Watching soccer in the United States has never been easier with a litany of streaming options and different companies showing games. One company that lags behind the rest is FOX and it was never more evident than Thursday night.
FC Cincinnati and Liga MX side Monterrey faced off in a tight Champions Cup Round of 16 contest on Thursday. The game was the second leg with the Mexican side entering up 1-0.
Two of the best clubs in the region were facing off in the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (rebranded to Champions Cup). A mouth-watering matchup featuring two teams that were at the top of their respective leagues last season.
The game couldn’t even make it to FOX or FS1. Instead, it was on FS2. Not ideal, but hey, at least fans could still watch.
Monterrey took a lead in the first half to bring the aggregate to 2-0, but Cincinnati responded with Luciano Acosta two minutes into the second half. With the away goals rule the MLS side only needed one more goal to advance.
One. Step. Closer.
Monterrey doubles its lead on aggregate! pic.twitter.com/KUhB8QgfVZ— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 15, 2024
Cincy keeps its hopes alive! pic.twitter.com/O8bXX5VSUU
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 15, 2024
Former Cincinnati star Brandon Vazquez extended the aggregate lead for Monterrey in the 67th minute to 3-1, but it was still anyone’s game.
Brandon Vazquez is him. pic.twitter.com/q1ygaz87bz
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 15, 2024
FOX didn’t see it that away.
In the MIDDLE of the game around the 70th minute — the commentator was literally mid-sentence — the broadcast cut away to the pregame of Pac 12 basketball between Utah and Colorado.
Fans initially thought it could be a mistake until a little banner popped up on the bottom of the screen telling viewers that the rest of the Concacaf Champions Cup could be viewed on the FOX Sports App.
Viewers still had trouble as the basketball game would show up on the app instead of the Monterrey vs. Cincinnati game. Fans were PISSED.
Damn, Fox production saw that Vazquez goal and decided it was time to cut away to college hoops in the 71st minute
It's a cold world— Charles Boehm (@cboehm) March 15, 2024
How bad do you suck to post right after you cut the match feed. You blow FOX
— Don (@DonHatu) March 15, 2024
Wtf, @FOXSports, you bump @fccincinnati playing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup off of FS2 for college basketball, with a banner saying the soccer match is airing on the Fox Sports app... But it's not, it's just the same friggin basketball game! Where's my game!?
— Chris (@HuntChristopher) March 15, 2024
Coverage of soccer has come a long way in the US. Occasionally, though, it goes hurtling back to the dark ages: tonight Fox just cut its broadcast of a finely balanced CONCACAF Champions League last 16 game midway through 2nd half to switch to college basketball. Utter joke.
— Rob Woollard (@robwoollard_afp) March 15, 2024
@FOXSports Fuck You for Taking off Concacaf Champions cup for the beginning of a pac 12 game no one cares about or will watch!!!
— Dario M (@Dario27ussoccer) March 15, 2024
Get Concacaf off Fox please and switch it to Apple for the love of god
— MLS Moves (@MLSMoves) March 15, 2024
@FOXSports what the fuck in the middle of the match you cut coverage!?!! Fuck you. Stop buying the CONCACAF contract if you won’t show it.
— Donneldingo (@donneldingo) March 15, 2024
Recap:
• FS2 cuts away from FC Cincinnati-Monterrey for college basketball
• FS2 runs an on-screen alert saying FCC-Monterrey is on the Fox Sports App
• On the Fox Sports app, the FCC-Monterrey stream links to a stream of FS2, which is playing...college basketball.Awesome— Alexander Abnos (@AnAbnos) March 15, 2024
FOX’s shoddy broadcast Thursday night was like being transported back to the dark ages of watching soccer. It just goes to show that while soccer has made tremendous strides in this country, there’s still a mountain to climb.
Shame on you, FOX.
