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USL Championship Final Delivers Record-Breaking Viewership on CBS

December 6, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


TAMPA, Fla. - The United Soccer League (USL) registered the largest television audience in league history as the 2024 USL Championship Final drew 431,000 viewers on CBS. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC claimed its first title with a 3-0 victory over Rhode Island FC during the Nov. 23 noon (ET) broadcast, capping the first year of the USL's multi-year agreement with CBS Sports and expanding the league's national reach across the CBS Television Network, CBS Sports Network, and CBS Sports Golazo Network.

"The record-breaking audience for the 2024 Championship Final on CBS highlights the growing national appeal of the USL and our commitment to making the league accessible to fans across the country," said Paul McDonough, USL President and Chief Soccer Officer. "Our partnership with CBS has been instrumental in connecting us with a wider audience and bringing high-quality soccer to fans. The success of this broadcast, coupled with local television deals, demonstrates the positive momentum we are building as we continue to elevate the USL's presence nationwide."

The league's three network broadcasts on CBS this year reached over 1 million viewers, highlighting an upward trend in the USL's national visibility. Since 2017, the USL has expanded its broadcast footprint with agreements across ESPN, Peacock, TUDN, and local linear partnerships at the club level.

Local Television Partnerships Expand Accessibility

For the first time, all USL Championship clubs secured local television deals, significantly increasing accessibility for fans across the country and strengthening community connections. These partnerships provided fans with free over-the-air options, bringing USL action to wider audiences while creating new promotional and commercial opportunities for clubs.

Local television agreements contributed to record-breaking audience growth this season. Average match audiences for the USL Championship and League One rose by 20%, with total viewership climbing 18%. Local linear broadcasts saw over 15% more viewers, including a 25% increase in home markets.

In 2024, the USL delivered over 1,200 hours of live soccer programming across 613 matches.

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