Paramount set to pay $1.5 billion to retain US Champions League rights
Paramount have renewed their US media rights to the English-language coverage of the UEFA Champions League in a deal valued at more than $1.5 billion over six years, more than doubling the size of its previous contract.
UEFA have reached an agreement with Paramount (owner of CBS) for the sale of the English-language broadcast rights to the Champions League and the rest of its competitions in the US, in what is one of the most spectacular sports broadcasting contracts in history.
As published by The Athletic and confirmed by AS, the European football governing body chaired by Aleksander Ceferin will pocket 1.5 billion euros for the next six seasons in which its club competitions will be seen in the North American market, the richest commercially and in terms of audiences. What’s more, UEFA still have to reach a deal to sell the rights to Spanish-language coverage of their competitions in the US market.
The total comes to over 250 million euros per season, which represents an increase of 150 million per season compared to the previous deal, an increase of 2.5 times. The increase relates in part to the expansion of teams in the Champions League from 2025, which will mean that there will be more games. In addition it is the first time UEFA extends the duration of the contract from three to six years.
The Champions League has been gaining in interest among American viewers in recent years with May’s recent UCL final between Real Madrid and Liverpool securing one of the largest viewing figures with over 2.8 million tuning into the Paramount owned CBS network to see a Vinicius Jr. goal secure the title for the Spanish side.
“UEFA has been a key driver for Paramount+ since our launch and we are thrilled to extend this successful partnership showcasing even more world-class soccer through the 2029-30 season, building on the incredible momentum we have created the past two years,” said Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports.