This 2024 UEFA Champions League Final was another edition of great viewership on CBS and Paramount+. With Real Madrid claiming a record 15th title in the competition, the audiences in the United States were strong. While it was not the most-viewed game for the CBS TV channel, it was a major hit on streaming.
Overall, Real Madrid-Borussia Dortmund was the third-most watched Champions League Final on US TV in history. On Saturday, the CBS TV channel averaged 2.323 million viewers as Real Madrid won 2-0. The Champions League Final from two years earlier, which also featured Real Madrid, remains the most-watched Champions League Final in US history for English-language TV. The game involving Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund trailed that game by less than half-a-million viewers.
For what it is worth, the top two games also featured a team from England. Real Madrid-Dortmund is the most-watched UCL Final on U.S. English-language television to not feature a club from England.
A more distinguishing record for CBS and Paramount+ is how many people streamed the game on Saturday. These numbers are not available for public knowledge, but CBS is claiming the figures were strong. The 2024 Champions League Final was the most-streamed soccer match of all time on Paramount+. That does not include those who watched on their TVs via CBS, which demonstrates that the figure was strong given that other games throughout this season and the previous ones have been exclusive to Paramount+.
Streaming record caps off major year for Paramount+
Paramount+ reported its most-streamed season of the UEFA Champions League in the 2023/24 campaign. That does not mention what the numbers actually were, but TV audiences can demonstrate some of the popularity. Several games were available on CBS throughout the campaign. That included a quarterfinal game between Manchester City and the eventual champion, Real Madrid. According to CBS, 1.11 million people tuned in on CBS. Viewership of that game was 25% higher than the quarterfinals stage in the 2022/23 season.
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Paramount+ recorded double-digit year-over-year growth in three categories during the 2023/24 season. Those are households, minutes and average minute audience (AMA). Each provides insight into how widespread the Champions League viewership is. Likewise, audiences are staying tuned into games for longer.
Bright future for Champions League streaming
Clearly, CBS and the UEFA Champions League are a perfect match in the United States. The development of the CBS Sports Golazo Network is CBS’s indication that soccer is among the broadcaster’s priorities. With a cohesive and entertaining coverage crew, CBS has stood out with its soccer coverage.
CBS has the rights to the UEFA Champions League through the 2029/30 season, which means this relationship can continue to grow. If it can maintain this sensational relationship, the benefits for CBS and the UEFA Champions League are clear. The competition enters a new format next year that aims to set up more highlight fixtures in the knockout stages. With the potential for more games on both Paramount+ and the CBS TV channel, we are likely to be seeing more records out of the broadcaster.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
