World Soccer Talk

We discuss what the chaos at Chelsea FC means for the club, players and fans, our power rankings of the top four soccer TV channels in the US (choosing from NBC, ESPN, CBS and FOX), ESPN Futbol Americas' unfiltered coverage of the hooliganism issue in Liga MX, where does Major League Soccer stand on its relationship with Liga MX, why MLS TV viewership continues to struggle in the United States, the reaction from the soccer leagues to the war in Ukraine, and your questions in the Listener Mailbag segment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We interview Emmy Award winning producer Pete Radovich Jr, the man behind CBS's successful coverage of the UEFA Champions League, Serie A and Concacaf competitions. We discuss how a childhood growing up in a Croatian family made him a soccer fan, the formula behind the success of CBS's UEFA Champions League coverage, how a friend's recommendation changed his life, his family connection to the NASL and the Washington Diplomats, how Paramount+ allows him to provide soccer coverage that goes beyond television, news about long-form soccer documentaries coming to CBS Sports in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the story behind the story when it comes to this week’s landmark US Soccer deal with Turner Sports, more free soccer is coming to Spanish-language viewers, the NFL is making a big change to help FOX’s World Cup, you - the listeners - share your secrets about improving the ESPN+ experience, our thoughts on why MLS has not taken a stand against Russia, and your questions in the Listener Mailbag segment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On March 1, WarnerMedia and US Soccer announced an agreement that sees USMNT, USWNT and US Open Cup games go through WarnerMedia's sports division, Turner Sports. This means that TNT and TBS will have the rights to a number of games, with streaming options also showing potential for the provider.In this podcast, World Soccer Talk's Kartik Krishnaiyer and Christopher Harris break down the deal and what it could mean going forward. Many people may hear Turner Sports and think back to the UEFA Champions League coverage from a couple years ago. However, there is reason for optimism.There is also a video version of this podcast available on the World Soccer Talk YouTube channel. Use this link to get there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our 1,400th episode, we discuss the Premier League title race and the clubs scrambling to avoid relegation, the evolution of soccer podcasts, where Copa Libertadores rights are likely to go, whether the elimination of the away goal rule makes games more or less exciting, how the Weston McKennie injury is going to make FOX Sports concerned, and why we’re relieved that the Winter Olympics is over. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A stand-up comedian, Christian Polanco is not your run-of-the-mill member of the soccer media landscape. In fact, he hardly considers himself a part of that group at all. However, Polanco and co-host Alexis Guerreros take the complexity of the beautiful game and make it into comedy.Polanco discusses all kinds of things about how his time as a comedian opened doors into the soccer world:The role of the FIFA video games in developing his fandom.Finding a Premier League side to support.Starting out as a comedian.Bridging the gap between comedy and sports.The role of NYCFC in his career development.Asking Patrick Vieira a bold question.Going to Germany to play soccer.Also, much more.Polanco also talks about the Cooligans Podcast and how fuboTV allowed the program to go to new heights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss why streaming is in Copa Libertadores' future beginning in 2023, when the rights end with beIN SPORTS and what the future looks like for the broadcaster, Televisa Univision joins the streaming wars, what soccer fans need to know about Vix and Vix+, our thoughts on Craig Burley's argument that the Premier League is more important than the Club World Cup, the intricacies of Peacock, Paramount+, ESPN+ and Hulu, plus Arlo White, The 2 Robbies and Tim Howard's vanishing act during Premier League coverage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Warnock only retired from his playing career in 2018. Usually, players take some time off to travel, spend time with loved ones. However, Stephen Warnock jumped on an opportunity to get behind the scenes. In this interview, the freelance commentator who frequently works Premier League games discusses that transition and how it rapidly unfolded. Warnock goes into further detail on a number of ideas and topics related to both his playing days and time as a co-commentator. His career path as a player making stops at major clubsLiverpool FC TV and his first exposure to sports mediaBaby steps in growing his commentary résumé.The biggest games he has had the honor of callingHow one specific growing market is where he wants to end up in the long runThe benefits of being a former player and commentatingAnd much moreWarnock may be new to the scene, but he is a mainstay among the voices for Premier League broadcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the improvements being made to Peacock, why we believe Alexi Lalas' goes over-the-top at times with his analysis, the clunkiness of not having NBCSN available for Premier League games, does ESPN have a lack of depth in their co-commentator slot, is MLS at a