Soccer on CBS Sports

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Soccer on CBS Sports
GenreSoccer telecasts
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time3+ hours (or until game ends)
Production companyCBS Sports
Release
Original networkCBS, CBS Sports Network, CBS All Access/Paramount+
External links
Website

Soccer on CBS Sports is a number of television programs that have aired soccer matches in the United States on CBS, CBS Sports Network, and Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access). These matches are from International, European, and American competitions.

Current programming[]

UEFA club competitions[]

In November 2019, CBS acquired rights to UEFA club competitions, including the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, for three seasons beginning in the 2021–22 season, replacing Turner Sports. The package would center around the CBS All Access (now Paramount+) subscription service, which carries all matches lives, with selected matches to be carried by the main CBS network. CBS Sports Network is largely carrying "whiparound" coverage on matchdays.[1][2][3][4][5][6] CBS's studio coverage for the Champions League is produced from IMG's studio in Stockley Park, London.[6]

During the suspension of the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, Turner Sports dropped out of its contract with UEFA. CBS would pick up the remainder of the contract and begin its coverage early, beginning from the remaining round of 16 matches in August 2020.[5]

National Women's Soccer League[]

On March 11, 2020, the NWSL announced that it has entered into a three-year media agreement with CBS Sports and the video game-oriented streaming service Twitch.[7] For the 2020 NWSL season, CBS Sports will broadcast 87 matches (including the playoffs) split between CBS, CBS Sports Network, and CBS All Access in Canada and the United States, with the exact distribution among the channels subject to change, while Twitch will stream an additional 24 matches for free. Twitch will also become the NWSL's international media rights holder and stream all matches outside Canada and the United States for free.[8][9]

CONCACAF[]

Paramount+ will offer more than 200 matches from the CONCACAF region, airing English-language rights of Nations League Finals in June 2021 including United States matches, and CONCACAF Men's and Women's World Cup qualifiers, except USA and Mexico home matches.[10][11]

Brasileirāo and Argentine Primera División[]

CBS will stream more than 360 matches a year from Brazil's top-tier Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and more than 300 matches a year from Argentina's Primera División Argentina in English-language on Paramount+.[10]

AFC[]

CBS reached an agreement with Asian Football Confederation to acquire the exclusive U.S. rights for several competitions, including Men's World Cup qualifying, Men's Champions League, Men's Asian Cup and Women's Asian Cup (which is also becoming their Women's World Cup qualification). These coverage are expected to begin in the fall of 2021 on Paramount+.[12]

Serie A[]

CBS acquired rights of Serie A, replacing ESPN, for three seasons beginning in 2021-22 until 2023-24. More than 400 club matches will be on Paramount+, featuring 380 Serie A matches, 25 Coppa Italia matches—including selected knockout rounds, and the Supercoppa Italiana match each year. Select matches will airing on other CBS Sports platforms, including CBS Sports Network. For the first two weeks, CBS' studio coverage will be based from CBS Sports HQ studio in Stamford, Conn. Additional coverage details will be announced in later date with full studio coverage from CBS Broadcast Center in New York City beginning on Sunday, Sept. 12.[13]

Scottish Professional Football League[]

CBS replaced ESPN as the U.S. rights holder of the Scottish Premiership after reaching a multi-year deal beginning from 2021–22 until season. The majority of the matches, including the Scottish Championship and the Scottish League Cup, will air on Paramount+ with select matches, including Old Firm derby are shown on CBS Sports Network.[14][15]

On-air personalities[]

Play-by-play[]

Color commentators[]

Reporters[]

Studio hosts[]

Studio analysts[]

Former programming[]

North American Soccer League[]

In 1967, two professional soccer leagues started in the United States: the FIFA-sanctioned United Soccer Association, which consisted of entire European and South American teams brought to the US and given local names, and the unsanctioned National Professional Soccer League. The National Professional Soccer League had a national television contract in the U.S. with the CBS television network (which signed a two-year contract to broadcast a game every Sunday afternoon live and in color). The NPSL kicked off on Sunday, April 16 with a full slate of five matches. However, the ratings for matches were unacceptable even by weekend daytime standards and the arrangement was terminated. Bill MacPhail, head of CBS Sports, attributed NASL's lack of TV appeal to empty stadiums with few fans, and to undistinguished foreign players who were unfamiliar to American soccer fans.[17]

The leagues merged in 1968 to form the North American Soccer League (NASL). It has been suggested that the timing of the merge was related to the huge amount of attention given throughout the English-speaking world to the victory by England in the 1966 FIFA World Cup and the resulting documentary film, Goal. While the USSF and FIFA refused to recognize the NPSL, the television contract with CBS[18] guaranteed some element of financial stability.

