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    Real Madrid-Man City UCL Semi Breaks American Viewing Record

    • The 1.1 million average viewers were 118% more than a comparable match in 2019.
    • CBS acquired the rights to Champions League for $150M per year in 2019.
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    May 06, 2022 | 04:23 pm
    UEFA Champions League

    Real Madrid’s stunning victory over Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final was not only one of the greatest comebacks in the competition’s history — it was also one of the most watched in U.S. history.

    Wednesday’s match averaged 1.1 million viewers, the most for a UCL semi-final ever on English-language American television, per Sports Business Journal.

    Against a comparable semi-final match from 2019, viewership was up 118%.

    Besides the excitement of the game itself, the matchup between two iconic clubs likely gave viewership a boost: Real Madrid ranks fifth ($4.8B) and Manchester City ranks 13th ($4B) on Forbes’ list of highest-value sports teams.

    CBS attained the English-language U.S. rights to Champions League in 2019 for a reported $150 million per year.

    The network began broadcasting games on its Paramount+ streaming service in 2020.

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