Could the introduction of a new streaming channel that will be showing soccer on a 24/7 basis help to make the sport even more popular? To understand what might happen next, we need to take a look at what this channel offers and what the market is currently like.
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What Is the Golazo Network About?
Officially known as the CBS Sports Golazo Network, this is a digital network to be offered directly to consumers in the US. It will be launched in April and will be made available on the CBS Sports mobile app, as well as on Pluto TV and Paramount+.
The Golazo Network will start each morning with its flagship show, known as Morning Footy. It runs from 7 am to 9 am ET on weekdays with host Susannah Collins joined by Jenny Chiu in a reporting role, and will cover all of the latest soccer stories from around the world. Apart from that, viewers will get access to live matches and highlights, as well as the latest news during the day and pre and post-match analysis for big games.
A statement by the broadcaster said that this is a sign of the “continued evolution of our industry-leading soccer coverage” and mentioned that they show over 2,400 live soccer matches each year although it isn’t clear how many will be broadcast on Golazo annually.
The Current Popularity of Soccer and Streaming
The launch announcement for this new network pointed out that interest in soccer in the US has never been higher than it is just now, which is backed up by the numbers. In 2004, 2% of American listed soccer as their favorite sport but this number had risen to 8% by 2022 according to CNN, with some surveys currently putting it ahead of baseball in the list of popular sports in the US.
2022 also saw the FIFA World Cup take place, with the viewing figures from FOX showing a 30% increase in the number of people watching the games when compared to the 2018 tournament. Streaming services are on the rise, with FuboTV, ESPN+, and Peacock among the most popular choices, although for the moment Netflix isn’t set to enter the sports streaming market.
This increase in the popularity of soccer and streaming has coincided with more interest in online sports betting, which allows live bets to be made while the games are being played, with Sportingtech covering more than 400,000 live events each year, and soccer being among the many other sports available on the platform. Their 24/7 coverage across over 100 sports ties in with the round-the-clock access now offered by streaming services.
Will Golazo Be a Success?
The soccer market in the US has been growing impressively, which suggests that CBS Sports may be launching this new service at a good time. As more people start watching soccer and placing bets on it, this sort of 24/7 service could become one of the most convenient ways of watching games and catching up on the latest news.