I am currently traveling to India on work. ESPN and Star Sports(owned by the group which owns Sky) show a game each live every Saturday. The two games on were - Man United vs. Wolves (Star Sports) and Liverpool vs. QPR(ESPN). While I can understand the United game since they are the most popular club here, showing the Liverpool vs. QPR game over the Arsenal vs. Everton game was simply ridiculous.
Whatever Liverpool fans may say about their team, they are not very popular in India, according to folks here. The most popular teams seem to be United, Chelsea, City (recent surge) and Arsenal and in that order.
So one would have thought ESPN would have shown the Arsenal vs. Everton game on Arsenal's 125th anniversary to try and improve the popularity of the PL. But no, I was left watching the scintillating football of QPR.
ESPN has got it in for Arsenal
posted on 11/12/11
So when you wrote "Whatever Liverpool fans may say about their team, they are not very popular in India, according to folks here" you didn't actually go by any folks there?
posted on 11/12/11
Thunderkiss - obviously the media in India and sports analysts there are not folks. They are just machines. Right.
posted on 11/12/11
Also I understand you want Liverpool to be popular but I can't help you on that. I want Arsenal to win the quadruple but what is is. So chill and understand the comments or just move on in life.
posted on 11/12/11
Why would I want Liverpool to be popular? Seems more like you want Arsenal to be a global brand and have created a chelsea-esque conspiracy for why they aren't
posted on 11/12/11
Setanta Ireland showed the Man Utd game, and tend to show Utd and Scouse more often than the rest.
Also, the two channels the OP talks about are not just shown in India, but East Asia wide I believe.
Liverpool are still massively popular in the far East.
When I went to India for work they were going to show Arsenal Portsmouth (called off for waterlogged pitch) and then they showed Arsenal v Juventus.
posted on 11/12/11
I haven't posted in awhile but after reading some of these comments I feel I have to.
Arsenal are a very big brand in the US and other parts of the world. I find that whenever I meet International gooners they are true supporters who follow everything the team does and watch every game.
On the other hand people who claim to support united, Chelsea and Liverpool (I have yet to really meet any man c supporters but I'm sure it's coming sooner rather than later) these so called supporters never reall know much about their teams or what's going on with the team or the recent results. These are the glory hunters.
posted on 11/12/11
Well you'd have to be pretty dumb to be an Arsenal glory hunter
posted on 11/12/11
we're the ones who the media hate. dont forget that
posted on 11/12/11
Blackswan
So basically any overseas fans who follow Arsenal are real fans but those that follow any other team are glory hunters?
posted on 11/12/11
thunderkiss - and apart from the last 1 1/2 years, you really think anyone outside England even knew that Manchester had a 2nd club. I read your profile.