Andrea Kremer / association football / CBS Sports / Gary Bailey / Hope Solo / Jeremy St. Louis / Jordan Angeli / Kaylyn Kyle / Lesley Visser / Mike Watts / Morgan Conklin / Pedro Pinto / Phil Schoen / Poppy Miller / Ray Hudson / Rhiannon Jones / soccer / sports / Thomas Rongen / UEFA Champions League / USA / women in broadcasting / Women's World Cup / World Cup

Eye on Europe: CBS Sports to build UEFA Champions League TV team

- by Oliver Tse

Anchor Jeremy St. Louis (CAN, left) and studio analyst/pundit Thomas Rongen (NED) discussed UEFA Champions League action on the CBS Sports HQ Internet streaming video service from the CBS Sports Digital studio in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on October 3, 2019. Courtesy CBS Sports.

By Oliver Tse

Email: workingnow88@workingnow88.com
Twitter: @workingnow88

Originally published on November 18, 2019. Updated on December 11, 2019, February 7, 15, 18, 23, March 5, 31, April 11, June 24, 2020, December 8 and 21, 2022

(Note: this is the first part of a multi-part series that will appear on workingnow88.com over the next 24 months.)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – Every U.S. based sports business reporter, sportswriter and sports blogger who attempted to predict the outcome of the sealed bid process for the U.S. English-language media rights in the August 2021-June 2024 cycle for the UEFA Champions League, arguably the greatest professional club soccer tournament on Earth with iconic global brands and billion-dollar starting lineups, were caught by surprise when Sports Business Journal reporter John Ourand broke the news on November 8 that CBS Sports, the one U.S. English-language sports media entity that has NOT televised any major professional soccer product since 1976,

Brazilian forward Edson Arantes do Nascimento a.k.a. Pelé was featured in this CBS Sports telecast of the North American Soccer League (NASL) regular season match between the Tampa Bay Rowdies and New York Cosmos at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida on June 6, 1976. Play-by-play commentator: Mario Machado (CHN/USA). Analyst: Paul Gardner (ENG). Courtesy CBS Sports.

…submitted a bid of approximately $330 million, or $110 million/season, to knock out incumbent Turner Sports (which was paying approximately $60 million/season for the August 2018-June 2021 cycle) as well as rival bids from ESPN, FOX Sports and NBC Sports Group.

However, two South Florida-based soccer-centric television sportscasters, Canadian Jeremy St. Louis and Netherlands-born Thomas Rongen, who were hired as freelancers to work on the CBS Sports HQ Internet streaming video news service from its non-union video production studio in Fort Lauderdale, posted in plain sight on Twitter on October 3 this “tell” which was missed by EVERYONE who tried to predict the outcome of the bid process:

Former CBS Corporation President and Acting CEO Joseph Ianniello mentioned in a quarterly earnings conference call on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 that the main CBS free-to-air terrestrial broadcast television network (which is available to over 120 million U.S. TV households) will broadcast selected UEFA Champions League matches during the Group Stage and the Knockout Stage including both legs of both semifinal series on selected Tuesdays and Wednesdays, as well as the final match, which usually takes place on the first Saturday in June (Fussball Arena Muenchen in Munich, Germany in 2022; Wembley Stadium in London, England in 2023; site TBD in 2024.)

Former CBS Corporation Chairman and Acting CEO Joseph Ianniello. Courtesy CBS Corporation.

Presumably, the pre-season UEFA Super Cup on the second Wednesday in August, featuring the winner of the previous season’s UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, will also air on CBS.

CBS Sports Network, an all-sports pay TV network which only clears 50 million U.S. television households, will only be used for prime time UEFA Champions League rebroadcasts, presumably because CBS Sports Network is bound by daytime simulcast contracts with CBS Sports Radio, most notably The Jim Rome Show hosted by superstar sports radio talk show host Jim Rome originating from Costa Mesa, California on weekdays 12noon-3pm Eastern/9am-12noon Pacific, which conflicts with the UEFA Champions League pre-match show at 12noon Eastern/9am Pacific and the 2 matches in the first broadcast window of each match Tuesday and Wednesday kicking off at 12:55pm Eastern/9:55am Pacific.

Video frame capture of superstar sports radio talk show host Jim Rome (USA) during the Jim Rome Show on CBS Sports Radio with simulcast on all-sports pay TV network CBS Sports Network at a custom-built studio in Costa Mesa, California on November 15, 2019. Courtesy CBS Sports.

Ianniello also mentioned that CBS Sports has also acquired U.S. English-language TV rights to the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League for the August 2021-June 2024 cycle. Matches from these 2nd and 3rd-tier European club soccer tournaments (a la the NIT, CBI and CIT tournaments in U.S. men’s college basketball) will likely be available on Internet streaming via the over-the-top CBS All Access subscription service (currently priced at $5.99/month with commercials or $9.99/month commercial-free) with the probable exception of the final match of each tournament.

According to Ourand, Turner Sports Chief Executive Officer Lenny Daniels announced via an internal company memo on May 16, 2019 the departure of former Turner Sports Chief Operating Officer (COO) Matthew Hong, the Harvard Law School graduate (and my brother’s classmate) who was the “point man” responsible for the UEFA Champions League and NBA TV at Turner Sports.

From left to right: former Turner Sports Chief Operating Officer Matthew Hong, former Turner Broadcasting President David Levy and Turner Sports Chief Executive Officer Lenny Daniels posed with the European Champions Cup in August 2017. Courtesy Turner Broadcasting.

Hong’s many missteps as the architect of the Bleacher Report Football UEFA Champions League studio show on U.S. pay TV network TNT (formerly Turner Network Television) included his choice of former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Steve Nash of Canada as the lead studio pundit, his decision to NOT include a controversial “black hat” studio pundit among the studio panel, and his choice of former Major League Baseball (MLB) player Fernando Pérez of the Tampa Bay Rays as the lead features correspondent.

From left to right: In this publicity photo from August 29, 2018, Bleacher Report Football: UEFA Champions League on TNT studio pundits Stuart Holden (USA) and Steve Nash (CAN) appeared on the video monitor remotely from a television studio rented from The Switch located at public television station KCET-DT in Burbank, California. Host Kate Abdo (ENG), studio pundits Tim Howard (USA) and Carlos Bocanegra (USA) were in a studio at Turner Broadcasting’s Techwood campus in Atlanta, Georgia. Courtesy Turner Sports.

Why CBS Sports might use its digital studio in South Florida

Because Medley, Florida-based English-language all-sports pay TV networks beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada, both of which are owned by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and originate from the studio of MEDIAPRO U.S. (formerly Imagina U.S.), a division of Spanish media production company MEDIAPRO, significantly restructured its English-language on-air talent stable in May-August 2019 to cut talent cost after beIN Sports USA lost its carriage agreements with Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) TV service DIRECTV and cable TV service Xfinity by Comcast by:

1. Releasing the following talent:

  • Irish-American host/anchor/play-by-play commentator Kevin Egan, who relocated to Atlanta so he no longer has to commute to his regional television play-by-play commentator assignments for Major League Soccer (MLS) club Atlanta United FC, as well his freelance hosting and anchoring assignments for Turner Sports and CNN International

March 5, 2020 Update: Kevin Egan announced that he has been hired as the newest anchor of the daily international sports news program World Sport on global all-news pay TV network CNN International. He will continue to serve as the regional television play-by-play commentator for MLS club Atlanta United FC and work freelance assignments for Turner Sports (host of ELEAGUE FIFA video gaming tournaments and play-by-play commentary of pre-season international soccer friendlies.)

  • Canadian host/anchor Terri Leigh (ex-wife of Jeremy St. Louis), who returned to Canada and is currently attending culinary school in Ottawa
  • British host Kay Murray, who relocated to Connecticut where her husband, blogger turned international soccer television personality Matteo “The Calcio Guy” Bonetti, has been working for ESPN, Inc. at its Bristol, Connecticut studios since August 2018 after beIN Sports USA lost the rights to the Italian Serie A to ESPN, Inc.

2. Converting from staff to freelance ALL remaining beIN Sports USA/Canada English-language on-air talent so they are all available to work on media projects at other entities including CBS Sports immediately:

A. Canadian host/anchor/senior producer Jeremy St. Louis (pronounced “SAINT LOO-ee”), who anchored international soccer television newscasts FOX Sports World Report and FOX Soccer Report at Shaw Media-owned Canwest Global Television’s all-sports pay TV network FOX Sports World Canada from the studio of CKND-TV 9 in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2001-2011,

From left to right: then husband and wife anchor team of Jeremy St. Louis (CAN, left) and Terri Leigh (CAN, right) ended the September 10, 2009 episode of FOX Soccer Report with this T-shirt from viewer David Simpson (CAN) of Los Angeles-based Malibu United Soccer Club. FOX Soccer Report was produced by Shaw Media-owned Canwest Global Television at the studio of CKND-TV 9 “Global Winnipeg” in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for broadcast on all-sports pay-TV network FOX Sports World Canada with simulcast in the U.S. on FOX Soccer Channel. Courtesy Shaw Media/FOX Sports World Canada.

… before he relocated to Miami with his former wife Terri Leigh when beIN Sports USA launched in August 2012.

From left to right: host Jeremy St. Louis (CAN), analyst Phil Schoen (USA) and sports news presenter Terri Leigh (CAN) during the September 30, 2015 episode of The Express Xtra which aired on all-sports pay TV networks beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada. Courtesy beIN Sports USA LLC.

February 7, 2020 Update: Jeremy St. Louis allowed his freelance contract with beIN Sports USA, LLC to expire on December 31, 2019. He currently anchors CBS Sports HQ on weekdays usually between 8am and noon Eastern Time.

On February 14, 2020, CBS Sports HQ anchor Jeremy St. Louis (CAN) spoke with CBSSports.com soccer writer Roger Gonzalez (USA) after UEFA banned English Premier League Club Manchester City from the UEFA Champions League for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons over alleged violation of Financial Fair Play rules. Courtesy CBS Sports.

B. Former U.S. U-20 national team and MLS Tampa Bay Mutiny/New England Revolution/DC United/Chivas USA head coach Thomas Rongen, who began working as a soccer television studio pundit in September 2012 at Rogers Media’s all-sports pay TV network Rogers Sportsnet World in Toronto, Ontario, Canada when he was the youth academy director for MLS club Toronto FC.

From left to right: anchor James Sharman (ENG), anchor Sarah Davis (CAN) and analyst/pundit Thomas Rongen (NED) during the July 5, 2013 episode of FOX Soccer News which was produced by Rogers Media at the studio of Citytv flagship free-to-air terrestrial broadcast TV station CITY-DT 57.1 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Originally broadcast in Canada on all-sports pay TV network Rogers Sportsnet World (formerly Setanta Sports Canada) with simulcast in the U.S. on FOX Soccer Channel. Courtesy Rogers Media/FOX Sports (US).

After Rongen relocated to South Florida in 2016, he freelanced for both beIN Sports USA/Canada in Medley and CBS Sports in Fort Lauderdale. The distance between the two studios is approximately 38 miles/60 km.

On May 8, 2019, CBS Sports soccer analyst Thomas Rongen (NED) appeared on CBS Sports HQ to break down the implosion of Dutch Eredivisie club Ajax during the UEFA Champions League Semifinal 2nd leg match against English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. Courtesy CBS Sports.

C. Former England/Manchester United Goalkeeper turned soccer television studio host and pundit Gary Bailey.

From left to right: studio pundit Thomas Rongen (NED), host Gary Bailey (ENG), studio pundits Kaylyn Kyle (CAN) and Hope Solo (USA) discussed issues with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) systems across Europe during the Sunday, August 18, 2019 post-match episode of The Express, which was broadcast on all-sports pay TV networks beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada. The show originated from the studio of MEDIAPRO U.S. in Medley, Florida, USA. Courtesy beIN Sports USA, LLC.

D. American sports television play-by-play announcer Phil Schoen, who called the San José Clash vs DC United Major League Soccer (MLS) inaugural match from Spartan Stadium in San José, California on April 6, 1996 for ESPN (U.S.) and many ESPN-branded television networks around the world.

San José Clash forward Eric Wynalda (USA) scored this GOLAZO during the 88th minute of the Major League Soccer (MLS) inaugural match against DC United at Spartan Stadium in San José, California on April 6, 1996. Play-by-play announcer: Phil Schoen (USA). Match analyst: Ty Keough (USA). Touchline reporter: Bill McDermott (USA). Courtesy MLS/ESPN, Inc.

Phil Schoen: Wynalda on the left foot, keeping it on the right now. Looking for the shot. Gets it FAR POST! GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL for Eric Wynalda! San José has scored! An amazing goal with the right foot to the side netting! And Spartan Stadium erupts!

E. Newcastle, England-born former North American Soccer League (NASL) Fort Lauderdale Strikers midfielder and MLS Miami Fusion/DC United head coach turned eccentric and very colorful co-commentator/match analyst Ray Hudson, who along with Schoen are in their 17th season together as the primary U.S. English-language television voices of La Liga (Spanish Primera División) matches involving global brands FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF, first on GOLTV (U.S.) in January 2004-May 2012 before moving together to beIN Sports USA in August 2012.

Eccentric and very colorful co-commentator/match analyst Ray Hudson (ENG, inset right) described this free kick GOLAZO by forward Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) of Real Madrid CF in a La Liga (Spanish Primera División) match against “El Derbi Madrileño” rival Atlético de Madrid at Estadio Vicente Calderón in Madrid, Spain on April 12, 2012 as “a wet dream of orgasmic proportions!”. The match was broadcast on all-sports pay TV networks GOLTV (U.S.) and GOLTV Canada. Play-by-play commentator: Phil Schoen (USA, inset left). Courtesy Liga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP)/MEDIAPRO/GOLTV, Inc.

Phil Schoen: Twenty (minutes) left to go in the first half. Ronaldo, whose free kicks have been a bit erratic this year.
Ray Hudson: Magical.
Schoen: This one DROPS IN!
Hudson: AHHHHHHHHHH! Are you kidding me?
Schoen: Forget erratic, it’s ECSTASY!
Hudson: ASTONISHING! This is not just a dream, it’s a wet dream of orgasmic proportions! And this one deludes everybody! It seduces everybody in Real Madrid’s fan club, that’s for sure! The wonder strike from Cristiano! This has got more curves to it than Jessica Rabbit on steroids! Take a look at this: it’s flying all over the job. Unbelievable! Look at that! It’s a phenomenal technique! He gets it up on the ball and it arches like an incredible rainbow!

Eccentric and very colorful co-commentator/match analyst Ray Hudson (ENG, inset right) said this GOLAZO by FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (ARG) in second half stoppage time of “El Clásico” against arch rival Real Madrid CF in a La Liga (Spanish Primera División) match at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, Spain on April 23, 2017 “gave Barcelona fans an arousal that lasts more than four minutes!” The match was televised on all-sports pay TV networks beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada. Play-by-play commentator: Phil Schoen (USA, inset left). Courtesy Liga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP)/MEDIAPRO/beIN Sports USA, LLC.

Phil Schoen: Gomes, looking for the overlap. Alba INSIDE. IT’S MESSI! OH! WHAT A GOAL!
Ray Hudson: AHHHHHHHH! Again! The medicine man arrives and sinks his flaming spear into the hearts of Real Madrid! Astonishing from Messi! Beautiful counterattack! All the pieces falling into place! Messi, born in the crossfire hurricane and he is Jumping Jack Flash right here! Amazing football! The defenders are left with bees flying around them! And he cares not about the yellow card. Messi, you could drop a tarantula into his shorts, and he’ll still be cool! Demonic skill from Sergi, picks the right pass out of his pocket. Gomes leaves it back, Jordi Alba sells it, Messi catapults it home! And again, if he’s shown a Rorshach blot, he’d see goals all day. Indecently majestic football in the end, to pull this out of the fire. Messi, the nerve of a cat burglar, and cool as the seeds inside the cucumber. (Real Madrid goalkeeper) Keylor (Navas), as always, extends himself. Look at how deep this is. Sergi Roberto, full space in that Star Trek ship, and it hits warp speed. Wonderful cut back. Jordi Alba sees Messi.
Schoen: And that will do it. He was bloodied. He was bruised. He was battered. But at the end of 90 minutes, it is Messi that stands on top. 3-2 Barcelona at the Bernabéu. Only the second time they won back to back under one manager in La Liga.
Hudson: And this goal gave Barcelona fans an arousal that lasts for more than four minutes, so you better call your physician! Messi, man of the match, rolls his men home!
Schoen: …And boy, I have a feeling they will be celebrating tonight in Barcelona…

Eccentric and very colorful co-commentator/match analyst Ray Hudson (ENG, inset right) compared FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (ARG) to the Star Trek character “Mr. Spock” after Messi scored this GOLAZO in the 86th minute of a La Liga (Spanish Primera División) match against Atlético de Madrid at Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain on December 1, 2019. The match was televised on all-sports pay TV networks beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada. Play-by-play commentator: Phil Schoen (USA, inset left). Courtesy Liga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP)/MEDIAPRO/beIN Sports USA, LLC.

Phil Schoen: Messi. Gets its back. MESSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!
Ray Hudson: AHHHHHHHH! He did it again!
Schoen: Suarez puts it on a plate and Messi cleans it up!
Hudson: He finally emerges out of the lawn grass like only he can! There’s no stats for this, people. There’s no heat maps required, no distance covered needed, no dribbles completed nor recorded data or analytics since Messi. No damn digitals! Brilliant! This is a man who freezes time and then forge it up and puts it in a can! You can’t, Leo, you can’t. Oh yes, I can! Again, Messi, like Mr. Spock, out of his Vulcan mind, an absolute treasure of a goal: give, go, get, weights it all up, takes a bounce into consideration! Look at this ball bouncing in front of the greatest of all time for Barcelona. Amazing! Doesn’t do him justice. Genius! He values him. Again, he papers over all the cracks. And yes, my club, my shirt, my badge. My word!

Eccentric and very colorful co-commentator/match analyst Ray Hudson (ENG) narrated his essay “Why do we root for our teams?” in this 2015 “Make Way for a New Breed of Fans” promotional video for all-sports pay TV networks beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada. Courtesy beIN Sports USA, LLC.

“Why do we root for our teams? From Barcelona, to La Roma, from the United States, to Colombia, we find ourselves deeply invested in the outcome of our teams. It is this regional obsession with the collective mood depending on our teams’ success, that is really us. If they do it well, that reflects on us in terms of bragging rights, status, prestige, and an identity. If they do it bad(ly), it hurts the heart and nothing else. We identify with our teams, whereas the players do not. Athletes can be mercenaries, but the fan can be permanent. This is why we root for our teams. That’s why we’re fans.” – Ray Hudson

Eccentric and very colorful co-commentator/match analyst Ray Hudson (ENG) was interviewed by host broadcaster MEDIAPRO of La Liga (Spanish Primera División) for this video which was released on October 21, 2019. Courtesy Liga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP)/MEDIAPRO via YouTube

3. Hiring Miami-based 2012 Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team Olympic bronze medalist Kaylyn Kyle, the wife of Miami FC semi-professional soccer player Harrison Heath and daughter-in-law of Minnesota United FC (MLS) Head Coach Adrian Heath. Kyle, who generated controversy and received multiple death threats during FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 for her comments as a studio pundit on The Sports Network (TSN) in Canada regarding excessive celebration by the United States Women’s National Team during the team’s 13-0 rout of Thailand,

From left to right: during the FIFA Women’s World Cup France post-match show on June 11, 2019, host Kate Beirness (CAN), studio pundits Clare Rustad (CAN), Kaylyn Kyle (CAN) and Diana Matheson (CAN) strongly criticized the excessive celebration by the United States Women’s National Team during their 13-0 rout of Thailand. Originally broadcast on all-sports pay TV network TSN2 in Canada. Courtesy FIFA/Bell Media.

“I’m all about passion. And I think, as a Canadian, we would never ever think of doing something like that. We’ve played against the Americans before when we have a player of Christine Sinclair’s caliber scoring three goals. She would never think about counting how many goals she has on one hand. For me, it’s disrespectful. It’s disgraceful… Hats off to Thailand for holding their heads high…” – Kaylyn Kyle

From left to right: during the FIFA Women’s World Cup France pre-match show on June 12, 2019, host Kate Beirness (CAN), studio pundits Clare Rustad (CAN), Kaylyn Kyle (CAN) and Diana Matheson (CAN) discussed the social media backlash regarding their comments on June 11, 2019 on the excessive celebration by the United States Women’s National Team during their 13-0 rout of Thailand. Originally broadcast on all-sports pay TV network TSN in Canada. Courtesy FIFA/Bell Media.

…has parlayed that controversy into a new career as a studio pundit for beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada’s coverage of La Liga each weekend and co-host of the new Monday night talk show Magisterial! with Ray Hudson; and…

From left to right: co-host Kaylyn Kyle (CAN), host Ray Hudson (ENG) and senior academy director Jason Kreis (USA) of Major League Soccer expansion club Inter Miami CF during the September 30, 2019 episode of Magisterial! with Ray Hudson. Originally broadcast on all-sports pay TV networks beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada. Courtesy beIN Sports USA, LLC.

4. Hiring 2015 U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Women’s World Cup Champion and 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist Hope Solo, who has generated controversy during her career as a goalkeeper because of her immature behavior, her “knucklehead” decisions away from the field, and her volatile outbursts,

In a mixed zone interview conducted by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Sports Producer Erin Paul (CAN) after Brazil routed the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team 4-0 in a semifinal match of FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007 at Yellow Dragon Sports Centre in Hangzhou, China on September 27. 2007, goalkeeper Hope Solo (USA) criticized U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Greg Ryan for benching her in favor of Briana Scurry. Courtesy FIFA/CBC Sports.

“It was the wrong decision. And I think anyone that knows anything about the game knows that. Umm… There is no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves. ” – Hope Solo

…to appear usually remotely from her home in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina each Monday night as co-host of new talk show Weekend Winners with host Jeremy St. Louis.

Segments from the November 25, 2019 episode of Weekend Winners which aired on all-sports pay TV networks beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada. Host Jeremy St. Louis (CAN, left) was in studio in Medley, Florida. Co-host Hope Solo (USA) appeared remotely from her home in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. Courtesy beIN Sports USA, LLC.

Solo, who is persona non grata at ESPN, FOX Sports, and NBC Sports Group because those entities all conduct business with the U.S. Soccer Federation and the U.S. Olympic Committee, generated rave reviews from media critics for her fearless and outspoken studio punditry for Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) of Ireland from its Dublin studios during FIFA Men’s World Cup Russia 2018.

RTÉ studio host Peter Collins (IRL) and studio pundit Hope Solo (USA) discussed whether Brazilian forward Neymar can handle the pressure of a knockout match and Neymar’s tendency to roll on the ground multiple times after he goes down as a result of physical contact. Originally broadcast on free-to-air terrestrial broadcast network RTÉ2 in Ireland on July 2, 2018. Courtesy FIFA/RTÉ.

…as well as on site at stadiums for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) during FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 in order to earn her way back to an on-air position at an U.S. sports television entity.

Because Solo has NO negotiating leverage for her services as a TV studio pundit for any soccer event with the exception of the FIFA Men’s and Women’s World Cups (from European TV networks), CBS Sports knows that Solo cannot afford to turn down any reasonable offer from the ONLY remaining U.S. English-language sports media entity that can deploy her as the featured controversial “black hat” studio pundit, namely CBS Sports.

Because South Florida is also the hub for dozens of very young (ages 21-29), ambitious, and hard-working English-language sports television commentators who call many professional soccer matches for television and Internet video streaming including the United States Open Cup, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), and the United Soccer League (USL) “off tube” at non-union production facilities such as Vista Worldlink in Dania Beach, Florida for as little as $300 per match before they move up the food chain to work on more lucrative sports television projects,

In July 2017, then 24-year-old play-by-play announcer Mike Watts (USA, left) and then 23-year-old match analyst/co-commentator Morgan Conklin (USA) called an United Soccer League (USL) “Division 2” men’s professional soccer match “off tube” for Internet streaming at ESPN3.com from this sound booth at Vista Worldlink in Dania Beach, Florida. Watts, with his booming voice, parlayed his experience calling domestic and international soccer matches off tube at Vista Worldlink into his new role as preseason television play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL) starting August 2018. Conklin, who played women’s college soccer at Virginia Tech, was hired by Vista Worldlink in March 2017 for her first full-time paying job in sports television and has worked for the company as Associate Producer, Production Manager, and men’s and women’s soccer television match analyst before moving to Charlotte, North Carolina to be with her fiancé (now husband) in 2018. She continues her sportscasting career as a freelance sportscaster for ESPN Networks. Courtesy Mindy Conklin via Facebook.

On April 11, 2017, Oklahoma City Energy FC forward Miguel González (MEX) scored this bicycle kick GOLAZO off a flip throw by defender Michael Harris (USA, upper right inset) in an United Soccer League (USL) match against Sacramento Republic FC at Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Announcers (lower left inset) for the Internet streaming broadcast on WatchESPN.com under the “ESPN3” brand called the match off monitor from Vista Worldlink in Dania Beach, Florida. Play-by-play announcer: Mike Watts (USA). Match analyst/co-commentator: Morgan Conklin (USA). Courtesy USL/ESPN, Inc.

…CBS Sports executives, including but not limited to Chairman Sean McManus [son of legendary ABC Sports/NBC Sports Olympics host and North American Soccer League (NASL) on ABC Sports play-by-play announcer Jim McKay], President David Berson and Executive Vice President of Programming Dan Weinberg should understand by now that the most efficient and cost-effective location to base CBS Sports’ UEFA Champions League TV studio is South Florida, either at the Fort Lauderdale studio of its CBS Sports HQ Internet video streaming news service, or at a rented production facility such as Vista Worldlink in order to tap into this fertile pool of affordable, motivated, and very productive talent.

CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus. Courtesy CBS Corporation.

On September 21, 1980, ABC Sports had its last live telecast of the North American Soccer League (NASL) Soccer Bowl featuring the New York Cosmos vs Fort Lauderdale Strikers (with midfielder and team captain #4 Ray Hudson) at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. Play-by-play announcer: Jim McKay (USA). Match analyst/co-commentator: Paul Gardner (ENG). Touchline reporter: “Uncle” Verne Lundquist (USA). Courtesy ESPN, Inc. (Note: ABC Sports aired the 1981 NASL Soccer Bowl with Chicago Sting vs New York Cosmos from Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada via next-day tape delay with Lundquist replacing McKay as the play-by-play announcer. ABC Sports would end its involvement with the NASL after Soccer Bowl ’81.)

“If you don’t trust the singer, you won’t trust the song.” – Rogers Sportsnet (Canada) Hockey Night in Canada and Rogers Hometown Hockey host Ron MacLean.

Opening segment of Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) on April 6, 2019 with host Ron MacLean (CAN) and 85-year-old play-by-play commentator Bob Cole (CAN), who retired after 50 years as one of the voices of ice hockey on Canadian English-language television. The telecast aired across Canada on free-to-air terrestrial broadcast network Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and all-sports pay-TV network Rogers Sportsnet, and across the U.S. on pay-TV network NHL Network. Courtesy National Hockey League (NHL)/Rogers Media.

At this point, the reader should be able to deduce that the following candidates, all of whom know each other and have worked with each other, have earned the TRUST of U.S. English-language soccer television consumers over the years to become PROHIBITIVE favorites to be involved with the UEFA Champions League on CBS Sports:

  1. Jeremy St. Louis as host
  2. Thomas Rongen as the “white hat” studio pundit
  3. Hope Solo as the controversial “black hat” studio pundit, with emphasis on human factors analysis
  4. Ray Hudson as the eccentric and very colorful color co-commentator/match analyst for the #1 match of each match day airing on CBS.
  5. Phil Schoen as one of the play-by-play commentators, likely the #1 commentator to be paired with Hudson for the UEFA Super Cup on August 11, 2021 and the #1 match on each UEFA Champions League match day, unless another play-by-play commentator of sufficient quality who can generate several times the media publicity and social media activity compared to Schoen were to emerge.

In upcoming parts of this Eye on Europe: UEFA Champions League on CBS Sports series of articles, I will examine the following topics:

1. The inside story on how Jeremy St. Louis, a relatively obscure Canadian sports television personality who was exiled along with his ex-wife Terri Leigh at a radio station in tiny Steinbach, Manitoba (population 15,829) 7 years ago after an ugly dispute with management in charge of Canwest Global Television’s all-sports pay TV network FOX Sports World Canada in Winnipeg forced them to depart in late 2010/early 2011, has made all the right moves to put the self-described “Forrest Gump” of sports television in position as the PROHIBITIVE favorite to become the “Brent Musburger” of the UEFA Champions League studio shows on CBS Sports.

Anchor Jeremy St. Louis (CAN, left) and studio analyst/pundit Thomas Rongen (NED) appeared in this June 5, 2019 episode of The Xtra which aired on all-sports pay TV networks beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada. Courtesy beIN Sports USA, LLC.

This interview of Jeremy St. Louis in 2016 by Rogers Sportsnet (Canada) Associate Producer Taylor Shold on his Shold Media Group website provided us with a glimpse on how Terri Leigh was able to punch their “lottery ticket” out of Canada during a whirlwind 6-week period from late June to early August 2012. The “former media contact and viewer” who lived that thrilling adventure with Jeremy St. Louis and Terri Leigh should not be a mystery to any reader by now.

2. Why building a team to produce a bold, eye-popping UEFA Champions League linear television product that consistently reflects the heritage of CBS Sports,

The Fight that put NASCAR on the Map: On February 18, 1979, CBS Sports presented the first ever live “flag-to-flag” coverage of the NASCAR Daytona 500 from Daytona Motor Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Due to a major snowstorm in the Northeastern U.S., the CBS Sports telecast drew a massive audience of viewers who were snowed in. On the final lap of the race, Donnie Allison (#1) and Cale Yarborough (#11) crashed after “trading paint” on the back straightaway, allowing “The King” Richard Petty (#43) to win “The Great American Race” for the 6th time. Allison and Yarborough exited their vehicles and began “The Fight that put NASCAR on the Map”. Play-by-play announcer: Ken Squier (USA). Analyst: David Hobbs (ENG). Reporters: Brock Yates (USA), Ned Jarrett (USA), Marianne Bunch (USA). Courtesy NASCAR Images/CBS Sports.

Birth of a dynasty: On May 24, 1980, the New York Islanders of National Hockey League (NHL) would win the first of their four consecutive Stanley Cups when the Islanders defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final series 5-4 to take the series by 4 games to 2 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. Host: Tim Ryan (CAN). Play-by-play announcer: P. Dan Kelly (CAN). Analyst: Lou Nanne (USA). Courtesy NHL/CBS Sports. (Note: former MLS Chicago Fire regional TV play-by-play announcer Dan P. Kelly, who left the club in October 2019 after 10 MLS seasons, is the son of CBS Sports 1980 NHL Stanley Cup TV play-by-play announcer P. Dan Kelly.)

The Catch! With less than 1 minute left on the clock during the National Football League (NFL) National Football Conference (NFC) Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California on January 10, 1982, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark (#87) would leap above Dallas Cowboys cornerback Everson Walls (#24) to make “The Catch” on a pass from quarterback Joe Montana. The subsequent extra point by 49ers kicker Ray Wersching would allow the 49ers to defeat the Cowboys 28-27. The 49ers would win Super Bowl XVI two weeks later to begin its “dynasty” of the 1980s, with 4 Super Bowl wins in 9 seasons. Ironically, legendary play-by-play announcer Vin Scully, who was best known for calling TV and radio play-by-play commentary of Major League Baseball’s Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers for 67 years from 1950 to 2016 and had called “The Catch” for CBS Sports, would angrily decide to leave CBS Sports and end his NFL play-by-play career to jump to NBC Sports to concentrate on baseball and golf after CBS Sports President Neal Pilson chose to assign Pat Summerall to call play-by-play Super Bowl XVI with former Oakland Raiders head coach John Madden as analyst. Play-by-play announcer: Vin Scully. Analyst: Hank Stram. Courtesy NFL/CBS Sports.

Cinderella at the big dance: On April 4, 1983, North Carolina State University Wolfpack center Lorenzo Charles (USA) caught the missed 30-foot shot by guard Dereck Whittenberg (USA) and dunked the basketball before the final buzzer to upset the heavily-favored University of Houston Cougars a.k.a. “Phi Slama Jamma: the tallest fraternity in Texas” featuring future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall-of-Fame inductees Clyde “The Glide” Drexler (USA) and Hakeem Abdul “The Dream” Olajuwon (NGA) 54-52 to win the 1983 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship at The Pit in Albuquerque, New Mexico. North Carolina State University head coach Jim Valvano a.k.a. “Jimmy V” controlled the tempo of the game and instructed his players to strategically commit fouls against Houston players who had difficulty making free throws during the last 5 minutes of the 2nd half. Host: Brent Musburger. Play-by-play announcer: Gary Bender. Analyst: Billy Packer. Courtesy NCAA/CBS Sports.

Magnifique! On July 27, 1986, then 25-year-old professional cyclist Greg LeMond (USA) became the first American to win Le Tour de France, the greatest bicycle race on Earth. LeMond had to overcome paranoia and betrayal as a result of the “Civil War” on the La Vie Claire cycling team between LeMond’s faction which included Andy Hampsten (USA) who had won the Le Tour de Suisse in June 1986, and the French-speaking faction controlled by 5-time winner Bernard “Le Blaireau (The Badger)” Hinault (FRA). CBS Sports’ coverage of Le Tour de France, produced by David Michaels (brother of legendary American sportscaster Al Michaels) and hosted by sportscaster/music composer John Tesh (who completed his final assignment for CBS Sports before leaving for Hollywood to host Entertainment Tonight), won multiple Emmy Awards. Tesh began his “New Age” music business empire by composing the music used in each Le Tour de France telecast on CBS Sports. Commentators: John Tesh (USA), Phil Liggett (ENG). Courtesy Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO)/CBS Sports.

Catholics vs Convicts! On October 15, 1988, traditional American college football power University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated brash upstart University of Miami Hurricanes 31-30 in this American college football game at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Enterprising University of Notre Dame students Joe Frederick and Michael Caponigro sold T-shirts with the slogan “Catholics vs Convicts”. Play-by-play announcer: Brent Musburger. Analyst: Pat Haden. Studio host (in New York City): Jim Nantz. Courtesy University of Notre Dame/CBS Sports.

Touch them all, Joe! On October 23, 1993, outfielder Joe Carter (USA) of the Toronto Blue Jays hit this walk-off 3-run home run against Philadelphia Phillies reliever Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams (USA) to enable the Blue Jays to win Game 6 of the World Series 8-6 and the series 4 games to 2 at SkyDome (since renamed Rogers Centre) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada to claim their second straight Major League Baseball championship. CBS Sports would exit the Major League Baseball television business after the 1993 season due to heavy financial losses. The majestic, uplifting, and harmonious theme music for Major League Baseball on CBS, composed by Bob Christianson and Tony Smythe, became dormant after the 1993 World Series until the CBS Sports Network re-introduced the theme on May 19, 2015 for the 2015 American Athletic Conference Men’s College Baseball Championship. Play-by-play announcer: Sean McDonough. Analyst: Tim McCarver. Reporter: Jim Gray. Host: Pat O’Brien. Courtesy Major League Baseball/CBS Sports.

Tonya vs Nancy: On February 23, 1994, CBS News anchor Connie Chung and correspondent John Blackstone reported from Northern Lights Hall in Hamar, Norway after the Women’s Artistic (Figure) Skating Short Program at the Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympic Games. Tonya Harding (USA), who years later admitted to have masterminded the assault at Cobo Arena in Detroit on January 6, 1994 which injured her arch rival Nancy Kerrigan (USA), would have a disastrous short program in which she landed a jump with both feet and be out of medal contention. Kerrigan, on the other hand, had physically recovered from the assault and skated flawlessly to lead the Women’s Artistic (Figure) Skating competition at Lillehammer 1994 after the short program. Courtesy CBS News.

Oksana steals the show! Two nights later on Friday, February 25, 1994, 16-year-old orphan and reigning Women’s Artistic (Figure) Skating World Champion Oksana Baiul (UKR) would add a triple toe loop jump at the end of her long program to enable her to win the Women’s Artistic Skating Olympic Gold Medal at the Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympic Games. Baiul’s popularity as Olympic Champion would not last, as she was arrested 3 years later in January 1997 as a 19-year-old living and training at the International Skating Center in Simsbury, Connecticut when she wrecked her Mercedes Benz while speeding (allegedly at 97 MPH) and was determined by a breathalyzer test to be above the legal blood alcohol limit. Prior to the medal ceremony, television cameras caught silver medalist Nancy Kerrigan (USA) complaining and blaming Baiul for delaying the medal ceremony for 10 minutes in order to redo her makeup. (Kerrigan’s comments cost her several sponsorship opportunities.) The delay was primarily caused by organizers who could not find a copy of the Ukrainian national anthem. Play-by-play commentator: “Uncle” Verne Lundquist. Analyst: Scott Hamilton. Studio host: Greg Gumbel. Courtesy International Olympic Committee (IOC)/CBS Sports.

Kick Six! On November 30, 2013, Auburn University Tigers kick returner Chris Davis returned this missed 57-yard field goal attempt by University of Alabama Crimson Tide kicker Adam Griffith 100 yards to score the winning touchdown as time expired in the “Iron Bowl”, perhaps the most heated, the most intense, and the most passionate intrastate rivalry in American College Football, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama. Play-by-play announcer: “Uncle” Verne Lundquist. Analyst: Gary Danielson. Reporter: Tracy Wolfson. Courtesy Southeastern Conference (SEC)/CBS Sports.

Iron unkind! On November 30, 2019, University of Alabama Crimson Tide kicker Joseph Bulovas missed his 30-yard field goal attempt by hitting the left upright with 2:04 left on the clock during the 4th quarter of the “Iron Bowl” intrastate rivalry American College Football game against Auburn University Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama. Alabama subsequently blew its final opportunity when the Crimson Tide was penalized for lining up 12 players against Auburn when Auburn was ready to punt on 4th down. The referee awarded Auburn a first down and Auburn ran out the clock to win the game 48-45. Play-by-play announcer: Brad Nessler. Analyst: Gary Danielson. Reporter: Jamie Erdahl. Courtesy Southeastern Conference (SEC)/CBS Sports.

…that is designed to attract and retain a young (ages 18-34 and 18-49) U.S. English-speaking television audience for the purpose of winning the television ratings WAR against Univisión Deportes, the U.S. predominately Spanish-language sports media entity that is riding an unprecedented 38-year winning streak and has defeated every English-language sports TV entity in the U.S. in terms of viewership in every major category (overall viewers, viewers ages 18-34, viewers ages 18-49) for every major soccer tournament including the FIFA Men’s World Cups 1982 (PBS and ABC Sports), 1986 (ESPN and NBC Sports), 1990 (TNT), 1994 through 2014 (ESPN and ABC Sports) and the UEFA Champions League in 2018-2019 (TNT),

Univisión Deportes Network (UDN) affiliate sales video from April 2012, featuring play-by-play commentator Pablo Ramírez (MEX), match analyst and studio pundit Marcelo Balboa (USA) and former host Fernando “El Presidente” Fiore (ARG). Courtesy Univisión Deportes.

Marcelo Balboa: It’s not just because we speak their language…
Pablo Ramírez: …it’s because we speak their PASSION.

On July 20, 2019, Univisión Deportes and Televisa Deportes President Juan Carlos Rodríguez rebranded both Univisión Deportes Network (UDN) in the U.S. and Televisa Deportes Network (TDN) in Mexico “Tu Deportes Network” with new abbreviation TUDN (pronounced “TOO-DEH-EN-neh”), common graphics, shared talent and programming resources. TUDN kept UDN’s network slogan “Vivimos Tu Pasión” (Translation: “We live your passion.”) Courtesy Univisión Deportes.

…will require careful situational analysis, the same type of situational analysis that allowed legendary ice hockey coach Herb Brooks to put together a team of young U.S. men’s college and minor league professional ice hockey players to implement a unique system for the single purpose of defeating the Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid, New York.

In this scene from the 2004 movie Miracle, 1980 U.S. Men’s National Ice Hockey Team Head Coach Herb Brooks, played by actor Kirk Russell, told the U.S. Amateur Hockey Association hiring committee his intent to select a team of players that fit a unique system designed to defeat the Soviet Union Men’s National Ice Hockey Team at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid, New York. Courtesy Walt Disney Pictures.

“All-star teams fail because they rely solely on each individual’s talent. The Soviets win because they take that talent and use it inside that system that is designed for the betterment of the team.” – 1980 U.S. Men’s National Ice Hockey team head coach Herb Brooks, as played by actor Kirk Russell, in the 2004 movie Miracle.

Brooks understood the difference between assembling a team at the University of Minnesota to win an NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship and assembling a U.S. Men’s National Team to win a Winter Olympic Gold Medal in Ice Hockey at Lake Placid so he had to turn himself into a total maniac with obsession and focus to devise that unique system and to assemble and motivate his team of players for one single purpose.

In this scene from the 2004 movie Miracle, 1980 U.S. Men’s National Ice Hockey Team Head Coach Herb Brooks, played by actor Kirk Russell, used the video of the Soviet Union Men’s Ice Hockey Team to motivate his players to train harder so that they will be in better physical condition than their opponents during the 3rd period of each game in order to give themselves the chance to win against tired opponents. Courtesy Walt Disney Pictures.

“(The Soviet Union played) 42 games in the last 3 months, 42 wins. Their main weapon is intimidation. They know they are going to win. And so do their opponents… But I also know that there is a way to stay with this team. You don’t defend them. YOU ATTACK THEM! YOU TAKE THEIR GAME AND YOU SHOVE IT RIGHT BACK IN THEIR FACE! The team that is finally willing to do this is the team that has the chance to put them down. The NHL won’t change their game. We will. The rest of the world is afraid of them. Boys, we won’t be. No one has ever worked hard enough to skate with the Soviet team for an entire game. Gentlemen, we are going to work hard enough.” – 1980 U.S. Men’s National Ice Hockey team head coach Herb Brooks, as played by actor Kirk Russell, in the 2004 movie Miracle.

In this scene from the 2004 movie Miracle, 1980 U.S. Men’s National Ice Hockey Team Head Coach Herb Brooks, played by actor Kirk Russell, delivered his pre-game speech prior to the medal round game against the Soviet Union. Courtesy Walt Disney Pictures.

“Great moments are born with great opportunities. And that’s what you have here tonight, boys. That’s what you earned here tonight. One game. If we play them 10 times, they might win 9. But not this game. Not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And WE SHUT THEM DOWN BECAUSE WE CAN! Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players. Every one of you. You were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It’s over. I’m sick and tired of hearing what a great time the Soviets have. Screw them. THIS IS YOUR TIME! Now go out there and TAKE IT!” – 1980 U.S. Men’s National Ice Hockey team head coach Herb Brooks, as played by actor Kirk Russell, in the 2004 movie Miracle.

Miracle on Ice! ABC Sports free-to-air terrestrial television tape-delayed broadcast of the Men’s Ice Hockey medal round game between the U.S. Men’s National Ice Hockey Team and the Soviet Union at the Olympic Center 1980 Ice Rink (since renamed Herb Brooks Arena) in Lake Placid, New York on February 22, 1980. ABC Sports Host: Jim McKay (USA). Play-by-play commentator: Al Michaels (USA). Game analyst: Ken Dryden (CAN). Courtesy International Olympic Committee (IOC)/ESPN, Inc.

Finishing the mission: The superior physical conditioning of the U.S. Men’s National Ice Hockey Team allowed the team to come from behind 2-1 AGAIN at the start of the 3rd period to defeat Finland 3-2 and win the Olympic Gold Medal at the Olympic Center 1980 Ice Rink (since renamed Herb Brooks Arena) in Lake Placid, New York on February 24, 1980. Host: Jim McKay (USA). Play-by-play commentator: Al Michaels (USA). Game analyst: Ken Dryden (CAN). Courtesy International Olympic Committee (IOC)/ESPN, Inc.

Blindly applying an existing system that is successful for another particular situation, such as the system employed by NBC Sports Group for its excellent English Premier League TV coverage in the U.S., to this situation for CBS Sports in its UEFA Champions League linear TV ratings WAR against Univisión Deportes, would result in yet another sound and thorough defeat.

From left to right: NBC Sports English Premier League host Rebecca Lowe (ENG) conducted a “manufactured debate” between studio pundits Robbie Earle (JAM) and Kyle Martino (USA) regarding the hiring by Tottenham Hotspur FC chairman Daniel Levy (ENG) of controversial egomaniac José Mourinho (POR) as Tottenham’s newest manager (head coach) to replace Mauricio Pochettino (ARG) during the Premier League Mornings pre-match show which aired on U.S. all-sports pay TV network NBCSN on Saturday, November 23, 2019. Courtesy Premier League/NBC Sports Group.

Univisión Deportes is run by Juan Carlos Rodríguez, the “Viktor Tikhonov” of U.S. fútbol television who is an incredibly street-smart and absolutely fearless sports media executive with “the biggest pair of cojones I have ever seen”, according to a retired executive I have known for 25 years who worked with Rodríguez before he retired 5 years ago.

Univisión Deportes President Juan Carlos Rodríguez (MEX) introduced UEFA Champions League match analysts/studio pundits as “mis hermanos” (translation: my brothers), former FC Barcelona forward Hristo Stoitchkov (BUL) and former Real Madrid forward Ivan “Bam Bam” Zamorano (CHI), as they delivered the European Champions Cup to the stage during the Univisión Deportes upfront presentation at Lyric Theatre in New York on May 12, 2017. Courtesy Univisión Deportes.

Rodríguez, who is also President of Televisa Deportes in Mexico, has shown that he is a total maniac who will do anything in order to win a ratings WAR. Rodríguez deployed 4 separate broadcast teams, including a team of 3 pioneering Mexican female sportcasters on site at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia to call the France vs Croatia FIFA Men’s World Cup Russia 2018 Final for free-to-air terrestrial broadcast in Mexico and was able to draw 1.4 million viewers for that historic broadcast.

Highlights from Final Match of FIFA Men’s World Cup Russia 2018 (France vs Croatia on July 15, 2018) as broadcast on Mexican free-to-air terrestrial broadcast TV network Televisa Canal 9 (El Nueve). Commentators from left to right: Iris Cisneros (play-by-play), Ana Caty Hernández (analysis), Gaby Fernández de Lara (play-by-play). Video courtesy FIFA/Televisa Deportes.

Defeating Univisión Deportes may seem like an impossible mission for CBS Sports, but so was the U.S. defeating the Soviet Union in Men’s Ice Hockey at Lake Placid in 1980.

The UNCOMMON men and women who are BORN for this seemingly suicidal mission to take down Univisión Deportes frente a frente in an UEFA Champions League television ratings mano a mano bare knuckles street brawl are out there.

In this scene from the 2004 movie Miracle, 1980 U.S. Men’s National Ice Hockey Team Head Coach Herb Brooks, played by actor Kirk Russell, forced his team to 1 hour of extra “Herbies” skating drills after drawing 3-3 against a Norwegian club team in an exhibition game in September 1979. Courtesy Walt Disney Pictures.

“This cannot be a team of common men, because COMMON MEN GO NOWHERE! You have to be UNCOMMON!” – 1980 U.S. Men’s National Ice Hockey team head coach Herb Brooks, as played by actor Kirk Russell, in the 2004 movie Miracle.

But is CBS Sports, especially Chairman Sean McManus, willing to install the right leader, namely the “Herb Brooks” of U.S. soccer television, who has a pair of cojones at least twice as big as those of Juan Carlos Rodríguez, who has that single-minded maniacal focus and is willing to risk EVERYTHING including failure?

Whomever McManus decides to appoint to lead this team MUST understand that the same fate that awaited former Turner Sports COO Matthew Hong will await this person should CBS Sports were lose the UEFA Champions League linear television ratings WAR against Univisión Deportes. “Career politicians” in the sports media industry need not apply for this role, which is definitely NOT for the faint of heart.

3. Why legendary CBS Sports President Robert “Bob” Wussler and Producer Mike Pearl, who launched the groundbreaking NFL Today studio show in 1975, were way ahead of their time in understanding how to produce a modern sports television studio show and to assemble a sports television studio talent team to reflect the diversity of the audience.

