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Neo2199 OP t1_j19stjq wrote

> While the U.S. national men’s team and Major League Soccer have struggled to gain a regular foothold on domestic television, their English and European counterparts have managed to carve out powerful niches here in the States in the meantime. As new streaming platforms Peacock and Paramount+ bolster their platforms with exclusive league rights, U.S. billionaires buy legacy clubs outright, Americans have become more (literally) invested in international men’s football as both an irresistible narrative and an incredible business opportunity. (Congratulations to Michael B. Jordan, the newest minority owner of A.F.C. Bournemouth!) Meanwhile, shows like Apple TV+’s Emmy smash “Ted Lasso” is all about American football coaches taking on the Premier League, while FX’s “Welcome to Wrexham” documents how Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney buy a small Welsh team. Documentarians have turned to soccer to tell stories like Netflix’s “FIFA Uncovered,” Amazon Prime Video’s “All or Nothing,” Disney+’s “Save Our Squad,” Apple TV+’s “Super League: The War For Football,” and so on (and on, and on…).

> For fans both new and old, the wave is overwhelming. And from a TV criticism perspective, I’ve been floored by not just the sheer volume of football #content flooding my small screen, but the quality of the stories unfolding along with it.

> “It’s genuinely remarkable how much coverage there is,” says Roger Bennett, co-host of NBC’s “Men in Blazers” show that breaks down all things football in podcasts, interviews, and even sold-out shows across the country during the World Cup. “You have the Premier League, Champions League, and La Liga. You have the NWSL and Women’s Super League, even the Colombian and Uruguayan leagues!”

> It also seems relevant that in 2020, as the pandemic forced restless people like me to find entertainment within the confines of their own home, English and European football largely resumed regular play by June. And with every single Premier League and Champions League match now available for US viewers on Peacock and Paramount+, respectively, the beautiful game is more accessible for Americans than ever before.

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redavid t1_j19tc6d wrote

obviously, i know the reason is money, but it's still annoying that they keep many matches (including most of the 'big' ones) on their cable channels with no way to stream them without paying for something expensive like YouTube TV or cable tv. whereas ESPN, with the obviously much less expensive La Liga and Bundesliga, let you watch everything via ESPN+, including the odd matches they put on their cable channels

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Yung_Corneliois t1_j19u8az wrote

A lot of people bet on it. That’s all the interest I’ve heard of. I don’t know anyone who watched Ted Lasso and then got into real soccer .

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redavid t1_j1akpxn wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#1,012,943)

presumably, NBC and CBS and ESPN and so on wouldn't be spending billions more on rights if they didn't think they could convert americans into viewers and subscribers of their services. and given that NBC just paid $2.7billion for six years of rights (compared to $1 billion for the six years before) they seem to think they've been successful

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HumanOrAlien t1_j1b2nin wrote

Replying to joshdts (#1,012,414)

I see tons of people on the r/WrexhamAFC sub who say they started following football because of that doc series. I recently watched Ted Lasso as well and I'd say the comedy and the drama are bigger focus of the show compared to the sports itself but it's still a nice introduction to the sport.

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