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US Media getting ready for World Cup

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The World Cup kicks off Thursday in Sao Paulo with home team Brazil going up against Croatia in the opener of the world’s most popular sporting event.

All 64 soccer matches will air in English in the United States on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC. Univision and its associated networks — UniMas, Galavision and Univision Deportes — will broadcast the games in Spanish.

Here are some media questions and answers heading into the World Cup.

WILL THE WORLD CUP BE PROFITABLE FOR ESPN?

Almost certainly. ESPN earned the rights to televise the 2010 and 2014 World Cup for $100 million back in 2005, and the popularity of soccer on TV has increased exponentially since then. Ratings will surely be up from 2010. Advertising on ESPN is close to being sold out, at higher prices than in the past. ESPN also has platforms to monetize its coverage — smartphone and tablet apps — that didn’t exist in 2005. “By all means it should be profitable,” said Rick Burton, professor of sports management at Syracuse University, even more so if the U.S. team does well. “I really do believe the media pundits are going to be surprised at how big the World Cup is going to be in the United States.” Another profit point is subtle: ESPN might be tempted to find cost savings because the network lost the bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Fox.

WHO WILL TURN INTO TV COMBATANTS?

A lot depends on the games themselves, of course, but look for former U.S. World Cup player Alexi Lalas and retired German star Michael Ballack to go at it a few times on ESPN, particularly with the U.S. and German teams in the same group. The network has adjusted its schedule to encourage spirited debate among its analysts. Four years ago in South Africa, ESPN found that some of the best soccer discussions happened in the hotel bar after the cameras turned off. This year producers will try to capture some of that passion, with a regular “World Cup Tonight” discussion on an informal set.

IS SOCIAL MEDIA READY FOR THE WORLD CUP?

The biggest companies see the potential. Facebook has a special World Cup section to help keep fans involved with their teams. Soccer’s governing authority has its own Instagram account. And don’t be surprised if the World Cup sets Twitter usage standards that exceed the 2012 Olympics in London. All but one of the participating teams have Twitter accounts, with Iran the only exception (although Twitter says some of its players have accounts). More than three-quarters of Twitter accounts are now outside the United States, making it a natural discussion platform for the world’s most popular game. Twitter has blogged a helpful guide with dozens of Twitter accounts for fans to follow.

WILL THE GOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLL GUY BE THERE?

Not on television. Andres Cantor, the Spanish-language announcer renowned for his hold-your-breath “goooooaaal” calls, will be broadcasting World Cup games for his own radio network. If you turn down the sound on TV and play Cantor’s radio call, you won’t be alone. Pablo Ramirez is the go-to guy for Univision’s television coverage in the U.S. His scoring calls can be equally long-winded but distinctive: “gooaalll-azo azo azo!”

WHAT WILL TV FANS BE WEARING?

We have a good guess. More than half the people who follow soccer told the Harris Poll that they thought it was important to wear merchandise honoring their favorite team or player while watching the World Cup (that’s from a poll of 2,286 U.S. adults conducted for the Nielsen company last month).

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David Bauder can be reached at dbauder@ap.org or on Twitter @dbauder. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/david-bauder.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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