David Beckham is joining the talented crew of former stars on Paramount+ for a brand-new Champions League alternative broadcast. The Champions League winner with Manchester United and icon with Real Madrid will host Beckham and Friends. This watch-along show will be available for the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals this season as well as the Final. Moreover, Beckham is signing a two-year deal with CBS and Paramount+. Therefore, Beckham and Friends will be available for the 2026 semifinals and Final, as well.
In this altcast, Beckham will bring on friends and celebrities who viewers will recognize. Although neither CBS nor Beckham mentioned who those celebrities would be, Beckham clarified they would not just be former players. This includes Hollywood stars who are fans of the game. In the show, Beckham and his guests will talk about all things, including the game they are watching. In essence, the program is a way to listen to conversations while also watching soccer.
Beckham joined the UEFA Champions League Today crew on CBS to break the news. The Englishman made a surprise appearance with analysts Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards taken aback by his appearance. Beckham went on to explain what the show would be like and what viewers can look forward to as they watch Beckham and Friends.
Beckham added that the bar is high in terms of the celebrities they are bringing onto the show. In a friendly jab, this excluded someone like Gary Neville, a former teammate of Beckham’s with England and Manchester United.
Beckham Champions League show on Paramount+ joins watch-along sports programs
American sports fans will be largely familiar with the premise of watch-along shows. One of the trendsetters for this was ESPN. The Manningcast program for Monday Night Football brings former NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning together. They talk football and other things while watching Monday Night Football. They bring on guests, some of whom played American football, and some of whom are other celebrities. For example, the recent Manningcast for a game between the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles brought former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and actor Miles Teller, who is an Eagles fan.
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Based on the format of soccer, a watch-along show makes sense, and David Beckham is an ideal candidate for CBS to run this type of program. As someone in tune with celebrities and soccer, Beckham can talk about virtually any topic. It is a way to bring in more subscribers to Paramount+ who may follow someone making an appearance on Beckham and Friends. Given that this program will happen during the semifinals and Champions League Final, it should pull strong audiences for Paramount+, where it is exclusively streaming.
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