disadvantage where soccer fans feel they can't 'burn the candle' at both ends, our recommended matches to watch this weekend, who could be in the running for the rights to the UEFA Champions League after CBS' deal ends, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Noted for famous books such as We Ate All the Pies and Can we have out football back?, John Nicholson is one of the top soccer writers.With his extended-form non-fiction work, Nicholson dives into topics regarding how the game has changed over time. More often than not, developments to the game take away from the historic and respected nature that fans across the globe fell in love with. Nicholson dives into those two books and what they mean to him, as well as a variety of other topics:How he got into the writing industrySupporting Middlesbrough and some of his favorite memoriesOrganizing and releasing T-shirts for saleExpanding on his passion for Rock 'n' Roll with Rock Candy MagazineHis writing with Football 365 and his knowledge of the beautiful gameApplying his trade to fiction works, not just non-fiction soccer writing.John Nicholson's books are best-selling works and are still available. You can also follow his work at his Twitter (@JohnnyTheNic) and for Football 365.A video version of this interview is available on the World Soccer Talk YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss our thoughts on the differences between ESPN, CBS and FOX’s coverage of Team USA, why fans of Premier League teams will experience big changes this February, who has the best Transfer Deadline Day coverage, and can beIN SPORTS do better with their AFCON coverage? Finally, we share our recommendations of what to watch this weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim Beglin, heard on Premier League and Champions League broadcasts, talks with Kyle Fansler about his time in the media industry.Beglin, who represented Liverpool and Leeds among other clubs during his playing career, is part of a special company. He won a league and cup double with Liverpool in the 1985/86 season.Unfortunately, injuries plagued the Irishman's career, forcing an early retirement in 1991.On the bright side, his playing career opened the door into the broadcast injury. With his experience playing in and winning some of England and Europe's biggest competitions, his knowledge of the game is extensive.In this episode, Beglin discusses a variety of topics.How injuries actually brought new opportunities off the pitchPlaying on some of Liverpool's most dominant sidesRepresenting Ireland internationallyDealing with criticism from listeners and watchersThe experience of calling World Cup gamesMoving from Ireland to England as a teenager in the 1980sThe current international and club scene in EuropeThe most common places to hear Jim Beglin's voice on calls is through the Premier League world feed or Paramount+'s Champions League coverage. In the United States, Beglin is usually part of the duo calling the biggest EPL games. Therefore, NBC often uses its own in-house commentary team to call those games. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss why do the US soccer networks have such a hard time finding a critical USMNT analyst, our thoughts on ESPN's coverage of the USA-El Salvador game, where does Taylor Twellman go from here, all the details about Euro 2024 and Euro 2028 are heading, what we expect from CBS' coverage of Canada-USA, news about a new soccer documentary on Netflix plus listener mailbag and a whole lot more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we feature Matt Jones from The Blue Room Podcast and Kartik Krishnaiyer. They discuss the impact of fan culture on soccer clubs in light of what's happening at Everton.When fans feel powerless against the decisions made by their own club that they’ve supported all their life, what do they do? On today’s podcast episode, we delve into the current situation at Everton and what it says about the club’s owner is on a completely different wavelength than the club’s fanbase. Whether you’re a supporter of Everton or not, it’s something that most fans can relate to. Club owners make business decisions that are often mistake prone. But what happens when those irresponsible decisions take your club close to relegation?In the podcast, a central figure of conversation is Kia Joorabchian, the businessman who brokered irresponsible deals with clubs all around England including Arsenal, Manchester City, QPR and West Ham United, among others.With the season already half over, we ask what the expectations are from Everton supporters, and what can be learned. And where Everton may go from here based on the current decline.Also discussed is the role of supporters groups and how vital it is that fans have a voice within the clubs. The controversy at the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns is covered, and how the role of fans and clubs differs between the United States and England.The guests also discuss the effectiveness of fan protests, and whether they work to get the point across. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Derek Rae joins host Kyle Fansler to talk about his career in soccer broadcasting.Rae, one of the most popular and known voices in English-language soccer commentary, shows off a handful of items collected throughout his time in the game. His time covering soccer includes a number of major games and tournaments, including perhaps the most memorable Champions League Final of all time.Also, Derek Rae talks about his language background. Many people recognize the commentator for his attention to detail in regards to pronunciation of teams and players, like Bruno Fernandes and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.Some of the other topics discussed include:• His thoughts on pronouncing player names• The advantages of being a freelance commentator• How a background in language helped him in his broadcast career• His memories of calling Champions League games on ESPN• What it was like calling the greatest Champions League final ever• Which World Cup has been the most memorable for him out of all of them since 1990• His thoughts on the biennial World Cup• Commentating the mother of all club derbies in the world Rae is a freelance commentator, meaning he covers an array of events. He frequently can be heard on Bundesliga broadcasts, ESPN's LaLiga coverage and as the voice of the FIFA video game series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the NEW episode, we discuss how much (do) we need the middle men who broadcast soccer, beIN SPORTS's coverage of Africa Cup Of Nations sinks to new lows, the latest analysis on the US Soccer TV rights deal for the USMNT and USWNT, DAZN has a lot of appealing soccer content heading our way, what to look out for in the new version of the Fubo app, and we answer your questions in the Listener Mailbag segment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a discussion with ESPN's Janusz Michallik and World Soccer Talk's Kartik Krishnaiyer, host Kyle Fansler asks about several topics including: are MLS clubs selling U.S. talent too cheaply, how the pendulum is changing with MLS selling players to Europe, Americans that missed out on signing for European clubs, why European clubs are signing players from North America now than ever before, and how Insigne can help the US Men's National Team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss ESPN+'s latest soccer numbers, a drought has fallen on the Africa Cup of Nations, FOX cements a World Cup deal with Twitter, which soccer channels are losing the biggest % of subscribers, and why does the FA Cup upset MLS writers so? Plus we recommend matches to watch this weekend as well as answering your questions in the Listener Mailbag segment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transfermarkt's Manuel Veth and Kartik Krishnaiyer are this week's guests to discuss the January Transfer Window. Host Kyle Fansler asks Manuel and Kartik about what major transfers we can expect to see in this window, what Newcastle United's strategy will be, which leagues will see the major moves, and whether we may see more or less deals signed this month than previously. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss what differences there are with Premier League games on the USA Network. Who the big winner is with the Pepi and Dike transfers to Europe. We share what happened to Sky Sports News. We look ahead to the latest news about the next MLS TV deal. And we share our recommendations of what to watch this weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kyle Fansler chats with Keith Costigan and Kartik Krishnaiyer about how and why some managers thrive with different philosophies through their coaching.Costigan, who works with FOX Sports and the Seattle Sounders, has a UEFA A coaching license, requiring significant research and learning into the world of coaching. He, along with Krishnaiyer, break down how the likes of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp achieved their statuses as some of the game's greatest coaches.Also, the pair talk about coaching philosophies at different levels. This includes clubs constantly in relegation battles and organizations like Red Bull, which seeks to cut down on certain growing pains by using similar styles at multiple clubs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to our latest episode to play our soccer knowledge quiz. And celebrate the end of 2021 and the start of 2022 with us. We also talk about what the holidays would be like if there was no soccer on TV. On behalf of the entire staff at World Soccer Talk, we'd like to wish you Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year. Thanks for listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode, we discuss FIFA's biennial World Cup idea, whether Concacaf is in support of the biennial World Cup, how the idea helps or hurts Gianni Infantino politically, is MLS for or against the idea, and what US Soccer Federation's stance is on the biennial World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the crystal ball revealing who is getting MLS rights, a new soccer documentary hits the airwaves about one of Europe’s top institutions, Spectrum TV throws English soccer fans a bone, why MLS is not in a New York state of mind, what USA Network's Premier League coverage will look like, broadcasters don't need to hype leagues that do its talking on the pitch, and we answer your questions in the Listener Mailbag segment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Major League Soccer is different from many soccer leagues. Rather than crowning a champion based on the club's results throughout the 34-game season, the league takes a more American approach. LAFC's Dave Denholm and World Soccer Talk's Kartik Krishnaiyer talk about parity in soccer and how the U.S.'s top league could be improved in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss why the US Soccer calendar needs to change. MLS drops more details about their next TV deal. Der Klassiker, Champions League and Philly-NYCFC suffer from technical problems. And we share our recommendations of what to watch this weekend. Plus, who has the best marketing machine between ABC/ESPN, NBC and CBS? And we discuss the success of F1 on ESPN and what ideas that may create for broadcasters wanting to grow soccer stateside. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MLS gets a record TV rating for a game on Thanksgiving Day., meanwhile, can the Leagues Cup save MLS’ next TV deal? We have the latest news about the A-League rights in the U.S. And we share our recommended matches to watch this weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the latest news about the next MLS TV rights deal, we talk NWSL and whether the Championship Final is an indication of the level the league is at, where NBC Sports goes from here with the Premier League coverage, has CBS Sports' soccer coverage lost their audience in order to chase social media likes and media attention, our recommended games to watch this weekend, is it time for FOX Sports to clean house, and your feedback in the Listener Mailbag segment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss NBC renewing the Premier League rights deal in the U.S., and what it means for soccer fans and MLS. A new podcast series is coming to Spotify about the last days of Diego Maradona. Amazon Prime does one better with a new Maradona series featuring an unlikely cameo. We analyze CBS’s coverage of the World Cup Qualifiers. Telemundo shares initial plans for their World Cup coverage. And we answer your questions in the Listener Mailbag segment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the end of an era for both ESPN and NBCSN when it comes to soccer coverage. More details on FOX’s shocking acquisition of European Championship rights. A popular soccer presenter calls it a day. You the listeners share your opinions about national TV ratings for MLS. Plus anticipation is building for the big announcement from the Premier League. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We dive into what we thought of ESPN’s coverage of El Clásico. How the new rule of five substitutes is or isn’t a good idea. Fubo agrees a deal to bring more European soccer to streamers. Why we now have more soccer leagues available to you free of charge than ever before. What MLS broadcasts are missing to make them better. And you, the listeners, give us your feedback on whether the Premier League should do a split deal among two major broadcasters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More details emerge about the Premier League TV rights deal in the US. We reveal the 20 most popular soccer teams in the United States. Should UEFA and CONMEBOL nations leave FIFA? Elsewhere, we reveal what % of American soccer fans prefer British commentators. We look ahead to this weekend’s games. We also discuss FOX getting the rights to two major competitions. Plus we have plenty of time for the Listener Mailbag. And we’ll explain how this weekend’s El Clasico will not be on television at all in the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss USA’s performances during the October international break, ESPN versus CBS’s coverage of the US Men’s Team, our thoughts on the Newcastle United takeover, how DAZN’s coverage of the UEFA Womens Champions League is going so far, and how much we're looking forward to the international break being over. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Soccernomics co-author Dr. Stefan Szymanski discusses why the Premier League is on the precipice of making more money from TV rights than ever before, how the next Premier League TV deal in the U.S. is up in the air, the impact of government authorities in the UK on TV rights, Brexit’s longterm impact on the Premier League and English Championship, luxury taxes in European soccer and whether they can work or not, has the salary cap in LaLiga helped or hurt the Spanish league, survival rate comparison between soccer clubs in open leagues versus closed leagues, the story of Leicester City that went from bankruptcy to league title winners, how coverage of the European Super League was different in the US versus UK media, concept of ownership of soccer clubs; owners versus local communities; fan ownership, the German 50+1 model, and whether it can work in England plus news about a new edition of Soccernomics coming soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss why the English Premier League faces its toughest decision ever when it comes to awarding the next US TV rights deal, NBC squares off against YouTube TV and makes Peacock demands, what does it say about CBS Sports' soccer coverage when they make a hire such as Thierry Henry to accompany Jamie Carragher and Peter Schmeichel in the studio for their UEFA Champions League coverage, how a hybrid model between American sports and European soccer could be the game’s ultimate blueprint, our thoughts on Freddie Ljungberg as an analyst on The Golazo Show on CBS Sports, the role of diversity in soccer coverage on U.S. TV, how soccer's top podcasters from The Guardian's Football Weekly and The Game Podcast became our favorite journalists, and your feedback in the Listener Mailbag segment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the latest news about the Premier League TV rights, our thoughts on the expanded Leagues Cup, NBC bounces back with stronger-than-ever Premier League coverage, Serie B finds a home in the U.S., is a World Cup every 2 years a foregone conclusion, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss who will win the next Premier League rights deal in the U.S., the risks and rewards of streaming, latest news about the MLS TV rights deal, what the newest streaming rights changes will mean for you, Peacock and ESPN+'s headaches, English domination in Europe, our matches to watch this weekend, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss how much progress is the US team making, news about beIN SPORTS being added to a streaming service, the stark differences between CBS’s and FOX’s World Cup Qualifying coverage, FIFA’s plans for a World Cup every 2 years, and could Paramount+ and Peacock consider a joint bid for Premier League? Plus Listener Mailbag and a whole lot more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss our thoughts on El Salvador vs. USA, was this the best transfer window ever? We discuss CR7 turns the transfer window upside down, why MLS All-Star Game ratings are a tale of two cities, Africa’s World Cup qualifiers find a home in the U.S., and much more news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, FOX announces launch of sports streaming service, the slow burn of La Liga on ESPN+, our thoughts about CBS’s coverage of Serie A after week 1, what it’s like commentating alongside Ray Hudson, MLS TV ratings get a boost and much more plus our listener mailbag section. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss NBC's EPL coverage faces fierce competition from ESPN+, CBS announces more details about their Serie A coverage, our thoughts on ESPN’s first week of LaLiga coverage, which league gets off to a big start with TV ratings, how our soccer-viewing habits are changing, our thoughts on whether ESPN will try to renew MLS rights or not, and much more in a packed episode with plenty of tangents and insightful letters from you, the listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss what Messi to PSG means for ESPN and beIN SPORTS, we give you all of the news about the exciting return of the European leagues, latest news about CBS and ESPN’s big plans for Serie A & LaLiga, why the pendulum of transfer signings has swung to the Premier League as well as TV coverage plans from NBC/Premier League as well as ESPN/Bundesliga, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss what the Messi transfer saga means for the soccer TV networks, big changes at beIN SPORTS as lead analyst Ray Hudson leaves, ESPN announces star analysts for LaLiga coverage, we reveal who one of the hosts will be for ESPN's LaLiga coverage, and what's happening with the rights to the Dutch Eredivisie league. Plus all of your questions and comments in our Listener Mailbag section. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss ESPN tasked with growing LaLiga in United States - can they do it?, why ESPN’s focus on LaLiga will open up opportunities for CBS to acquire more rights, Scottish Premiership rights are on the move again, our experiences watching the Olympics and the Gold Cup, as well as your feedback in the Listener Mailbag section. Vamos! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode, we discuss ESPN & Univision break records with ratings for Euro 2020, our thoughts on FOX’s Copa America coverage, gauging the level of interest in the Summer Olympics, why there's so much like and dislike for ESPN's Taylor Twellman, and your feedback in the Listener Mailbag segment Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danny Higginbotham and Kartik Krishnaiyer discuss the tactical trends they gleaned from Euro 2020 including the popularity of 3-5-2 formations, the rise of ball-playing center halves, the resurgence of the deep-lying playmaker, number 9's dropping deeper, why there were so few goals scored from set pieces as well as the key partnerships between strikers and wide players and why that's hard for teams to defend against. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ian Darke chats with us to discuss that Landon Donovan goal call from the 2010 World Cup, the Aguero goal-call from 2012, challenges of commentating Euro 2020 games, differences in announcing for world feed vs. US audience, what an England victory at Euro 2020 would mean for his country, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss with ESPN the possibility of sending US-based talent to Europe to report on the latter stages of Euro 2020, what Euro 2020 could have looked like for ESPN if COVID hadn’t happened, how hosting the Euro 2020 coverage in Bristol CT presented several challenges, why European-based talent are interested in working in the United States, how Rece Davis has adapted to stepping into the shoes of Bob Ley and Mike Tirico, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss our first impressions of ESPN’s Euro 2020 coverage, how ESPN handled the Christian Eriksen emergency, observations about FOX’s Copa America broadcasts and more in episode 226. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's show, we share our thoughts about CBS’s coverage of the Concacaf Nations League, we look ahead to Euro 2020 and Copa America that begin this weekend, what we think of fubo’s World Cup qualifying coverage, and where the US Men’s National Team go from here, in episode 225. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.