Wussler hired Miss America 1971 Phyllis George as a features correspondent and on-camera viewer relations representative (who read letters from viewers on air) along with sports journalist Brent Musburger as host and former NFL Philadelphia Eagles/Los Angeles Rams cornerback Irv Cross as studio analyst.

George, who was hired by Wussler without an audition, became an INSTANT HIT with the viewers because her personality allowed her to connect with the viewers and with NFL players. Because George was not perceived by NFL players as a threat as she was not a trained journalist, she quickly built trust with NFL players who allowed her to conduct revealing interviews, particularly with New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, that no other sports journalist in the U.S. alive at the time was able to conduct.

In this segment of the NFL Films documentary “The History of the NFL on Television”, former CBS Sports producers Mike Pearl and Bob Stenner, former CBS Sports director Sandy Grossman and former CBS Sports correspondent Phyllis George (among others) were interviewed for their thoughts on the NFL Today studio show which launched in September 1975 and set the standard for all pre-event television studio shows around the world regardless of nationality, language, or genre (including but not limited to sports, financial markets, elections/politics, competitive video gaming/esports, gambling, etc.) Courtesy NFL Films.

“Most of the pre-game shows were based prior to that on highlights. We thought that it was just as important to do general stories. And I said I want to be able to have the audience laugh, or I want them to cry, or I want them to say ‘gee whiz’.” – CBS Sports NFL Today Producer Mike Pearl (1975-1980).
“The bottom line is they chose to be different. You can’t teach people to think big. Bob Wussler thought big.” – CBS Sports Director Sandy Grossman (1957-1993).

Fast forward to 2019, a woman can now play any position at the studio desk of a pre-match TV studio show of a major men’s international soccer tournament. She does not necessarily have to be the host or a features reporter.

A woman can now play the “white hat” studio pundit position, as former England/Arsenal Ladies FC forward Kelly Smith did for FOX Sports (U.S.) after Executive Producer David Neal installed her as foil against “black hat” studio pundit Alexi Lalas during FIFA Men’s World Cup Russia 2018.

From left to right: host Rob Stone (USA), studio pundits Ian Wright (ENG), Kelly Smith (ENG) and Alexi Lalas (USA) from the FOX Sports (U.S.) FIFA Men’s World Cup Russia 2018 studio set at Red Square in Moscow. Courtesy FIFA/FOX Sports (U.S.) via Twitter.

A woman can also play the “black hat” studio pundit position, as Hope Solo did with RTÉ of Ireland during FIFA Men’s World Cup Russia 2018.

From left to right: host Jacqui Hurley (IRL), studio pundits Damien Duff (IRL), Hope Solo (USA) and Dietmar Hamman (GER) discussed the impact of social media to the players participating in a FIFA World Cup match. Originally broadcast on free-to-air terrestrial broadcast network RTÉ2 in Ireland on July 3, 2018. Courtesy FIFA/RTÉ.

I will offer my insights, including details of my own face-to-face meeting with Hope Solo on September 2, 2008 at a sports lounge at the Hilton Meadowlands Hotel (then known as the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel) across the Route 3 expressway from the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey regarding a proposed sports television project involving NBC Sports and PokerStars.net.

I had devoted considerable time and resources to set up the meeting, including receiving last-minute instructions from Las Vegas-based Poker PROductions owner Mori Eskandani, who was in constant contact with NBC Sports Coordinating Producer Pierre Moossa (who is currently in charge of English Premier League coverage for NBC Sports Group and was in charge of the NBC Sports National Heads-up Poker Championship during the “poker boom”), on how to conduct the meeting with Solo.

Less than 10 minutes into my meeting with Solo, I politely but firmly informed Solo that I had to make the decision to abort the entire project.

I was upset enough with Solo’s conduct that evening that I was ready to go “Mount St. Helens” as I ended the meeting but I had matured enough over the years to have acquired enough self control to not lose my temper.

Despite that particular meeting and her very checkered past, I still believe CBS Sports MUST hire Hope Solo as the “black hat” studio pundit in order for the UEFA Champions League pre-match studio show on CBS Sports to have any chance of defeating Univisión Deportes.

CBS News correspondent Norah O’Donnell conducted this long-form feature interview with former US Women’s National Soccer Team Goalkeeper Hope Solo which aired during the February 2, 2017 episode of 60 Minutes Sports which aired on U.S. premium pay TV channel Showtime. Courtesy CBS News.

The risk of hiring Hope Solo to be the “black hat” studio pundit for UEFA Champions League on CBS Sports is enormous, but so is the potential reward. Jeremy St. Louis certainly understands this because he is the anchor and senior producer who works with Hope Solo every Monday on Weekend Winners for broadcast on beIN Sports USA and beIN Sports Canada.

“Controver$y Create$ Ca$h.” – former Turner Broadcasting/World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Executive Producer Eric Bischoff

Front cover of the book Controversy Creates Cash by Eric Bischoff with Jeremy Roberts. Courtesy Simon and Schuster.

The opening segment of WCW Monday Nitro as aired on U.S. pay television network Turner Network Television (TNT) on December 22, 1997. WCW Monday Nitro was the #1-rated scripted pay television program in the U.S. for 84 straight weeks beginning July 8, 1996 after World Championship Wrestling (WCW) introduced the New World Order (nWo), arguably the most successful gimmick in the history of the scripted entertainment genre known as “professional wrestling”. After WCW lost $62 million in 2000, Time Warner decided to fold WCW and sold its video library to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for only $3 million in March 2001. Video courtesy WWE.

4. Scottish commentator Derek Rae, whom many readers including myself regard to be among the top 5 English-language soccer television play-by-play commentators today, is noted for his ability to set up his co-commentary partners. Rae and the very colorful Irish co-commentator and “black hat” studio pundit Tommy Smyth had their run of calling the #1 UEFA Champions League match on each match day in 2001-2009 for ESPN Australia and ESPN New Zealand with simulcast in the U.S. on ESPN or ESPN2, as well as their current run since 2017 of calling NFL Thursday Night Football “off tube” from a studio in Stamford, Connecticut for Amazon Prime Video.

Despite Rae’s history of success, I will argue that Rae is NOT the right fit for the UEFA Champions League on CBS Sports and has “ZERO POINT ZERO” per cent chance of being involved with the project as a television play-by-play announcer.

ESPN soccer television analyst Taylor Twellman (USA) with his infamous “ZERO POINT ZERO” comment during half time of the Portland Timbers vs Seattle Sounders Major League Soccer (MLS) telecast at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon on Sunday, May 13, 2018. Courtesy MLS/ESPN, Inc.

CBS Sports does NOT need Rae as a play-by-play announcer because CBS Sports can use Phil Schoen (who lives in South Florida so CBS Sports will NOT have pay travel cost) to set up Ray Hudson until a much younger British play-by-play announcer who currently works in the Southeastern United States is ready to call UEFA Champions League matches with Hudson.

This particular young British play-by-play announcer will be able to deliver at least 100 times the Return on Investment (ROI) compared to the announcer’s talent fee based just on publicity value on conventional and social media.

Social media users in particular will completely lose their collective minds when, not if, this young British soccer television play-by-play announcer were paired with Ray Hudson.

The identity of this young British play-by-play announcer should not be a mystery to anyone who has any knowledge of the U.S. English-language soccer media industry by now.

Will this young British play-by-play announcer be able to step up to the challenge? Time will tell.

CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus will agree with me on the 100 times ROI estimate based on publicity and social media value for this particular young British soccer TV play-by-play announcer.

According to “super” agent Sandy Montag, McManus went through the trouble of obtaining permission from ESPN, Inc. so that he can hire legendary 52-year-old sports television play-by-play announcer Beth Mowins for approximately $10,000 in talent fee to call the #8 regional game for NFL on CBS during Week 17 of each NFL regular season.

On September 21, 2017, CBS News reporter Reena Ninan interviewed legendary sports television play-by-play announcer Beth Mowins, 10 days after she called play-by-play commentary of the Denver Broncos vs Los Angeles Chargers National Football League (NFL) game for ESPN (U.S.) Monday Night Football on September 11 and 3 days prior to calling play-by-play commentary of the Indianapolis Colts vs Cleveland Browns NFL game on September 24 for regional broadcast on selected free-to-air terrestrial broadcast television stations affiliated with the CBS broadcast network. Courtesy CBS News.

