
<p>Under the terms of <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/news/us-soccer-announce-new-tv-deal-turner-sports-20220301-CMS-373327.html">US Soccer’s 8-year deal with Turner Sports</a>, the first US Soccer national team game will debut on HBO Max this January.</p>



<p>The US Women’s National Team (USWNT) kicks off the Turner Sports era on January 17 in a friendly down under <a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/SBJ/status/1598329628992671749" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">against New Zealand</a>. It will be the first US national team match to be shown by Turner Sports in a deal that lasts until 2030. Previously, FOX Sports, Univision and ESPN shared the rights to US national team games.</p>



<p>USA’s game against New Zealand will be the first soccer game to feature on WarnerMedia’s streaming service HBO Max in the United States. Outside of this country, HBO Max stream soccer from around the world. For example, <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/2022/05/12/hbo-max-provides-preview-of-what-mls-coverage/">HBO Max streams the UEFA Champions League</a> throughout Mexico.</p>



<h2>US Soccer HBO Max debut kick offs new deal</h2>



<p>The <a href="https:\/\/www.ussoccer.com/stories/2022/03/turner-sports-and-united-states-soccer-federation-reach-multimedia-rights-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">US Soccer-Turner Sports rights deal</a> marks the first time US Soccer sold rights without bundling them with those of Major League Soccer (MLS). The estimated $200 million deal is all for US Soccer to keep instead of sharing the money with Soccer United Marketing and MLS. </p>



<p>The 8-year deal includes all men’s and women’s national team friendlies, US Open Cup, She Believes Cup as well as 2030 World Cup qualifying. The 2026 World Cup qualifying would also be included but it is expected that the men’s team will qualify automatically for the tournament by virtue of being co-hosts with Canada and Mexico. But there has not been official word from FIFA yet. </p>



<p>Overall, we can expect over 20 matches per year on Turner Sports’ various outlets.</p>



<h2>So where exactly will matches be shown?</h2>



<p>Turner Sports have said approximately <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/2022/03/01/us-soccer-announce-new-tv-deal-turner-sports/">10 matches will be shown on Turner’s cable stations TBS and TNT</a> every year. But all matches, whether they are shown on TBS/TNT or not, it appears will be shown on HBO Max, the WarnerMedia (Turner’s parent company) streaming service. It’s worth noting that Bleacher Report also falls under the WarnerMedia umbrella, another online destination that could be utilized to show less popular matches.</p>



<p>However, this is where the confusion arises. Don’t get too used to the name HBO Max as WarnerMedia (who owns HBO &amp; Turner Sports) merged with Discovery in April 2022 to create a new company under the name Warner Bros Discovery.</p>



<p>The new company has announced plans to launch a brand-new streaming service that will include all the content the newly merged company owns, including HBO Max. The <a href="https:\/\/www.engadget.com/hbo-max-and-discovery-combined-streaming-service-launching-earlier-than-expected-083047658.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new streaming service</a> will be in direct competition with the likes of Netflix and Disney+. </p>



<p>Plans are to launch the new streaming service sometime in the Spring of 2023. At that time, HBO Max will be going away unless Warner Bros Discovery make <a href="https:\/\/www.nytimes.com/2022/08/04/business/media/warner-bros-discovery-earnings.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">any more U-turns</a>.</p>



<h2>Soccer TV landscape can be complicated</h2>



<p>These days, we know it’s not easy being a soccer fan. Not only in the United States, but worldwide is the same as streaming services interrupt the traditional TV model.</p>



<p>In the US, the Premier League is on Comcast’s NBC/<a href="https:\/\/imp.i305175.net/c/330866/1313913/11640" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peacock</a> service. La Liga and the Bundesliga are on Disney’s <a href="https:\/\/go.web.plus.espn.com/mWebq" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESPN+</a>. Serie A, UEFA Champions League and other European cup competitions are on CBS’ <a href="https:\/\/paramountplus.qflm.net/c/330866/1007330/3065" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paramount+</a>. </p>



<p>Meanwhile, various other leagues are strewn across a ranger of different streaming services. And now, the USMNT and USWNT have a new home on Warner Bros-Discovery. </p>



<p>One thing is a certainty. We’ll continue to keep you apprised of where to watch the games.</p>


The time has come for US Soccer HBO Max debut to happen, and this time it's part of a new 8-year deal between Turner Sports and US Soccer.

US Soccer national team to make HBO Max debut in January - World Soccer Talk

US Soccer national team to make HBO Max debut in January

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
<p>There is a legitimate chance of seeing Amazon and HBO Max streaming soccer. Sure, we all know Peacock, Paramount+ and ESPN+. But, there are always new names entering the market.</p>
<p>In recent years, the broadcasting of soccer leagues has shifted from linear television to streaming services. This trend – best exhibited by the trendsetting Bundesliga followed by LaLiga – has continued to accelerate with more Americans streaming everything from Netflix movies to live sports events.</p>
<p>We’ve seen consumers adjust, albeit with some reservations to the transition of the aforementioned leagues, as well as more games of the Premier League, Serie A and UEFA Champions League that have shifted to streaming.</p>
<p>Given the current <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/podcasts/soccer-streaming-wars-of-2021-world-soccer-talk-podcast/">soccer streaming wars</a> and the likelihood that more streaming services, not less, will begin broadcasting soccer, how will soccer fans react if we see Amazon Prime or HBO Max jump into the mix in the near future? Remember, neither of these services currently broadcasts live soccer matches at the moment. However, opportunities abound. The rights to the Premier League, MLS, USMNT and USWNT <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/09/14/premier-league-opts-for-bids-instead-of-renewing-nbc-rights-deal-says-report/">expire within the next twelve months</a>.</p>
<h3><b>American Soccer fans have grown comfortable with streaming services</b></h3>
<p>The increased streaming of soccer on <a href="https:\/\/go.web.plus.espn.com/mWebq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN+</a>, <a href="https:\/\/paramountplus.qflm.net/c/330866/1007330/3065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paramount+</a> and <a href="https:\/\/imp.i305175.net/peacock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peacock</a> accustomed viewers to using these services. Still, it must be noted these services are all connected to mainstream linear networks. Their intense promotion on linear programming helps the transition to streaming.</p>
<div class="ckeditor-em"><iframe loading="lazy" src="https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1125851815&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true&amp;visual=true" width="100%" height="300" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>
<div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;"><a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="World Soccer Talk Podcast" href="https:\/\/soundcloud.com/worldsoccertalk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Soccer Talk Podcast</a> · <a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Premier League’s US TV Rights Deal: The Domino Effect" href="https:\/\/soundcloud.com/worldsoccertalk/premier-leagues-us-tv-rights-deal-the-domino-effect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Premier League’s US TV Rights Deal: The Domino Effect</a></div>
<p>Additionally, soccer fans are fairly comfortable using services like <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/watch-soccer-via-fubotv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fuboTV</a> or sports-only streaming platforms like DAZN or <a href="https:\/\/preview.mycujoo.tv/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eleven</a> to watch matches. Those who like less mainstream properties tend to be more savvy in this regard.</p>
<p>Even as streaming has grown as a way to broadcast live soccer, we’ve not seen the likes of Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime nor Discovery+ show matches in the United States. But it’s likely just a matter of time, given the shifting landscape in the media world before some prominent soccer property finds itself on Amazon Prime or HBO Max, in particular.</p>
<p>So, what happens when live soccer inevitably ends up on streaming services unassociated with live sports or a prominent linear broadcaster?</p>
<h3><b>The Hulu Experience</b></h3>
<p>Disney’s decision to integrate ESPN+ into Hulu for <a href="https:\/\/go.web.plus.espn.com/mg25qa">streaming bundle</a> subscribers has ended up being an effective gateway to test the concept of live soccer on what is otherwise an on-demand entertainment platform.</p>
<p>While Hulu is now associated with Disney, it has long-been a place to find on-demand programming associated with TV networks. But, in the past, it was not a place to view live events. Hulu, in many ways, pioneered streaming on-demand sitcoms and movies. This hedged the television networks against the growing power of Netflix and Amazon Prime.</p>
<p>The ESPN+ integration into Hulu, per this writer’s anecdotal evidence, changed the viewing habits of many in my circle.</p>
<h3><b>Premier League success in the UK on Prime&nbsp;</b></h3>
<p>Amazon Prime received rave reviews for its coverage of the Premier League in the United Kingdom since its inception. Over the years, Prime has used some of the best-known soccer commentators and presenters. Moreover, the service offered matches free of additional charge on its streaming service. Amazon only broadcasts Premier League matches on special midweek occasions, but that proved to be more accessible to viewers than its Sky Sports counterpart.</p>
