BeIN Sports (American TV channel)

BeIN Sports (American TV channel)
beIN Sports USA is a pay television sports network which primarily airs top level soccer, featuring exclusive coverage of Ligue 1, along with content from other leagues in Europe. In addition, BeIN Sports airs matches from such sports as rugby, auto racing, handball, motorcycle racing, tennis, and volleyball. A companion network, BeIN Sports USA Español, carries simulcasts or a different schedule of events primarily in Spanish, with both networks offering secondary Spanish or English commentary via the second audio program option. It is a subsidiary of the Qatari Media Network beIN.
History
BeIN Sports USA launched on the satellite provider DirecTV on August 16, 2012, coinciding with the start of the European soccer leagues 2012–13 season. beIN launched on the satellite Dish network the following day before being added to cable giant Comcast on September 6, 2012. Verizon FiOS added BeIN Sports in March 2013.
In 2016, BeIN Sports reached a deal with Conference USA to carry select football, basketball, baseball, and softball games, This agreement ended after the 2018-19 season and was not renewed. Also in 2016, BeIN Sports began showing matches from the North American Soccer League.
In August 2018, several major television providers dropped the network, including AT&T (both DirecTV and U-verse), Verizon Fios, and Xfinity.
In October 2018, the WTA Tour returned its broadcast rights back to Tennis Channel. Its contract with BeIN (as part of a wider international deal) was criticized by fans for limiting the reach of its events, citing inconsistent and intermittent scheduling due to conflicts with international soccer, and decreasing carriage.
In 2019, BeIN Sports launched BeIN Sports Xtra, a 24/7 live stream extension of the BeIN Sports brand that allows fans to view select games for free and airs other sports related programs, such as highlights; it also has a complementary service in Spanish, BeIN Sports Xtra ñ. The service is available on FuboTV, Sling TV, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Vizio, Redbox, Samsung TV Plus, Fanatiz, Klowd TV, Xumo, and is available through over-the-air television stations in select markets.
Based on numbers from Nielsen, Variety ranked beIN Sports as the lowest-rated broadcast or cable network in the United States in 2021 based on total viewers, with a 40% decline year-over-year.
Programming
Current
European soccer
France: Ligue 1, Ligue 2, Trophée des Champions
Turkey: Süper Lig
South American soccer
Copa Libertadores
Copa Sudamericana
Recopa Sudamericana
Brasil Global Tour
Handball
EHF Champions League
Professional wrestling
Major League Wrestling
MLW Fusion
Battle Riot III
Motorsports
FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Combat Sports
BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting
Former
European soccer
Spain: Copa del Rey (exclude final) (until 2018–19)
France: Coupe de la Ligue (until 2019–20)
Sweden: Swedish Cup (semifinals and final)
Spain: La Liga 2012-2021
Italy: Serie A 2012-2017
England: EFL Cup 2012-2015
Austria: ÖFB Cup (final only)
France: Coupe de France (through 2022)
Basketball
Europe: Basketball Champions League
Motorsports
MotoAmerica (2016, 2017, and 2018)
FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX)
SBK Superbike 2012-2018
W Series
World Touring Car Cup
Tennis
ATP World Tour 250
Gaelic games
Gaelic Athletic Association
African soccer
Africa Cup of Nations
Women's Africa Cup of Nations
CAF Champions League
CAF Confederation Cup
Commentators
Play-by-Play
English:
Phil Schoen (Lead)
George D. Metellus
Antonio Aquilino
José Bauz
Bruno Santos
Gary Bailey
Spanish:
Alejandro Figueredo (Lead)
José Bauz
Juan Fernando Mora
Bruno Santos
Carlos Suárez
Oscar Salazár
Pablo Mariño
Color Commentators
Thomas Rongen (Lead English)
Juan Fernando Mora (Lead Spanish)
List of BeIN Sports Xtra affiliates
References
Sports television networks in the United States
Television channels and stations established in 2012
BeIN Sports