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Telemundo has expanded its reach with the world’s most popular sport.
The broadcasting giant has secured a four-year media rights deal with the U.S. Soccer Federation for an undisclosed amount. The pact will make the NBCUniversal-owned TV network the exclusive Spanish-language broadcaster of the U.S. women’s and men’s national soccer teams.
NBCUniversal chairman Beau Ferrari said that the network looks forward to “propelling the growth of soccer in the United States” and serving audiences across its platforms.
- Telemundo will broadcast more than 20 U.S. team matches each year.
- That includes the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the 2026 Men’s World Cup.
- The deal also includes coverage on NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock.
Telemundo posted record viewership during the 2022 World Cup. In the first week of the month-long tournament — and including streams — the network reported a 24% uptick in Spanish-language viewership compared to 2018.
A group-stage match between Argentina and Mexico on Nov. 26 averaged 8.9 million viewers on Telemundo and Peacock — the most-watched group-stage game in Spanish-language history.
The match averaged 2.08 million viewers on Peacock alone.
Leveling the Playing Field
The USWNT will be a big part of the new media rights deal and is indicative of the growing popularity and value of women’s soccer.
In 2022, the USWNT agreed to a settlement with U.S. Soccer, ending a six-year lawsuit over equal pay. The settlement included a $24 million payment, $22 million of which went to players.
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