<p>The general consensus among UK-based Premier League fans is that they would not object to seeing a greater share of matches broadcast on Amazon Prime during the next rights cycle. Additionally, Amazon has been given favorable grades from the written press in terms of both their presentation and accessibility when broadcasting the league.</p>
<p>In the U.S., Amazon received praise for its streaming of live sports on Prime.</p>
<h3><a href="https:\/\/www.amazon.com/gp/video/primesignup?ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1402131641212&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=pf4&amp;tag=et00d-20&amp;linkId=6b0f457884c43b5e1f8f5166b84640c4"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-345752 aligncenter" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20210917_WST_345747_Premier-League-on-Amazon-Prime.webp&amp;width=700&amp;height=380" alt="" width="700" height="380" srcset="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/09/Premier-League-on-Amazon-Prime.png 700w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/09/Premier-League-on-Amazon-Prime-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/09/Premier-League-on-Amazon-Prime-600x326.png 600w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/09/Premier-League-on-Amazon-Prime-150x81.png 150w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px"></figure></div></a></h3>
<h3><b>Could we see Amazon and HBO Max streaming soccer?&nbsp;</b></h3>
<p>In a word, yes. In fact, it’s probably inevitable at this point. As noted above, Amazon Prime aired Premier League matches in England. Discovery+ expressed interest in acquiring Ligue Un rights domestically in France.</p>
<p>Major League Soccer appears a very attractive property for streaming. The decline of linear Regional Sports Networks (RSN’s) over the last five years compounds the interest of streaming services for the league. MLS’s growing relevance domestically makes out-of-market matches unavailable on a linear channel very attractive for streaming services.</p>
<p>The recent addition of MLS clubs in Austin, Nashville and Charlotte, three hot “emerging” Sun Belt markets that have attracted young professionals that are also streaming-savvy, improves MLS’ viability for a potential deal with Amazon Prime or HBO Max.</p>
<p>NBC Sports is in its final year of broadcasting the Premier League under its current six year deal. With NBC closing its dedicated sports channel, NBCSN, later this year and its increasing reliance on clunky streaming service Peacock, the time may be ripe for <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/09/14/premier-league-opts-for-bids-instead-of-renewing-nbc-rights-deal-says-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a new rights holder</a> to move in.</p>
<h5>Potential Deals</h5>
<div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-345755 size-medium alignright" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20210917_WST_345747_EPL-on-NBCSN-300x169.webp&amp;width=300&amp;height=169" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/09/EPL-on-NBCSN-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/09/EPL-on-NBCSN-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/09/EPL-on-NBCSN-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/09/EPL-on-NBCSN-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/09/EPL-on-NBCSN.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"></figure></div>
<p>Some estimate the upcoming U.S. Premier League rights deal to surpass <a href="https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-14/comcast-faces-2-billion-u-s-battle-for-premier-league-rights?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=bd&amp;cmpId=google" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$2 billion</a> over six years. Therefore, only a few broadcasters will be willing to lay out that sort of cash for this property. Obviously, ESPN and CBS Sports are in the mix. Yet, it’s also very possible Amazon Prime or HBO Max could make a move.</p>
<p>The Premier League recognizes the power of streaming in the UK market. The league may not see much difference between buried channels on various service providers and a straight streaming deal.</p>
<p>Ultimately, an exclusive streaming deal is likely a non-starter. For example, NBC could continue to guarantee a match or more a week on network television, or CBS may likely promise a match a week or more on broadcast TV.</p>
<p>However, there are certain tricky hurdles. NBC decided to fold NBCSN to move matches to USA Network and NBC over-the-air. Putting games on over-the-air broadcasts is tricky with the FCC requiring educational and public affairs content on weekend mornings. Also, there is always the risk of people not switching over from NBCSN to the cable channels. In that regard, giant streaming services like Amazon Prime become a very real option for the league.</p>
<h3><b>Bottom Line</b></h3>
<p>Streaming is now the primary manner in which to watch top level soccer in the United States. As the transition from broadcast and cable television to streaming continues, expect to see more streaming players.</p>
<p>Furthermore, these will not be the standard sports-first programming. These rights bids will come from services known for on-demand programming.</p>


Streaming services now dominate the landscape of soccer viewership. However, could we see Amazon and HBO Max streaming soccer?

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