CBS recently acquired two major soccer properties for Paramount+, making it the home of European soccer for fans in the United States. First, CBS swooped in to sign a deal with the English Football League. As a result, the EFL Championship, League One, League Two, and Carabao Cup will be available on CBS’s platforms and Paramount+. Then, CBS signed a new rights deal with Serie A that will last two years.
The streaming service will play a major role in each of those leagues. For example, every game in Serie A will be available on Paramount+, just as it has been during the last couple of seasons. Likewise, 250 matches from the EFL, whether that be the Championship, League One, League Two and Carabao Cup, will be available on CBS’s networks.
What remains clear is the fact that CBS has built Paramount+ into a mainstay among American soccer viewership. The extension of Serie A, as well as the addition of the EFL, boosted what has proven to be a strong audience. Much of that centers around the flagship piece of CBS’s soccer coverage, the UEFA club competitions.
The UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Conference League bring in droves of audiences. The recent UEFA Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund averaged over 2.3 million viewers on the CBS broadcast channel. That does not account for the streaming audience, which CBS cited as the most-watched soccer stream of all time on Paramount+. Unfortunately, those figures are not available for public knowledge. Yet, CBS continually announces that its viewership numbers break records for that competition.
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It is not just the UEFA club competitions, Serie A or EFL that make Paramount+ a must-have soccer app, either. CBS has dabbled in international soccer. That bridges a gap between ESPN, which now only has club soccer, and FOX, which has focused exclusively on international soccer.
CBS has also recently dabbled into competitions closer to home. The United Soccer League (USL) signed a landmark deal that features CBS and Paramount+. When scanning the TV schedule for the USL Championship, Paramount+ plays a role for games in each matchday.
Women’s soccer has also shown significance for CBS. The recent NWSL deal includes CBS and Paramount+ when the league is in action. Tack on the recent iteration of the Women’s Gold Cup, and no other platform can rival the depth of CBS’s offerings.
Beginning August 20, Paramount+ is increasing its monthly price from $5.99 to $7.99. However, the annual plan for Paramount+ remains $59.99, which is good value for those who want to save money given how much soccer the platform has.
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