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Summer of discontent? European box office totals for major movie studios are getting smacked...

  • Monday, June 18, 2012, 8:46 AM ET
    Summer of discontent? European box office totals for major movie studios are getting smacked around by the mind-blowing TV ratings of the European soccer championships. In Germany, the nation's last group stage game drew a stellar 74.2% share that left movie theaters all but empty as the leading movie of the pack - Men in Black 3 - only earned a paltry €1.3M ($1.6M) for the weekend. The soccer games run for another two weeks and later this summer the Olympics take center stage.
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This news story has 12 comments:

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    The tournament will be over next month and there will be plenty of time to get the DVD.

    Admittedly many of the games have been disappointing to me. But the Greece-Russia game was wonderfully tense. Portugal's 3-2 win over Denmark, and England's 3-2 win over Sweden, were both wonderfully watchable. It's in hope of something like Welbeck's back-heel tip-in of Walcrott's cross that people will watch what looks like crap for hours-and-hours. At least that's why I do it.

    So you'll excuse me if I knock off early again today. It's the last match for the "group of debt" -- Ireland, Spain, Italy, and Croatia.
    18 Jun 2012, 08:53 AM Reply Like
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    Anyone else find it odd when they say "European Soccer"... Soccer is only really used in the US is it not?
    18 Jun 2012, 08:55 AM Reply Like
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    True. Soccer is short for "Association Football," as in the English Football Association (FA). This is in contrast to "Rugby Football," of which American football is an offshoot.

    Given that the generic name "football" was taken by a different game in this country, Americans a century ago began calling their version "Soccer" -- Association Football. Which seems to have stuck.

    For a while some tried spelling it the Mexican way -- futbol -- to distinguish it and still call it football.

    Potato, potatoe.
    18 Jun 2012, 10:27 AM Reply Like
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    I'm from Florida. Football(soccer) has really got me, I started being a fan in 2006.

    My favorite is Spain to win the Euro 2012. Xavi is a "maestro" with his midfield passing technique.

    And as Dana correctly said: today is the group of debt.
    18 Jun 2012, 10:19 AM Reply Like
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    It's really, really, really hard to win three tourneys in a row. Because once you reach the knock-out stages it is a crapshoot.

    I think Greece proved that against Russia. One bad game and you're out. You might just not be lucky. It might go to penalty kicks -- the ultimate crapshoot. (And isn't Greece-Germany going to bring back memories of Hungary-USSR 1956?)

    That said, Spain is awful fun to watch. I'm guessing they'll win the group, drop England next, and head into the semifinals with a full head of steam. And then we'll see.

    Should be fun.
    18 Jun 2012, 10:30 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Germany to reach the final
    18 Jun 2012, 10:39 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Maybe i am dreaming but - England to win :-O
    18 Jun 2012, 10:40 AM Reply Like
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    I am afraid you may be. They are slow at the back, they are not creative in the midfield, and their strikers (other than Rooney) are relatively young and untested.

    That said, they're playing much better than expected. Hodgson is doing a good job.
    18 Jun 2012, 10:54 AM Reply Like
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    I am bias tho - eyes-a-rolling here. As long as the punters increase my profits at the bookies i will be happy lol (aim - gvc holdings plc & paddy power plc) :-)
    18 Jun 2012, 10:47 AM Reply Like
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    Both are probably doing better than the studios right now. An interesting counter trade.
    18 Jun 2012, 10:54 AM Reply Like
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    It maybe fate but England did beat Sweden and that is the first time ever in competition' we have beat them. Even in the UK most know we can not win on skill, But semi's maybe interesting if we get there.
    :-/
    18 Jun 2012, 11:12 AM Reply Like
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    who wants to see the 3rd or 4th remake of a movie that was originally novel but is now just more of the same. the movie media have little real creative and imagination with fewer and fewer real actors. why spend to see overpriced drivel when you can see it, if you wish, in a few months on tv. the movie business is a dying business as are many brick and mortar malls.
    18 Jun 2012, 11:14 AM Reply Like
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