This channel keeps going downhill, any hope that fox in the u.s. can try to improve them?

canadianmagpie wrote:

This channel keeps going downhill, any hope that fox in the u.s. can try to improve them?

we'd like to think so. I think there may be two problems. 1) FSWC is bleeding money and shows no sign of making a profit. Hence less money to spend on live games. They can't even issue an accurate schedule. 2) There may be some issues with the contract Sportsnet has with the EPL and SkySports. If you'll notice, the third game on Sportsnet on Satudays is an Fox Soccer Channel feed. Why would the let Sportsnet air it and not FSWC? Obviously it must be more profitable to let Sportsnet pay for it, which means there's not enough advertising revenue coming in on FSWC to make it viable.
Sadly I can't see it surviving unless they get a licence amendment and allow FSC to feed directly into Canada, which would be great.

I completely agree that this channel has gone way downhill and continues to do so.

Remember a few years ago when they had many LIVE games and even had Sky Sports news every weekday evening? It was a good channel then.

I don't like watching tape delayed and repeat games that much and that's all FSWC seems to show now. Every game they promote on FSW Report is followed by the disclaimer "U.S. viewers only."

I hope that it just gets taken over by FSC, if the CRTC will lighten up and lets that happen. if the content is good, I think there are enough soccer fans in Canada to make it financially viable. I'm not sure how well the fledgling Gol TV is doing so far, but its product is far superior to most of what is offered on FSWC nowadays.

I say again, if it had to go that is when you would missit. The disclaimer of only FSC is often because Sportsnet has it on a Sat. The tape delay on a Sunday is also tape delay on FSC. Look at the additional games on FSWC over the holiday period. Yes there are many repeats but no games are being played then anyway. Realistically they can't afford to show every English game etc. Be appreciative that over 4 channels we in Canada have a coverage second to none.

my main gripe with the presenters is that they are all crap, and who the hell in soccer world refers to Man Shitty as "The Citizens"

Hello all - I have managed to get a responce for the continuing downhill football coverage from FSWC. It is not encourging but here is the reply and the email address I encourage all here to send a message to and ask/demand better coverage.

Please be civil (as I know all us football fans will be) but they must be made aware that regardless of their budget 12 hours of FSW Report a day is unacceptable and USA ONLY must be replaced with USA AND CANADA. Enough is enough I have noticed that some of the mid-week matches are no longer being carried while FSC continues to gain quality matches we are relagated to watch week old matches.

Tim Krist tkist@GlobalTV.Com
Karen Clout KClout@canwest.com

CBSC File ************
Dear **********,
Thank you very much for your letter regarding games coverage on Fox Sports World
Canada (FSWC). You have identified some unique challenges that our network faces
with respect to available selection of games and other networks that have first right
on many key matches. FSWC is a category 2 digital network that does not have the
broad reach that Rogers Sportsnet, TSN and The Score enjoy. Our potential viewing
audience is limited to the number of digital television customers in Canada and
currently represents about 1/10 of the major analog sports net I mentioned above.
As a result, FSWC does not have the full budget available compared to these other
networks and we are tied closely to the Fox US agreement that we currently have in
place. Also, depending on Canadian rights, we sometimes have to change the games
and we will show different games than Fox US.
As for FOX Sports World Report, in the past the announcers did not differentiate
between matches aired in the U.S. and in Canada. Many Canadian viewers would
assume a certain match would be aired on FSWC, only to find it didn't air and would
be upset. That is the reason why we differentiate matches played in the U.S. The
FOX Soccer Channel (FSC) in the U.S. buys FOX Sports World Report therefore we do
have to announce matches played in the U.S.
When there are changes on FSWC we do contact the cable and satellite companies so
they can update their onscreen guide. They do require 72 hours notice for any
changes so if there was a change for today's schedule, unfortunately it would not
reflect on the guide. For the most updated schedule you can visit our online schedule
here:
http://www.canada.com/entertainment/tvchannels/foxsports/programs.html
Click on SCHEDULES on the left-hand side and you'll see two links for this week's
schedule and next week's schedule. Check back periodically as changes are made
frequently.
Our focus for success is to provide a range of programming that we believe can whet
the appetite for soccer enthusiasts in addition to the matches found on other
networks. As we move forward we will be reviewing our programming priorities to
see how we can possibly add some of the special games. While I cannot make any
guarantees, I will ensure that your comments are passed on to my senior colleagues
in Programming.
We can react when we receive comments and I’d like to thank you for taking the
time to write to us.

Sincerely,
Tim Kist
Director of Marketing
CanWest MediaWorks

Not much of a response you got there Rammer, doesn't sound too promising to me

Check out this thread about FSWC on another board:

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=328115

According to one poster, FSWC is all but done, Telelatino has applied for licenses to operate several different channels. One of these is for an all-soccer channel and this guy believes that this channel will become Fox Soccer Channel Canada once its approved. Adding more fuel to the fire is the fact that the licensing agreement that FSWC has with Fox expires this summer, so more than likely Fox will not renew and sign with TLN.

