While fuboTV is mostly known as a streaming-TV bundle provider, they’ve taken some dives into the content creation waters as well. They’ve previously shown some live sports on their fubo Sports Network, including exclusive coverage of some cycling events, and they’ve also featured plenty of original studio content. And now, they’ve made a pretty notable rights addition, picking up exclusive streaming rights to the CONMEBOL (South American confederation) qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Those rights were previously on streaming platform Fanatiz. fuboTV has acquired rights to the 70 remaining matches, set to begin in June with more windows set for later in 2021 and early in 2022. Here’s more on that from a release:
The agreement, a partnership with the 10 South American teams’ rights holders, strengthens fuboTV’s leading position as a sports-first live TV streaming platform and its offering of matches from the global Qatar World Cup 2022 Qualifiers. The top four teams competing within CONMEBOL, one of FIFA’s six continental confederations, qualify for Qatar. In addition to CONMEBOL, fuboTV will stream many qualifying matches through its carriage of other channel partners.
…To bolster its Qatar World Cup 2022 Qualifiers coverage, fuboTV will produce original programming, including pre, half-time and post match shows, to air throughout the season. Specific details on programming, including how consumers can stream all South American qualifying matches with fuboTV, and on-air talent will be announced.
“Our mission is to provide the world’s most thrilling sports-first live TV experience with the greatest breadth of premium content, interactivity and integrated wagering,” said David Gandler, co-founder and CEO, fuboTV. “By offering the best of South American soccer in advance of Qatar 2022, we are further differentiating fuboTV’s sports-first content portfolio enabling us to engage with more consumers than ever before.”
It’s definitely interesting to see fuboTV getting some more exclusive streaming rights. And while World Cup qualifiers don’t always come with huge audiences, especially for teams from elsewhere in the world, CONMEBOL has a lot of prominent players, and some teams that will certainly be contenders at the World Cup. So hardcore soccer fans in particular may be interested in some of these games.
Beyond that, it’s notable to see fuboTV also diving into creating their own shoulder programming here, including pre- and post-game coverage. We’ll see what on-air talent they wind up with for those broadcasts. And we’ll see how picking up these rights works out for them.
[CONMEBOL logo via LinkedIn]
About Andrew Bucholtz
Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.