In recent years, CBS and its streaming service, Paramount+, have become synonymous with top European soccer competitions.
CBS has become well-known and well-regarded for its coverage of the UEFA Champions League. This year, the network was fortunate to have America’s biggest soccer star, Christian Pulisic, appear in the competition for Italian side AC Milan.
That won’t be the case next year, as AC Milan sits ninth in the Serie A table, well outside of next year’s competition qualification. However, Pulisic’s absence will be no worry for CBS, which started a new media rights deal with UEFA in 2024.
“I think the tournament speaks for itself,” CBS Sports coordinating producer Pete Radovich said on a media call, per The Athletic. “It’s just a bonus to have the (Manchester) Uniteds, the AC Milans. We’re not gonna have Milan next year either. Assuming he stays there, we won’t have Christian Pulisic. But I don’t think you’ll see a drop in ratings. I don’t think you’ll see a drop in our social views. All of that would be additive.
“You have teams that come in their place, who have good runs and make good stories for us. An American audience loves Cinderella stories. Anytime we have a big club that goes far, then sure, that’s great. But also these other teams that get in and make a little bit of a run, whether it’s a team from France named Brest, which can provide some good content for us, or any other teams that have made runs, it works for us. So I think we make the most of what we have — the bottom line is I don’t think the ratings will suffer because United’s not there.”
Given the time of day, the Champions League is far from a ratings juggernaut in the United States. The matches air in the afternoon, typically during weekdays. Last year’s Champions League Final averaged 2.32 million viewers on CBS, the third most-watched on record. Group stage and knockout stage matches during the work week rate predictably lower.
Still, the Champions League is a huge value-add for Paramount+. Considering CBS can only air one game at a time, much of the competition’s inventory is found on the network’s streaming offering. Soccer fans who want to follow the Champions League past a bare-bones casual level need a Paramount+ subscription.
And while CBS would probably prefer to have America’s biggest star on club soccer’s biggest stage, Pulisic’s participation likely contributes just a small fraction to the overall Champions League audience.
However, the same thing might not be true for Fox, which is preparing to broadcast the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup featuring the U.S. Men’s National Team next month. Reports surfaced on Wednesday that Pulisic will not be participating in rehab for an injured hip, which could have a tangible impact on interest in this summer’s competition.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.