Now will they do a better job than Global has done, that remains to be seen but I think a change is needed and anything is possible. As you see from the response you got, Global is not willing to give FSWC a very big budget which makes it very difficult to buy the programming it needs in order to stay competitive (they now have a competitor in Gol TV Canada) and attract more subscribers. So basically what you see is what you get for this channel as I see it.

This article by Chris Zelkowich appeared in the Toronto Star the other day. I had written to him about this very subject a few days prior.

"When Canadian television thrust itself into the digital world in 2001, one of the early stars was Fox Sports World Canada.

Providing live sports to viewers who were underserved, mainly soccer and rugby fans, it established itself as the most-watched sports digital by far.

But that was then and this is now and the rabbit has become, if not a tortoise, then a gimpy hare. Fox Sports World still tops its digital sports brethren, but while the others have seen their paltry audiences improve the Global-owned channel's 24-hour average audiences have dropped from a high of 3,000 to about 1,600.

It's not hard to see why Fox is in reverse.

The channel's English Premier League schedule has been trimmed and its rugby lineup eviscerated. There's less live soccer at a time when a new digital channel, GolTV, is offering upwards of 10 live games a week and cable channels have increased their live schedules.

At times, Fox airs more on tape than the History Channel.

Its programming decisions have also angered some of its 630,000 subscribers. Self-described rugby nut Dave Fisher even launched an unsuccessful challenge to federal regulators when Fox dropped rugby.

Fox admits the past year hasn't been a great one, but promises things will improve.

``We want to make our schedule as robust as possible," says Global specialty channel spokesman Dan Kenning. ``At the end of the day we want to make sure we're putting out stuff that people want to see."

Fox's problems began when Rogers Sportsnet boosted its English soccer schedule, dulling the digital channel's edge.

Things got worse last year when its American parent renamed itself Fox Soccer Channel and dumped all other sports. The Canadian guys decided against following suit, mainly because they had already applied for a licence change to add sports such as cycling and auto racing.

That application was subsequently approved but Fox has yet to add any new sports.

``When Fox Soccer Channel dropped rugby that put us in a bit of a bind because we were dependent on them for programming," Kenning says. ``We've taken the step of looking for other sources internationally."

Fox isn't exactly moving quickly on this one. It did add National Rugby League games last month, but that hasn't satisfied fans who want more popular Rugby Union games.

Fisher says advertising the best rugby from around the world and then offering the NRL is like CBC promising fans Hockey Night In Canada and substituting field hockey.

Kenning admits some of Fox's decisions are financially motivated. That's why instead of airing three live English soccer games a week, as it did in the beginning, it often has only one.

``A lot of that has to do with economics," he says, noting that Fox will air four games live April 17-19.

Money is obviously a big factor in the small digital world, where no channel is making a profit. But a bigger issue is the Canadian television system that grants licences based on programming promises that are either never kept or broken.

For example, The Score was supposed to be a highlights channel and Sportsnet was supposed to provide hours and hours of university sports coverage.

The losers are viewers who pay for one channel and get another."

Here, here on that one.

I don't really understand it though. Surely they knew that they would lose viewers if they were to drop certain matches and sports. Especially w/the ones that are not available on your local canadian networks.

I for one don't really need FSWC anymore. I just pay the $2.50/mth so I don't miss any Sunday Premiership matches, and the odd wkday match.

You are so right to accentuate the $2.50/month cost. While we are all entitled to complain about FSWC (I'm one of the loudest critics), we have to put it into perspective. IT'S STILL ONLY $2.50 A MONTH. That's a fraction of the cost of one Pay per view game. But I can't help thinking that It's the parent, Canwest Global, that's lost all interest in this channel, and is willingly letting it die.

Wow. It looks like football fans across Canada have been had from a great height on this one. No Manchester United games live for the first two weeks at least. I dont understand this. The only way these companies and channels are EVER going to make a cent of profit is if they at least show the big games. I would be ok with them showing two games on Saturday aslong as one was involving Manchester United. The score was FANTASTIC last season. I remember thinking it would be a turning point in their status. Now The Score now seems to believe people will still watch without premierhship - WRONG. The answer for these cable companies is simple. Buy the decent games! There are more Manchester United fans in Canada than fans of the Toronto Blue Jays - Fact. I understand the other fans would like to see their games too. But i think it's bordering on prejudice when NO united games are shown on sportsnet or FSWC.

Oh and on the subject of FSWC. This channel is a DISGRACE. Even for 2.50 a month i would to see something a little more than taped Rugby. Ridiculous. Does anyone know how i can contact the people in charge? I'm especially looking to contact Sentanta - These are the REAL devil in the works.

going downhill is not accurate,It sucks. wrestling,poker,darts,whats next,curling and bowling.why dont you feed us directly the US chanel. may be we get to see what this chanel is ment to be a soccer chanel.
Like everything,we, canadians try to do,is reinvent the weel,with help of subsidies,so we, the viewers,pay twice and end up with a lowsy show