In 1974, although the Los Angeles Aztecs had a league-best record and points total, and rightly should have hosted the championship final, CBS intervened and strongly influenced the NASL's decision to play the match in Miami. CBS was under contract to air the game live and was unwilling to black-out the large Southern California viewing audience. At the time it was the standard in many US-based sports for the host market not to broadcast games locally unless they were sold out. At the time, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum had a capacity of 94,500 and, even in a best-case scenario, an Aztecs sell-out was unlikely. Moreover, in an effort by CBS to capture more viewers during the peak East Coast time slot, a Los Angeles-hosted game would have begun at 12:30 (PDT) local time. The league recognized that both these factors would be detrimental to ticket sales and agreed to moved the game to the Miami Orange Bowl with a 3:30 (EDT) local start. CBS had also stepped in the previous week and forced the Toros to play their semi-final match at the much-smaller Tamiami Stadium in Tamiami Park. This was done so that if Miami did win, CBS's production crews would have a full week for set-up in the Orange Bowl stadium.[19]

1974 FIFA World Cup[]

By 1970, the NASL was struggling, and had lost its TV contract with CBS. As a result, they didn't provide any network TV coverage[20] of the 1970 World Cup.

1974's coverage[21] contained week-old filmed highlights on CBS Sports Spectacular.[22] For the Final, CBS used BBC's feed with announcer David Coleman.

Major Indoor Soccer League[]

The MISL made inroads on national television in 1982–83. While the spring would see the end of the league's two-year deal with the USA Network, CBS would broadcast a playoff game live from Cleveland on May 7 that drew an estimated four million viewers. One game during the 1983–84 season was televised on CBS (Game 3 of the championship series on June 2) as well.

1984–85 would be the final year the MISL would have games aired on network television, CBS broadcast Game 4 of the championship series live on May 25.[23] CBS used Gary Bender and Kyle Rote Jr.[24] on commentary.

NCAA Men's Soccer Championship[]

By 1990, CBS would televise the final of the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament between UCLA Bruins and Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Mike Joy and Seamus Malin provided commentary, with Jim Gray serving as the sideline reporter.

References[]

  1. ^ Harris, Christopher (November 12, 2019). "CBS reveals more details about UEFA Champions League plans". WorldSoccerTalk. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  2. ^ "CBS, Univision Land Champions League Rights In Surprising Deal". Sports Business Daily. November 8, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  3. ^ "UEFA Champions League and Europa League come to CBS Sports with new U.S. TV rights deal". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  4. ^ "CBS secures shock Champions League US rights deal, say reports". SportsPro Media. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  5. ^ a b Sherman, Alex (2020-07-08). "ViacomCBS will stream UEFA Champions League matches on CBS All Access beginning in August". CNBC. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  6. ^ a b Costa, Brandon. "CBS Sports Aims To Bring UEFA Champions League Coverage Onsite". Sports Video Group. Retrieved 2021-05-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Levine, Matthew (March 11, 2020). "NWSL announces landmark multi-year media agreements with CBS Sports featuring games on CBS, CBS Sports Network, & CBS All-Access and Twitch". NWSL. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  8. ^ Alexander, Julia (March 11, 2020). "Amazon continues push into sports with National Women's Soccer League on Twitch". The Verge. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  9. ^ "NWSL Inks Multi-Year Deal With CBS Sports, Twitch". Sports Video Group. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Harris, Christopher (2021-02-25). "Paramount+ adds USMNT and USWNT World Cup qualifiers plus Brasileirāo and Argentine leagues". World Soccer Talk. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  11. ^ Patten, Dominic (2021-02-24). "Paramount+ "Doubling Down" On Soccer, NFL & More Sports In Clear Challenge To Peacock". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  12. ^ Harris, Christopher (2021-05-28). "Paramount+ adds Asian Football Confederation to growing portfolio of soccer rights". World Soccer Talk. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  13. ^ "Serie A is coming to Paramount+: CBS Sports acquires exclusive rights for Italian soccer beginning this summer". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  14. ^ "CBS SPORTS ANNOUNCES MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT TO BECOME EXCLUSIVE U.S. HOME OF SCOTTISH PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE". ViacomCBS Press Express. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  15. ^ "Scottish Premiership to air on CBS Sports and Paramount+ until 2025 - SportsPro Media". www.sportspromedia.com. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  16. ^ "THIERRY HENRY JOINS CBS SPORTS' UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE COVERAGE AS STUDIO ANALYST". ViacomCBS Press Express. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  17. ^ Sports Illustrated, Soccer Is Getting A Toehold, August 30, 1976, http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1091476/index.htm
  18. ^ 1968 CBS North American Soccer League PROMO (NASL) on YouTube
  19. ^ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19740814&id=UDw0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=yesFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4148,1615343&hl=en
  20. ^ "World Cup broadcasting history in the U.S." Radio Discussions. May 24, 2006.
  21. ^ "The early days of World Cup broadcasting in the US". BigSoccer. May 20, 2014.
  22. ^ Gumusyan, Aram (August 1, 2016). "A brief history of the World Cup, European Championship and Copa America on US TV". World Soccer Talk.
  23. ^ Sarni, Jim (May 25, 1985). "Blast For Soccer Fans: CBS Airs MISL Game". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-05-08.
  24. ^ "Sewanee's Kyle Rote, Jr. Elected to National Soccer Hall of Fame". SOUTHERN COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE. April 28, 2010.

External links[]

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