US Soccer Needs Regular TV, Steve Gisselbrecht Says, Arguing Ad Breaks Hurt the Game
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 18
US Soccer Needs Regular TV, Steve Gisselbrecht Says, Arguing Ad Breaks Hurt the Game
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 18
Summary
Steve Gisselbrecht argued soccer will not become a truly major US sport until matches air on regular television rather than more limited platforms.
US TV economics drive the water-break issue, he said, because regular broadcast exposure is unlikely without ad slots built into the match.
Those breaks still damage the product, in his view, by interrupting play and turning drinks pauses into commercial windows.
His comment frames the broader tension around soccer in the United States: wider reach may require broadcast compromises that alter the flow of the game.