UEFA’s 2021 Champions League final brought in nearly 590 million more viewers than the 2022 Super Bowl, and Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi wants to capitalize on the commercial opportunities and broader audiences that the event could bring.
“I can’t understand how the Super Bowl can feel bigger than the Champions League final,” Al-Khelaifi told The Athletic. “The final should be bigger.”
The 2021 Champions League final brought in 700 million viewers compared to the 2022 Super Bowl’s 112 million.
Al-Khelaifi highlighted that the U.S. and Super Bowl have a mindset of “creativity and entertainment” when it comes to the event and suggested the Champions League do the same. One example was adding an opening ceremony. He also pushed for the consideration of new venues, markets, and formats.
The businessman was reportedly floating ideas before the European Club Association General Assembly last week.
- The Champions League is expanding by four teams in 2024 to 36.
- Beginning that year, media and commercial rights will be shared with the ECA, which is estimated to grow the commercial value of the men’s game by 39%.
Al-Khelaifi said the joint venture should have a creative and entertainment department to help make each match an event.
Football vs. Football
The Super Bowl’s viewership has always been a mere fraction of global soccer events. The men’s and women’s World Cup and the UEFA Champions League all ranked higher than the Super Bowl for the most-watched sporting events in the world.
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