WILL U.S. WATCH? ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will present more
than 230 hours of coverage during the 32-day event. Every
one of the 64 games will be seen live, with 14 on ABC, 27 on
ESPN and 23 on ESPN2. Matches will start at 8:00am ET, with
the latest one starting at 2:30pm ET. ESPN2 will also
replay the "best match of the day" every night at 8:00pm ET
(WASHINGTON POST, 6/10). The Brazil-Scotland match kicks
off ESPN's coverage today. Univision will also carry 56
games live and eight tape-delayed telecasts (L.A. TIMES,
6/10). In N.Y., Vivian Toy writes that despite every Cup
match being carried on U.S. TV, Americans "are still only
vaguely aware of the World Cup" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/10). In San
Antonio, Kevin O'Keeffe writes that the TV ratings will
depend on the performance of Team USA, adding that there is
"no substitute" for winning (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS,6/10).
ANY U.S. BOUNCE? In L.A., Mike Penner writes his column
under the header, "Soccer Can Make It In The U.S. As Soon As
U.S. Can Make It In The World Cup." Penner writes that the
"biggest obstacle impeding soccer in this country, in 1998,
in the World Cup. Because we are non-factors in the biggest
soccer tournament on the planet, again ... the World Cup is
a non-factor in the Nielsen-and-sports-talk-radio ratings."
His solution: "Easy answer: Win the World Cup" (L.A. TIMES,
6/10). In Ft. Worth, Gil LeBreton writes that the Cup holds
little interest in the U.S.: "To most Americans, soccer will
never quite make it onto the big stage. Over the next five
weeks, we will read the datelines ... we will hear the
players' names, and it'll all get lost in the translation.
... [T]he world's most popular sport may have already found
its niche back here" (STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/10). In S.F., Peter
Fimrite writes that "predictions of a soccer boom have been
made before, and as of now, the sport still plays fifth
fiddle to baseball, football, basketball and hockey, at
least when one considers" TV ratings (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/10).
NOTES: Nike Sports Marketing Manager Joaque Hidalgo, on
Brazil's Ronaldo: "We know for fact that he is the most
global of all athletes today, bar none" (ORANGE COUNTY
REGISTER, 6/9)....New FIFA President Sepp Blatter, on the
"nasty" campaign between he and European Soccer Union head
Lennart Johansson: "There were one or two fouls, but no
tackles from behind" (INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, 6/9).
