ESPN's bid for the next round of EPL television rights leads to another obvious question I have not yet addressed: Will ESPN "Americanize" their broadcasts? In "Americanize" I mean all of the nonsense that currently infects broadcasts of American sports: in-game graphics, in-game interviews, babbling announcers, constant replays, etc. While I think ESPN is smart enough to know better when it comes to the EPL, and will find the right people to present the game properly, the question did open my eyes as to how differently EPL and MLS games are presented.

ESPN (and to a lesser extent, FSC) have done to MLS what many fear they might do to the EPL; they've Americanized the broadcasts to the point of taking away from the game on the field. I could spout off about this, skewer ESPN, and turn this post into a rant that might border on Eurosnobbery-but I won't. Instead, I'm going talk about another angle to the question: do the powers that be in American soccer trust the game?

Trusting the game is a simple matter. It boils down to letting the game speak for itself, no matter the form in which it's presented. Present soccer as it is; no over-the-top bells and whistles, no injected splashy graphics, no ridiculous rule changes, no specific efforts to . In the early years of MLS, the league certainly did not trust the game. The countdown clock and penalty shootouts to break ties, were both efforts to cater to what was believed to be a stubborn American consumer, one that would not easily take to the "foreignness" of the sport. Luckily, those embarrassing elements of MLS's early years have gone the way of the pegged jean and the Trapper Keeper; that doesn't mean that all parties involved have learned to trust the game.

Television outlets, however, have not followed the league's lead. ESPN continues to use elements it its broadcasts which are more suited to a monster truck rally than a soccer game. American commentators, brought up in a country where sports announcing is a more-is-best endeavor, have fallen into talking too much, rather than letting the game speak for itself. Graphics and statistics continue to fly at the viewer during the action, rather than at half-time where they belong. Replays are often ill-timed, inevitably leading to the viewer missing important action. All of these problems, and more, continue to plague viewers of the American game. Can there be any reasonable expectation that the situation will change for the better?

The English Premier League is notoriously, as they should be, particular about the way their product is presented. ESPN, if successful in its bid for television rights, will be subject to the same stringent requirements that Sky and Setanta are currently. Essentially, this means that ESPN will have to learn, and quickly, how to properly present world class football on a weekly basis. It's logical to believe that this can only be a boon to their MLS coverage; if ESPN fails to enact changes to MLS broadcasts to bring them in line with their EPL coverage, it's a slap in the face to American soccer fans, and we should all storm Bristol with pitch forks and torches.

To return to the general point, it's imperative that those in charge, no matter what role they play in the growth of the game in the United States, learn to trust the game in it's most basic sense. American sports fan, while stubborn, aren't stupid. If the game gains enough exposure, and those already in the fold remain vocal in their support, it should only be a matter of time before more Americans gravitate to the game. Let the game sell itself. Let the action on the pitch be the draw. Let go of all attempts, no matter how subtle, to "Americanize" the game.

Quality of play is certainly top of mind for MLS, an effort to trust the game and bring in fans as teams become stronger both domestically and in international cup competitions. The DP and GA salary cap exceptions are just the first steps on a long road the league is traveling; with a little more progress, there won't be any doubt that the league trusts the game. As for ESPN, let's cross our fingers that the EPL bid is successful; I'd love to see an MLS Primetime Thursday broadcast that looks as good as those produced by Sky and Setanta.

An afterthought, if you don't mind. I've held off on the shameless begging to this point, but I'm finding that my hopes for this blog trump any shame I might have worked up. So this is a plea to anyone that comes by my humble little spot and likes (or agrees with, or doesn't and wants to hate) what they see: please "hype" or "stumble" or "digg" or "technorati" or whatever so that I might get a few more readers. I like to think that I'm adding to the discussion with my writing here, and I believe fans of the game in this country might get something out of it. I've also added a "Blogged.com" tag at the top of the page which allows you to review (not sure if you have to sign up) the blog; that would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks!