgan’s Return To WPS Tonight

Three members of the US Women’s Soccer team and Brazilian star Marta will be returning to Women’s Professional Soccer tonight. All of course, took part in the Women’s World Cup in Germany and Fox Soccer will air the game between the MagicJack and Western New York Flash tonight starting at 7:30 Eastern. Fox Soccer is adding tonight’s game hoping to catch some lightning in a bottle from the increased interest in the women’s game from the last month.

And many fans petitioned Fox Soccer to add tonight’s game to its schedule and the high demand was enough to convince the channel to pick up the contest.

So Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe will be participating in tonight’s match. And Fox Soccer will also air a WPS game this weekend and I’ll list that in the Weekend Viewing Picks. Here is the announcement from Fox Soccer.

WOMEN’S SOCCER FRENZY:  FOX SOCCER ADDS LIVE COVERAGE OF WESTERN NY FLASH vs. MAGICJACK WPS MATCH FEATURING THE RETURN OF USWNT PLAYERS

Los Angeles (July 19, 2011)  – Soccer fans who followed the United States Women’s National Team’s heart-stopping penalty kick shootout with Japan last Sunday used social media as their megaphone in a movement to see the Western New York Flash vs. MagicJack game  added to FOX Soccer’s already packed Women’s Professional Soccer League summer schedule.

FOX Soccer, America’s premier soccer-only network, having already televised 13 WPS matches in the 2011 season, now brings LIVE coverage of Abby Wambach and Megan Rapinoe’s MagicJack vs. U.S. National Teammate Alex Morgan and Brazilian rival Marta’s Western New York Flash Wednesday, July 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Having just traveled back from Germany to a frenzy of supportive fans, WPS players who also play for their national teams now meet in league action at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, New York, Abby Wambach’s home town.  The stadium, which holds 13,500, is sold out in anticipation of witnessing women’s soccer star-power on the pitch.

Wednesday’s WPS match provides a great lead-in to FOX Soccer’s LIVE HD coverage of summer friendly Manchester United vs. Seattle Sounders FC from 9.30PM ET .

That’s all.

Fox Soccer Crows About Gold Cup Final Ratings

Fox Soccer received an audience of just over 950 thousand viewers and gained a rating of 1.43 for the USA-Mexico Gold Cup Final game on Saturday. Combined with the Univision numbers, you had a total audience of almost 9 million people watching soccer on a dead night for TV (or so the networks would have you believe). That’s quite an impressive number. And the ratings are up almost double from the last Gold Cup Final in 2009 which received a 0.77 rating.

Fox Soccer says Saturday’s viewership beats the previous high of 418,000 viewers for an English Premier League game earlier this year. We have the press release from Fox Soccer.

U.S. – MEXICO GOLD CUP FINAL CRUSHES AUDIENCE RECORD ON FOX SOCCER

Telecast DOUBLES the network’s previous viewership and ratings records

Los Angeles (June 28, 2011) – FOX Soccer drew the largest audience in its history during Mexico’s decisive 4-2 defeat of the United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final on Saturday, June 25, 2011.  According to figures released by Nielsen Media Research, 954,000 viewers watched FOX Soccer’s U.S-Mexico telecast, by far a new FOX Soccer record and the most-watched soccer match on English language cable television since the 2010 World Cup.   The telecast more than doubles FOX Soccer’s previous record of 418,000 viewers for this year’s Chelsea vs. Liverpool “Game Before the Game” pre-Super Bowl telecast on February 6, 2011.

US-Mexico delivered a 1.43 household coverage area rating, becoming the first FOX Soccer telecast in the network’s history to break a 1.0.  The 1.43 nearly doubles FOX Soccer’s previous record HH rating of 0.77 for the 2009 Gold Cup final between the same two countries.

“The US-Mexico CONCACAF Gold Cup final was a must see event for American sports fans,” said FOX Soccer General Manager David Nathanson.  “Breaking our viewership record twice in one year speaks to not only the growth of soccer in the United States, but also to the destination FOX Soccer has become in carrying the world’s biggest soccer events.”

The Gold Cup final also delivered record ratings for FOX Soccer in the coveted M18-49 demo, earning a 1.65/383,000 and in the 18-34 year old demo, earning a 1.64 or 194,000 viewers, making it FOX Soccer’s highest key male audience of all time and beating network competitors ABC, CBS and NBC in impressions in that age group from 8:30 – 11:00 p.m. ET.

That’s going to do it.

