America's soccer media is failing its audience

Why the major networks are stunting the growth of the game in the USA

USA. Netherlands. 2022 World Cup Round of 16. As a proud fan of the US Men’s National Team, this felt like our moment. Like we were really going to break through. Did we finally have a team that could compete with the world’s best?

The match started at 11 AM. Naturally, my buddies and I got to the pub at 7. The line was already 40 people deep. Ordered a few breakfast beers to get warm. Half a bagel sandwich down the hatch. Today is the day.

As the game got underway, the level was amazing. The intensity increased with every tackle. The atmosphere inside the bar was some of the best I’ve experienced. Real patriotism. It was awesome.

There was only one problem. The commentary was too loud. Or maybe I just heard it too clearly. But these guys on the TV didn’t know what they were talking about! We’re trying to watch the boys play, but the pundits rattled on about just about anything other than what was unfolding in front of us.

My frustration continued to boil. Audibly it probably sounded something like “Shut up John Strong”. Internally, I was fuming with how inauthentic and forced the viewing experience felt. This is the biggest match of the year, with the highest amount of casual, normal viewers, and I couldn’t get over the delivery of the commentary.

Everything was over-performed. Voice intonation was raised with every final third entry. Screams blasted over the speakers when the keeper made a routine save. The smallest of moments were made to be far more important than they needed to be. It was exhausting as a viewer.

Why is it like this?

I understand it. It’s a tactic to relate to the normal consumer- the American football and basketball enthusiast, sports in which most plays are high energy and exciting. Tailored towards an audience that doesn’t understand the inner-workings of the game. But I don’t think it’s working.

This isn’t what soccer is about. It’s not how the game flows. It has its ‘boring’ periods. Not every moment is supposed to be exciting. When you understand the game, how it works tactically, and why players perform certain actions, it’s not a ‘boring’ game. It doesn’t need the theatrics.

People love the commentary they hear from the likes of Peter Drury and Jon Champion on NBC/Peacock, and rightfully so. They engage the audience without making the game about themselves. They raise their voices at the most opportune moments and not to the extent that it tires the audience. They poetically and harmoniously lead us through the orchestra unfolding on the pitch.

I know I’m not alone in these thoughts. Countless friends have talked about shutting off the sound or even turning on the Spanish commentary when watching the US Men’s team play. I’ve been in bars that turn off the audio because so many people complained. That’s right, the coverage is so bad that viewers would rather watch matches in a language they don’t understand or with no audio than listen to commentators who seemingly fail to connect with and communicate effectively with their viewers.

Similarly, all who watched of course remember watching the Copa America game in Kansas City versus Uruguay last summer. Yeah, the one where we watched from a blimp for the first half? It was nearly impossible to see what was going on. Twitter was of course outraged. People couldn’t believe FOX’s incompetence. This is like… our biggest game of the year. Did you talk to one fan before making this decision?

Image courtesy of the New York Times

If it was one occurrence, that’s fine. People would get over it. But time and time again it seems that major networks, especially FOX, don’t put enough effort, passion, or know-how into their viewing experience. They don’t understand what fans want or what works best. It feels half-baked. And for loyal fans, watching matches on their platform has started to feel like a burden.

The MLS and Apple TV Issue

When the MLS announced they would give exclusive broadcasting rights to Apple TV in 2022, fans were up in arms. ANOTHER subscription I have to pay for? And let’s be honest, outside of watching their own team, the only other MLS matches fans tune into include a certain Argentinian GOAT. For your regular Joe, $15 a month for a few games just doesn’t cut it when Peacock and Paramount+ are far cheaper, offer much more content, and are showcasing the best of the best in the sport.

Apple TV offers a sub-par product for a sub-par league that needs more than anything to attract young fans. Growing the MLS shouldn’t be about revenue. It should be about eyes on screens, butts in seats, and increasing invested supporters. If they want to be considered legitimate in the eyes of the world while also improving the level of play, the profitability mindset must be scrapped.

So… does anyone do it well?

For any consistent viewer of soccer in the United States, the answer is pretty obvious- Paramount+ (CBS) and Peacock (NBC).

Since NBC bought the rights to broadcast the English Premier League in 2013, the average match viewership in the States has more than doubled. Strong analysis and coverage from notable names like Rebecca Lowe, Tim Howard, and the “2 Robbies” mixed with nearly flawless production value, has helped to skyrocket the league’s influence in the US.

For Paramount, their recent success has stemmed from their coverage of the UEFA Champions League. After acquiring the tournament’s rights in 2022 until 2030, they put together a dream team with legends of the game like Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, and Alessandro Del Piero alongside top-notch personalities in Kate Scott and Micah Richards. This fun-loving and knowledgeable team captures the audience with their wit and banter while delivering the highest quality of tactical insights. In my opinion, it’s one of the best shows on television.

Image courtesy of The Sporting News

Why does this matter?

FOX owns the rights to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, just as they did for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 European Championships (Euros). That’s an entire generation of US Soccer fans there for the taking. Apple TV owns the rights to the MLS and therefore the future of domestic influence on the game.

The quality of coverage does not live up to the level of quality on the pitch.

During the Euros, you have some of the best players and teams in the world competing against each other. Instead of talking about tactics or the potential mismatches, the best the FOX pundits could muster up was “watch out for Lamine Yamal” or “Virgil Van Dijk is a real rock in defense”.

It’s too simple. Too rudimentary. Too dumb. It feels patronizing to think that Americans couldn’t understand a complex game when we become couch potatoes every Sunday watching a game that Europeans struggle to comprehend.

The US media needs to raise the average knowledge base of the common soccer fan.

Think about it this way. The more well-informed viewers you have, the more likely they’ll tune in to broadcasts, listen to commentary, engage with content, and attend matches. Guess what that means? More money ends up in the pockets of the clubs, leagues, and TV programs. It shouldn’t be rocket science. Am I missing something?

Look at Formula One’s rise in America. DRS, pit strategies, and tire compounds are all nuanced concepts. But somehow the SKY and ESPN teams find a way to introduce them to new viewers while also making it interesting enough for seasoned supporters. And they’ve reaped the benefits, doubling their viewership since 2018.

I care about the future of the game in this country. I want us to be respected on the global stage. I hate that Americans get a bad rep for having crappy ‘ball knowledge’. All I’m asking is that the media changes the way they approach these major tournaments. The fans deserve to learn and know more. To feel like they can explain what’s happening on the pitch in the same way they could tell you why it’s best to run the ball on First Down.

How do we improve?

Genuinely, I don’t know. Hiring more knowledgeable pundits could be the answer, but how many well-known names with quality television experience and tactical prowess are there? Changing the production teams and the writers also feels too simple. The bottom line is, it’ll be hard to change how we view the game in this country.

But, I know this shift needs to happen. The future of US Soccer relies on the media improving their product before the 2026 World Cup. This country is ripe for a soccer explosion. So, as a fan and believer in Americans becoming advocates for and lovers of the game, can we please get this right?