ESPN2

Is there an ESPN2 on the way? Seemingly someone on another forum claims to have seen tests. And also, do you think ESPN Classic will stay?

They've barely got enough content for one channel, never mind two. Where events overlap, if they do get a second stream they'd be best just using it as an interactive add-on, only available when needed.

No, and yes.

ESPN will have capacity issues at the weekend next season with loads of GP Rugby coverage to handle despite losing the 23 FAP matches. I can see some of the coverage spilling to ESPN Classic. Unless they go grabbing more rights, I can't see the need for a second channel.

I don't see it being too much of a problem. Rugby games can play Saturday afternoon before the football (and on Sundays) and in weeks where there isn't Premier League coverage. Only weekends their might be an issue is FA Cup games where ESPN have three games. That might be a reason though ESPN are showing slightly fewer games thant originally intended so for three weekends they'll just have to accommodate the one game rather than two.

I think the best option would be to have an interactive stream for overspills, such as the red button on Sky Sports (though not in HD). This probably beats having to launch a new channel with very limited live programming.

And It can always be put to other uses when not used for over-spill live events (like rolling highlights for example).

Do Sky Sports still bother with an interactive service for their football/cricket coverage? I know they have the multi-screens for Champions League nights, but I'm guessing like everything else their interactive services have been scaled back over the years, so things like fan commentary, player cam, alternative angles etc. are no longer on offer.

Well, Fanzone certainly is, and at the start of every Premier League match, Richard Keys announces that there is interactive coverage on the red button and they show a brief shot of a menu, with Fanzone, Highlights and SkyBet among the options. In addition, everyone complained the other week when they showed the first half of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on the red button.

However, they don't mention the interactive stuff at any time other than that brief intro, which seems bizarre given that, on Champions League nights, they announce the interactive streams every five minutes, and continually, infuriatingly, run through the list of options - "Press 1 for Arsenal, 2 for Liverpool, 3 for Barcelona..." What is the point? Why not just say "Press red, and you'll find the menu"? We can work the rest out when we're there. You don't get the Beeb plugging their red button stuff and saying "Press 1 for the snooker, 2 for the golf...".