“He is now asked more about CBS than about Arsenal”

In an interview with 'The Athletic', Peter Radovich – coordinating producer of Champions League coverage at 'CBS Sports' – spoke about the rapid growth in popularity of the network's program 'Champions League today“. The show – Host: Catherine Abdo, Thierry Heinrich, Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher – is broadcast during the most important nights of European football and has quickly become a worldwide hitSo much so that host Thierry Henry for this in the course of his glorious football career.

“Thierry Henry says very clearly that he is now asked more often about CBS than about Arsenal. He will tell you directly. This is crazy for me,” Radovich revealed. “This summer I was sitting in a taxi in Croatia. The driver asked me where I was from. I told him New York. He said, “Oh, you're interested in sports?” I said yes and he said, “My favorite sports show is in the USA…I don't know if you've ever seen it; Thierry Henry, Kate Abdo, Micah Richards. It's hilarious. I love this show. Have you ever seen it?' And you just sit there and think, 'How in God's name…?' he said, underlining his disbelief. “If you had told me four years ago, People outside America would know our show, that is really bigger than we could have ever dreamed. That's the fun part. The The difficult thing is to stay relevant and they are better off.”

In addition to anecdotes, the program offers Popularity is also reflected in numbers. 'Champions League Today' accounts for the majority of viewership of 'CBS' Champions League coverage – A total of 3.5 billion views on social media last seasonThe show was praised by viewers for its Ability to combine playfulness and wit with insightful tactical analysis. Over and beyond, powerful interventions are also common in the studio, as in 2023 the hosts spoke out in favor of Romelu Lukaku after racist abusewhere Henry and Richards have a Discussion about racism in European football as a whole.

Have secured rights to EFL, NWSL, Serie A, “CBS” aims to Increase viewer numbers beyond the Champions League and thus becomes a Reference point for football fans in the United States“The Athletic” suspects that the network may also aim for the World Cup or the Premier League for more premium content.

17 September 2024