Soccer
BBC Pulls Gary Lineker as TV Soccer Host Over U.K. Refugee Policy Criticism
Gary Lineker, the BBC’s highest-paid TV presenter, has been pulled from presenting Match of the Day after taking to Twitter to criticize the U.K. government’s new refugee asylum policy earlier in the week. Lineker will remain off air until he and the BBC negotiate how the high-profile TV soccer host can use his social media […]
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Apple Launches Major League Soccer Streaming Service, Marking Closely-Watched Push Further Into Live Sports
In its most ambitious push into live sports yet, technology giant Apple on Wednesday officially launched its Major League Soccer subscription service, called MLS Season Pass. The new service will be available in 100 countries at launch, and will be the exclusive home for MLS games through 2033, thanks to a 10-year deal valued at […]
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Cristiano Ronaldo, Barack Obama and Usain Bolt Remember Soccer Icon and “Sporting Legend” Pelé
Cristiano Ronaldo, Usain Bolt and Barack Obama are among the friends, fellow athletes and notable figures remembering Pelé, the Brazilian soccer legend who died Thursday at the age of 82. His agent told the Associated Press that the three-time World Cup winner, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, died after he was hospitalized for the past month. […]
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Soccer Legend Pelé to Spend Christmas in Hospital Amid Cancer Battle Worsening
Pelé, who is a soccer legend, will spend the Christmas holidays in a hospital after learning his cancer has progressed. The three-time World Cup winner, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, has been undergoing chemotherapy in his battle against cancer since September 2021 when he had a colon tumor removed. His daughter, Kelly Cristina Nascimento, […]
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China’s State Broadcaster Blurs Out Maskless World Cup Fans as Local COVID Protests Grow
As protests against COVID restrictions continue to spread across China, the country’s state broadcaster has taken to censoring images of maskless crowds at the 2022 World Cup. During Sunday’s World Cup group game between Japan and Costa Rica, the sports channel of China’s state broadcaster CCTV replaced shots of maskless fans in the stadium in […]
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Goal! The 22 Best Soccer Movies
For the next four weeks, that big section of the planet obsessed with the round-ball form of football, i.e. soccer, will be spending most of their waking hours watching, discussing and debating — loudly on social media and beyond — the 2022 World Cup. The globe’s No. 1 sporting event runs Nov. 20 through Dec. 18 in […]
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Paramount Wins Rights to UEFA, Including Champions League, in $1.5B Deal
Another day, another major TV sports rights deal. One of the most important soccer packages on the market: The U.S. rights to UEFA, including the UEFA Champions League, have found their new media partner, and it’s the same as the old partner. Paramount, the owner of CBS and Paramount+, has won the UEFA bake-off, renewing […]
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Viaplay Signs Manchester City Star Erling Haaland to Multi-Territory Media Deal
Nordic media group Viaplay has signed up the hottest soccer player in the world at the moment, Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland to an exclusive, multi-market partnership that will see Haaland star in Viaplay content and become the group’s media ambassador. Under the deal, which Viaplay announced Friday, the 22-year-old Haaland will star […]
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UEFA Rights Kickstart New Round for Sports Streaming Wars
On Monday morning, executives at all the major media companies in the sports space received an email inviting them to make their best pitch for what is likely to be the biggest TV and streaming sports rights deal of the year: The U.S. rights to UEFA, including the UEFA Champions League. League officials and their […]
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Apple Strikes 10-Year Deal for Major League Soccer Rights
In its most expansive move into live sports yet, tech giant Apple will become the exclusive home for Major League Soccer matches globally beginning in 2023. Apple will launch a new MLS streaming service that will include every game, with “a broad selection” of matches and the Leagues Cup available as part of the Apple […]
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Electronic Arts Spins Loss of FIFA Rights, Plans Soccer Gaming Future
Electronic Arts, the venerable video game company, is facing a turning point in its critical sports division. The company announced Tuesday that it would be parting ways with FIFA after the next game in the franchise is released, ending a 20-year partnership that led to the world’s most popular soccer video game. So while the […]
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HBO Max Officially Gets Into Live Sports With $200M U.S. Soccer Deal
WarnerMedia’s streaming service HBO Max is officially getting into the live sports business as part of an eight-year deal with the U.S. Soccer Federation. The deal, which Sports Business Journal pegs at more than $200 million, will see TNT/TBS and HBO Max air 20 U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Team matches annually beginning in 2023. […]
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