New details have emerged regarding U.S. Soccer Federation’s new English-language media rights deal with Turner Sports. WarnerMedia, the parent company of Turner Sports, announced that the U.S. Soccer deal is 8 years, and will begin in 2023, with games airing across TNT, TBS, and HBO Max. The announcement did not detail how much the domestic deal was worth, but sources say the deal is worth “around $200 million per year.”
As part of the new deal, HBO Max will stream more than 20 U.S. men’s and women’s national team games each year. Half of those matches will be televised across linear networks TBS and TNT, while simulcasted on HBO Max.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Turner Sports at this amazing time for soccer in the United States,” said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. “During our discussions, it was clear how dedicated they are to growing soccer in the United States, especially their commitment to expand the women’s game. As we build towards 2026 and beyond, we have found a fantastic partner to spotlight the stories of our Women’s and Men’s National Teams.”
FIFA World Cup, CONCACAF tournament, and USNT road qualification matches are not included in the deal, however, World Cup qualifiers, National Team friendlies, SheBelieves Cup, U.S. Open Cup, and other important high-profile matchups are included.
“This is a significant milestone for Turner Sports and WarnerMedia, further demonstrating our commitment to the distribution of premium live sports content on HBO Max, while simultaneously fueling our leading entertainment networks, digital and social assets,” said Lenny Daniels, President, Turner Sports. “We’re excited to spotlight one of the most popular Women’s teams in the world, along with an ascending Men’s National Team, over the eight years of this agreement. This partnership offers us an opportunity to engage with their avid, young and diverse fan bases through all of our Turner Sports and Bleacher Report platforms.”
Additional highlights of the deal:
- Turner Sports and Bleacher Report will have exclusive rights to live event coverage, including the potential to create interactive companion broadcasting experiences and/or newly developed matches or tournaments; behind-the-scenes content, such as the opportunity to produce docuseries and ancillary programming; along with bespoke digital experiences, in association with both teams;
- Bleacher Report, including its leading B/R Football platform, will have expansive digital and highlight rights;
- Turner Sports will have TV Everywhere rights that will allow its networks to make these matches and related programming available to authenticated subscribers across all WarnerMedia platforms;
- The agreement also includes additional content and storytelling opportunities throughout the WarnerMedia portfolio, eCommerce rights, the possibility of integrating sports betting experiences, among others.
Acquiring the rights to U.S. Soccer was a big get for WarnerMedia ahead of the company’s merger with Discovery. The move helps bolster a Turner Sports lineup that already features the NHL, NBA, MLB, AEW, and NCAA March Madness.