Paramount Global has renewed its media rights for six years in the U.S. for UEFA Champions League matches in a $1.5 billion deal. The deal is a significant increase compared to its prior contract amounting to approximately $100 million a year.
Paramount Global is the owner of CBS, CBS Sports, and Paramount+ and is where Champions League matches can be found for its American viewers. The media company beat out Amazon, who reportedly made the second highest bid for the deal.
This lucrative deal comes as soccer (football) continues to gain American players in European competitions, like the Champions League, resulting in the game gaining more of an American following.
Christian Pulisic, an American star, and captain, won the Champions League with the English team Chelsea in 2021; the United States is also set to be a co-host of the 2026 World Cup.
The deal will begin during the 2024/2025 season and will not only cover the UEFA Champions League but the Europa League and Conference League. The deal, however, does not include Spanish- speaking rights as the Spanish streaming market is not as established yet.
