CBS Sports’ marquee soccer studio show continues to evolve
Originating from historic Wembley Stadium in London, CBS Sports will present 7½ hours of all-encompassing multi-platform live coverage of the UEFA Champions League Final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid on Saturday across its linear and digital platforms. CBS Sports’ live pre/postmatch and halftime show, UEFA Champions League Today, will be onsite and hosted by Kate Abdo alongside analysts Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, and Micah Richards. Saturday marks CBS Sports’ fifth time presenting the UEFA Champions League Final and represents a major yard-marker for just how far the Tiffany Network has come during that half decade.
UEFA Champions League Today will be onsite in London and feature (from left) host Kate Abdo and analysts Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, and Micah Richards. (Photo: CBS Sports)
“I’m personally proud of our coverage of European football,” says CBS Sports President/CEO David Berson, who took over from Chairman Sean McManus in April. “CBS Sports has been known for generations for marquee events, huge audiences, and very high-end production values. While we are typically known for American football (both NFL and college), college basketball (including March Madness), and golf, just to name a few sports, I’m extremely proud to add European Football and Champions League to that list and produce it at the highest of levels and be recognized as a leader around the world this quickly.”
Onsite for UCL Final: Pitchside Presence Makes All the Difference
Coverage kicks off at 11 a.m. ET on CBS Sports Golazo Network with a two-hour UCL Final edition of its flagship show, Morning Footy. Next up will be a new, soccer-themed episode of CBS Sports’ all-women studio show We Need To Talk at 12:30 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+. Two hours of prematch coverage from London begins at 1 p.m. on CBS Sports Golazo Network and Paramount+ and continues on CBS and Paramount+ at 1:30 p.m.
“[Being onsite] is something we do from time to time when we think that there’s value from it,” says Matt Curtis, live producer, UEFA Champions League Today. “There’s clearly value from being at a final. The atmosphere that both sets of supporters but certainly the Dortmund fans are going to bring will add to it hugely. We’ll have to get a couple of bodyguards around to make sure Jamie doesn’t jump into [Dortmund’s Yellow Wall] again, but fingers crossed.”
The match will begin at 3 p.m. airing on CBS and streaming live on Paramount+, followed by an hour of onsite postmatch coverage on CBS Sports Network and Paramount+.
“One of the real pluses over the last couple of years,” Curtis adds, “when we’ve headed pitchside after a game — and I think it’s a reflection of success — we find that players want to come and talk to us. I think part of that is our tone, because they know they can come and have a bit of fun with us as well as being asked questions about the game. Last year really showed that. I think our postgame will be one to watch because there are players from both teams who I can’t wait for our panel to talk to after the game, regardless of the results. Those are going to be gold interviews. That’s the main reason why we’re there.”
In addition to the UEFA Champions League Today studio crew, Peter Schmeichel, Guillem Balagué, Anita Jones, Nico Cantor, and Geoff Shreeves will provide reports live from London. Clive Tyldesley will supply play-by-play for the UEFA Champions League Final, joined by analyst Rob Green onsite in London. Christina Unkel will contribute to coverage as rules analyst.
In a move that aims to replicate the broadcaster’s success with alternative kid-focused presentations of NFL games, the coverage will feature special appearances by Nickelodeon’s iconic explorer Dora, Philadelphia 76ers star center and noted Real Madrid supporter Joel Embiid, and Italian footballing legend Alessandro Del Piero on the prematch show alongside Abdo, Henry, Carragher, and Richards.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” says CBS Sports VP, Production/Senior Creative Director Pete Radovich, who serves as coordinating producer for CBS Sports’ soccer coverage. “It’s obviously on brand and for what we’ve done with our NFL coverage, but it won’t be anywhere near what we do with our NFL Nick broadcasts. It’s just one segment in the pregame just to have a little bit of fun. Joel Embiid is a big Real Madrid fan, and he’s also a big fan of these guys on our show. He watches our coverage and is a huge fan of what we’ve been doing, so that will be fun.”
Soccer Success: UCL Today Helps Drive Big Viewership on Digital, Linear
With big personalities like Abdo, Henry, Carragher, and Richards at the studio desk, UCL Today has garnered a major following on both linear and digital since its launch. The show has more than 3.5 billion views across social platforms this season, largely driven by its Champions League coverage. Berson sees the show as a true differentiator for CBS Sports across all its platforms and believes it has played a major role in Paramount+’s most-streamed season ever, with double-digit growth in household streaming minutes and average minute audience. In addition, the quarterfinal match between Real Madrid and Manchester City on April 17 was the most-streamed soccer match ever on Paramount+ and the most-watched quarterfinal match ever in U.S. English-language–television history.
“Champions League continues to be a massive contributor to Paramount+,” says Berson. “April was the best month ever for Champions League on the service, driving more subscriptions than in any other month since we’ve had it. It’s routinely a top-five driver of Paramount+.”
And CBS is far from done. It’s looking to grow the Champions League with a new six-year deal with UEFA set to kick off next season. Berson credits Radovich and his team for creating what he calls “a new model of success at covering the sport” as well as putting together the all-star lineup of talent behind the desk.
“We’re thrilled to be starting our new six-year UEFA deal later this year,” Berson adds, “as we continue to execute our broader vision of being the ultimate destination for fans of the Beautiful Game with our best-in-class studio shows, announcers, live matches, and even a dedicated streaming network.”
He also notes that Radovich and his team have not only assembled an all-star lineup of talent but also created what Berson calls “a new model of success at covering the sport.” That model has evolved gradually over time, according to Radovich, and continues to do so.
“In the very beginning,” says Radovich, “the thought process was to be as authentic and as European as possible. That meant having the studio originate from London, bringing in European talent — [many of whom were] former players recognizable to a hardcore audience. The real emphasis early on was to make it very authentic, very European, and feel on brand.
“The evolution,” he continues, “has been a little bit of Americanizing [the show]: taking the European model, giving it a little bit more entertainment, and taking some more risks maybe than European broadcasters would. We started out very authentic, very on-brand for Europe and [added] a little bit of fun and Americanization of it. Now we’ve found a sweet spot in the middle.”
