Pre-Christmas Roundup

A few items as we head into the Christmas holiday...and all those Boxing Day matches!

Don't know what to give your loved one? How about a massage?

Will Manchester United put a little Pep in their step?

With the new NASL breakaway league making all the noise, we've all forgotten about what's left of the USL. The PDL announced their alignment today and there are a lot of teams in that league.

According to Ives, Jermaine Jones' rehab at Schalke isn't going so well. Sucks for all the USMNT supporters.

Do you ever wonder what MLS coaches do during the offseason? Sounders FC goalkeeper coach, Tom Dutra has been in Hoffenheim, Germany learning from 1899 Hoffenheim. Check it out, it's an interesting read. He also got to see Jens Lehmann's bathroom break that ODB told you about.

Finally, here are the 30 players that Bob Bradley called into the January training camp.

Don't Forget

ESPN/2 is stepping up and away from it's anti-soccer stigma. I am looking forward to some BPL and La Liga in High Definition, at last.

Jozy Altidore on Hull loan

Less Than One Month Unitl The Premier League

It's crazy to think that the Premier League will kick off in less than one month. With the Summer of Soccer and all the transfer talk, I haven't even missed it. Here's a little something from Setanta (yeah, they're still around) to get you pumped for the new season.

ESPN to own PL rights.

Disney-owned ESPN has won the two packages of games shown on Saturday teatimes and Monday evenings. It says both will be sold through BSkyB.

It has also won the 23 games per season Setanta was due to show from 2010-13.

The league took the broadcasting rights back from Setanta on Friday after it missed a payment deadline.

The Premier League had set a deadline of Monday for other broadcasters to submit offers for the games.

ESPN said in a statement it had "reached an agreement for its coverage to be retailed by Sky to residential and commercial customers".

'British commitment'

It is the first time that ESPN will broadcast live Premier League football in the UK.

The broadcaster already has two channels in the UK, one covering American sports and another showing archived action.

Russell Wolff, managing director of ESPN International, said: "This move demonstrates our commitment to British sports fans and our ongoing commitment to delivering football to fans around the world across a variety of media."

"ESPN have a formidable worldwide reputation and experience in sports and I am sure we will enjoy a long and fruitful relationship with them," said Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.

"I would like to thank ESPN, as well as all the other broadcasters who submitted bids, for their professionalism and effort in engaging in our sales process at such short notice."

Let's just hope ESPN doesn't show 20min of a BPL game, because baseball takes priority.