CBS Expects The 'Golazo' Soccer Channel Will Attract New Viewers

In light of the fierce competition for soccer rights among major American media corporations, Paramount Global wants to step things up.

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On April 11, the company's CBS Sports will launch a 24-hour, free-to-stream network with coverage of international soccer. In addition to a variety of game broadcasts, the CBS Sports Golazo Network will debut featuring commentary, highlights, and a morning show. Weekly, "Morning Footy" will begin at 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. host Susannah Collins and previous U.S. presidents will serve as the panel's leaders. Charlie Davies of the Men's National Team, Nico Cantor of the "The Cooligans" soccer show, and Alexis Guerreros, a soccer star and comedian. Jenny Chiu, a reporter, will bring updates.

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According to Jeff Gerttula, executive vice president of digital for CBS Sports and CBS News and Stations, American soccer fans would like a place to watch television in the morning and see what occurred the previous night, with highlights as well as with news and analysis and all the other things you get from a core U.S. sport. Despite the fact that numerous businesses have recently purchased soccer rights, Paramount executives "discovered" that there was a market gap" for fans who desired more than simply matches.

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While the rise of streaming has divided the mass-viewing of traditional TV into individual binge-sessions, CBS Sports will launch the new service as soccer has grown in popularity among major media outlets that recognize the authority of sports in luring the huge, live crowds that advertisers, affiliates, and distributors still want. Beginning this year, Apple will stream every Major League Soccer match under a ten-year agreement. Soccer deals are also in place with ESPN and NBC Sports.

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In recent years, Paramount has worked to acquire a rights portfolio. In an agreement that is rumored to be worth more than $1.5 billion over six years, the corporation extended its US television rights to Champions League football matches in August. Moreover, Paramount+ owns the rights to Serie A, the Europa League, the Europa Conference League, the Asian Football Confederation, CONCACAF World Cup Qualification, the NWSL, the Scottish Premiership, and other leagues.

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Golazo will be accessible for free when it debuts on Paramount+, CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports app for tv Streaming devices, the CBS Sports mobile app, and Pluto TV.

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According to Gerttula, content on the streaming platform won't just focus on covering Paramount's rights portfolio. According to him, soccer supporters "want to be handled similarly to how any other sport treats its fans," and the younger demographic of the sport is anxious to learn more about matches in South America, for instance, and other locations to which it might not have direct access.

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According to Gerttula, executives are developing more unique programs over time. We have a lot of ideas, so I anticipate that there will be more announcements as time goes on.

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The launch of the new soccer product comes only weeks before Paramount and its media rivals will push to sell billions of dollars in ad inventory as part of the industry's annual "upfront" market, which is backed by ads on CBS's free, ad-supported stream hubs, including CBS Sports HQ.