The rapid emergence and evolution of the soccer broadcasting industry in America are expected to impact the industry’s future significantly. What will the future look like for the sport, and how will broadcasters handle it? While it is hard to say anything for sure, experts have been leaning one way: streaming services.
Streaming On the Rise
COVID-19 has changed the world, possibly forever. This is true even in sports, where games and live events were heavily shaken for over a year. The sudden change in the start times of the season has led to some people raising concerns about the potential impact of TV and streaming deals on the sport. However, it is also possible to increase the number of games available on streaming services without additional kick-off times.
One way to increase the number of games available on streaming services is by implementing a traditional 3 pm kick-off slot. This allows fans to choose who they want to watch and what time they want to watch. It is also possible that some games will be moved to a later start time, but this is unlikely to happen. Also, the early kick-offs during the week are not likely to stay.
More Access
One of the main advantages of streaming services is that they allow fans to watch any game, regardless of how it is played – or where. This eliminates the need for additional kick-off times. Because of this, fans can choose the time and place they want to watch the game.
The current TV and streaming deals are likely to play a significant role in the future of the sport. However, there is also room for the major European leagues to add more deals, which will allow fans to watch the rest of the games. This would be beneficial for the smaller clubs, as they would typically get overlooked when it comes to the games on TV.
Significant Choices
In 2020, sixty-three soccer competitions in the US were broadcast across various channels. In total, these channels added up to thirty-one. That’s thirty-one different channels to monitor for the games you love. These numbers are expected to continue increasing as more media entities enter the space.
On the bright side, these numbers mean that fans have more choices than ever. They can pick and choose what games or teams to follow, leaving all the rest in the background.
