ESPN+ now home to exclusive U.S. coverage of the Bundesliga

ESPN+ (affiliate link) will be the new home of live Bundesliga coverage in the U.S. starting in the 2020/21 season. The Bundesliga will return for matchday 1 on September 18, and content throughout the league will be featured across ESPN’s line of media platforms.

ESPN+ will stream over 300 matches of the Bundesliga season in both Spanish and English. ESPN’s television platforms — ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes will also feature select matches during the season. This season is the first of a six-year agreement between ESPN and the Bundesliga.

What to expect

This multi-year agreement was made back in September 2019, but the content being provided by ESPN has only now been disclosed. The daily soccer news program, ESPN FC, will cover the Bundesliga throughout the year with exclusive highlights and analysis. ESPN+ will also showcase fifty classic Bundesliga matches throughout the year. The first batch of ten classic matches, including Robert Lewandowski’s five-goal spectacle against Wolfsburg, will be available by matchday 1. Additionally, ESPN will release interactive Bundesliga quizzes and spotlights on American players throughout the league.

The implications of this deal

As European football becomes more and more prevalent in North America, we will see greater emphasis on the sport in the American media. The Bundesliga is a great choice for ESPN to invest in, as it is home to several U.S. Men’s National Team players as well as Canadian star and Bayern Munich fullback Alphonso Davies. The Bundesliga will surely benefit as well, as they have now found a home in one the largest sports markets in the world. Most importantly, this agreement should allow greater accessibility for American fans to watch the beautiful game.

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