(Image Source: FIFA / Foto-net)

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BY JONAH JAVAD

In seven years, we’ll have a new “worldwide leader in sports.” Fox won the TV rights to televise the 2018 and 2022 World Cups...not ESPN.

Fox Sports has not commented yet, but ESPN issued a statement Friday.

“We made a disciplined bid that would have been both valuable to FIFA and profitable for our company, while continuing to grow our unprecedented coverage of the World Cup and Women’s World Cup events. We were aggressive while remaining prudent from a business perspective. ESPN remains committed to presenting the sport of soccer at the highest level across our platforms with coverage of the UEFA European Football Championship, English Premier League, La Liga, MLS and other top leagues and tournaments, including the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.”

ESPN claims it’s committed to its soccer coverage. But were the network and the sport just  in a honeymoon phase? Yahoo! Sports reminds us there is an expiration date on this relationship.

“NBC Sports acquired Major League Soccer broadcast rights earlier in 2011...That deal, as well as the league’s deal with ESPN, expires after the 2014 campaign.”

And Sporting News’ Brian Straus points out on Twitter...

“ESPN and NBC now have little to no incentive to push/invest in their MLS coverage. The World Cup bid seems like unfortunate news for league.”

Uh oh...Major League Soccer aka the MLS may be pretty lonely come 2014. MLS soccer fans vent on the league’s website.

“If ESPN by some miracle does decide to continue airing MLS games after 2014, the contract won’t be as lucrative for MLS as it could have been. Not to mention NBC would probably not care by then either.”

And others note Fox Sports has its work cut out for it.

“How is fox going to cover all 64 matches since they only have one basic network. Their other networks you have to pay extra for. How will that effect the low income fans?”

But Sports Illustrated exciting to take away from Friday’s report, it comes courtesy of Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl.

“Fox’s Gus Johnson calling World Cup games? Seven years is a long time, but it could happen.”

Ha haaa...there may be hope yet.