Fox Soccer Airs Gold Cup Championship

On Saturday, Fox Soccer will air the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final between bitter rivals the USA and Mexico. The final will be held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA and that might draw more of pro-Mexico crowd. It will be an electric atmosphere when the game kicks off at 9 p.m. Fox Soccer will have its pregame starting at 8:30 p.m. Univision will begin its coverage at 9 p.m.

We have your preview from Fox Soccer.

USA MEETS RIVAL MEXICO IN EPIC GOLD CUP CHAMPIONSHIP RE-MATCH ON FOX SOCCER
’11 Gold Cup viewership posts big gains

Los Angeles (June 23, 2011) – FOX Soccer, America’s premier destination for soccer fans, brings live coverage of the United States men’s soccer team as they take on rival Mexico in an epic clash of talent and national pride Saturday, June 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET, live and in HD from the famed Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

The CONCACAF Gold Cup, the biennial championship for North and Central America and the Caribbean, has rallied American soccer fans around their teams, boosting overall tournament viewership on FOX Soccer by +82% to date over 2009, when the tournament was last held.  The ’09 USA-Mexico Gold Cup final, with an audience of 369,000, was FOX Soccer’s most-watched telecast ever, and expectations are high for a new record come Saturday.  Wednesday’s USA vs. Panama semifinal match has already surpassed the 2009 Gold Cup final with a viewership of 381,000.

In his first official appearance as guest analyst, U.S. National Team and Bolton Wanderers player Stuart Holden joins FOX Soccer’s host, U.S. National Team legend and hall-of-famer Eric Wynalda and former pro and national team player Christopher Sullivan for pregame, half-time and post-game analysis. Former MLS standout Kyle Martino teams up with JP Dellacamera in the booth to call the match.

After losing to Panama in bracket play, Bob Bradley’s “Indivisible” team took a 1-0 victory away from Wednesday’s semifinal re-match against Panama on a goal from Clint Dempsey. Surprise sub Freddy Adu started the lone-goal sequence with a brilliant long ball to Landon Donovan who dished a square pass to Dempsey for the game-winner. Mexico’s 2-0 win over Honduras in the remaining semifinal set up the dream Gold Cup final match-up.

Match details:

Saturday, June 25, 2011
USA vs. Mexico*       8:30 p.m. ET  LIVE on FOX Soccer

* Denotes live, HD telecast.

That’s all for now.

Fox Soccer Channel Rebrands and Unveils New Logo

Yes, Fox Soccer Channel is removing the “Channel” from its name and rebranding as “Fox Soccer”. According to the press release, it’s to show the multiple platforms soccer fans are watching content, through television, internet and mobile devices so Fox feels “Channel” is obsolete. It will also change its logo to reflect this so from now on when I do the Primetime & Late Night Viewing Picks, you’ll see the new name whenever I do English Premier League or other soccer programming on the network. So as of August when the EPL season launches, you’ll be seeing the new look and name.

Here’s the press release from Fox Sports Media Group on the new name and logo.

FOX SOCCER ANNOUNCES TOTAL RE-BRAND:  NEW LOGO, NEW LOOK, FOX ATTITUDE

America’s Premier Soccer Media Outlet Evolves with Re-designed Logos, Studio Sets, Graphics

Los Angeles, CA (June 14, 2011) – FOX Soccer, America’s premier soccer-only multimedia destination, unveils its official multi-platform makeover with a new name, re-designed logos, upgraded studio sets and a high-tech on-air graphics package.

In a migration closer to its FOX Sports Media Group family, FOX Soccer’s new look across all platforms has a bold, brash typeface showcasing its irreverent FOX heritage.  The word “Channel” leaves the design, in a nod to a savvy audience who access FOX Soccer content 24/7/365 through a variety of multimedia—FOX Soccer, FOX Soccer Plus, FOXSoccer.com, FOXSoccer.tv, as well as mobile and tablet applications.

“Our audience comes to FOX Soccer for one thing:  to interact with the game they love.  They are smart, they want new technologies, they want the best coverage,” said David Nathanson, FOX Soccer’s General Manager.  “The re-branding symbolizes our continued commitment to push the limits and evolve with the game in this country.”

The new FOX Soccer, FOX Soccer Plus, FOXsoccer.com and FOXsoccer.tv will officially launch on-air and online on August 13 with the start of the Barclays Premier League and UEFA Champions League seasons.

In addition to a fresh, uniform look in coverage across platforms, FOX Soccer’s makeover includes new studio sets and improved on-air graphics packages. As the Barclays Premier League and UEFA Champions League kick-off in 2011, FOX Soccer begins producing all shows from Studios A and B on the FOX Studio Lot, a marked increase in size and design from previous sets.

There you have it.