Sportscaster Beth Mowins was featured in Episode 5 of the “Unstoppable” documentary video series profiling women involved with the National Football League (NFL). The video was shot in the San Francisco Bay Area on August 23-24, 2018, while Mowins was assigned by the Oakland Raiders syndicated television network to call television play-by-play of the Oakland Raiders vs Green Bay Packers NFL pre-season game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. Courtesy NFL/Oakland Raiders/Marriott International via Facebook.

5. I will also argue that CBS Sports MUST hire someone who is 100% OPPOSITE compared to former Turner Sports UEFA Champions League lead features correspondent Fernando Pérez (who focused on “fan culture” and was woefully deficient in his knowledge of big time professional fútbol in Europe) as the lead features correspondent for its UEFA Champions League pre-match studio show and the over-the-top subscription Internet streaming video service CBS All Access in order to have any chance for its UEFA Champions League video programming to defeat Univisión Deportes.

Former Turner Sports Bleacher Report Football Live on TNT features correspondent Fernando Pérez filed this “fan culture” feature from Turin, Italy featuring “Maurizio” on November 7, 2018. Courtesy Turner Sports/Bleacher Report via YouTube.

(Note: For the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League Season, Turner Sports replaced Fernando Pérez with Aaron West, who worked for FOX Sports (U.S.) during FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 as a digital video host on Twitter. West’s latest feature on the Borussia Dortmund Youth Academy for Turner Sports Bleacher Report Football Live on TNT has more substance to appeal to the hard core fanatico and serious casual international soccer television consumer than the features produced by Pérez.)

Turner Sports Bleacher Report Football Live on TNT features correspondent Aaron West filed this feature on the Borussia Dortmund (Germany) Youth Academy on November 15, 2019. Courtesy Turner Sports/Bleacher Report via YouTube.

One very expensive Fort Lauderdale-based sports television correspondent whom Sean McManus knows the best and is capable of doing her job to the highest standards despite her age and language barriers, 66-year-old legendary CBS Sports personality and the first woman to win the Pete Rozelle Radio and Television award from the Pro (American) Football Hall of Fame Lesley Visser, is unlikely to accept the opportunity because she is semi-retired and she only wants to work on a handful of special projects for CBS Sports each year.

Front cover of the book Sometimes You Have to Cross When It Says Don’t Walk: A Memoir of Breaking Barriers by Lesley Visser. Courtesy BenBella Books.

Profile video of legendary U.S. English-language sports television personality Lesley Visser. Courtesy Lesley Visser via YouTube.

“Nothing great can be accomplished without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Legendary CBS Sports correspondent Lesley Visser interviewed CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus for his thoughts regarding his father Jim McKay’s role as anchor of ABC Sports’ coverage of the “Munich Massacre” during the Munich 1972 Summer Olympic Games. Courtesy CBS Sports.

Would Visser be interested in a role as a mentor to a young team of UEFA Champions League on CBS Sports features correspondents? Sean McManus might want to ask her about that after I have a chance to whet her appetite by showing her the work of 3 talented, ambitious, and extremely motivated candidates later in this blog article.

Sports television industry colleagues along with CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus appeared in this “Where would we be without Lesley Visser?” tribute video of legendary U.S. English-language sports television personality Lesley Visser. Courtesy CBS Sports.

That would leave another very expensive sports television correspondent whom McManus knows very well, current CBS Sports Network host of We Need to Talk (the groundbreaking Tuesday evening talk show with a 100% female studio panel that target MEN ages 18-49) and the 2nd woman to win the Pete Rozelle Radio and Television award from the Pro (American) Football Hall of Fame, 60-year-old Andrea Kremer, FIRMLY IN PLAY.

From left to right: Andrea Kremer, Swin Cash, guest Michael Strahan, Dana Jacobson, and Amy Trask are featured in the August 14, 2018 episode of We Need to Talk which aired on all-sports TV network CBS Sports Network. The episode starts with video from induction weekend on August 4-5, 2018 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, where Kremer became the 2nd woman to win the Pete Rozelle Radio and Television Award. Courtesy CBS Sports.

The Boston-based Kremer, who dipped her toes into the soccer world in June 2018 when she interviewed Roger Bennett and Michael Davies of the Men in Blazers show on NBCSN for a long-form feature which aired on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO Correspondent Andrea Kremer (USA, center) visited the “Panic Room”, the tiny television studio in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, New York where Michael Davies (ENG, left) and Roger Bennett (ENG) produced the Men in Blazers television show for broadcast on U.S. all-sports pay TV network NBCSN. Courtesy HBO.

…is widely regarded as the best U.S. English-language sports television features correspondent and interviewer REGARDLESS OF GENDER.

Legendary U.S. English-language sports television correspondent Andrea Kremer was featured in the “A Woman’s Touch in the NFL: Tackling Pro Football” documentary produced by NFL Films for broadcast on U.S. pay-TV network Lifetime Television on Friday, January 22, 1999. After a successful stint as the first female producer and on-camera talent at NFL Films in her hometown of Philadelphia, Kremer joined sports media conglomerate ESPN, Inc. in 1989 and opened both the Chicago and Los Angeles news bureaus during her 17 years at the company. At the time of the shooting of the final video segment for this feature from the San Francisco 49ers vs New York Giants NFL game on Monday, November 30, 1998 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Kremer was based in Los Angeles and was reporting for ESPN’s flagship live event program Monday Night Football. Courtesy NFL Films.

Kremer has a little more time on her hands now that her only son, 19-year-old Will Steinberg, who was born in Atlanta 4 days before Super Bowl XXXIV in January 2000,

…currently attends the University of Washington in Seattle so neither she nor her husband, University of Massachusetts at Boston research archaeologist Dr. John Steinberg, have face-to-face parenting responsibilities each day.

Because Kremer, who has interviewed 23-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Michael Phelps, 6-time NBA champion Michael Jordan, and flamboyant former 2-sport NFL and Major League Baseball star “Neon” Deion Sanders a.k.a “Prime Time”,

On her first assignment on April 23, 1989 for U.S. all-sports pay TV network ESPN, correspondent Andrea Kremer (right) interviewed flamboyant Florida State University defensive back “Neon” Deion Sanders, a.k.a. “Prime Time”, from the house of agent Steve Zucker in suburban Chicago, Illinois after Sanders was drafted #5 overall by the Atlanta Falcons. Courtesy NFL/ESPN, Inc.

Andrea Kremer: Looks like you are wearing your signing bonus here. I mean, uh, you know, we have the nice, we can see the nice “Prime Time” logo already or what?
“Neon” Deion Sanders: We got sweatsuit Starter. jacket Starter, everything. We got it going on here. Everybody got on jewelry. Even the baby got a little something. We’re ready now.
Kremer: Even the baby has jewelry. Your feelings about going to Atlanta? No doubt it was your first preference.
Sanders: Definitely. Atlanta or Tampa Bay. And Atlanta chose me and I’m very pleased with that decision. I can’t wait to get to town with coach (Marion) Campbell and get with them fans down there and pack them in there.
Kremer: When Detroit took the other (Oklahoma State University running back Barry) Sanders, I saw a big grin come across your face.
Sanders: I was so happy. I was gonna…but I was kinda scared. I thought Detroit was gonna take me. I woulda asked for so much money that they’d have to put me on layaway.
Kremer: On layaway, uh-huh? No baseball leverage there, huh?
Sanders: Nah.

…is missing a major international professional soccer event (World Cup or UEFA Champions League) from her illustrious resume, one should expect Kremer to be EXTREMELY interested in this unique, once in a lifetime opportunity to lead a team of features correspondents for the UEFA Champions League pre-game studio show on CBS Sports and the CBS All Access over-the-top pay subscription Internet video streaming service before she contemplates retirement 10-15 years from now.

Kremer’s relentless determination and drive to become the greatest U.S. English-language sports television correspondent of all time regardless of gender absolutely will NOT allow her to resist the opportunity to interview the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Leonel Messi, and Neymar despite language and cultural barriers at this point in her hall-of-fame career.

Furthermore, Kremer knows that she absolutely cannot be regarded as the greatest U.S. English-language sports television correspondent of all time without having interviewed the top competitors from the world’s #1 sport.

I am well aware that CBS News correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi presented a long-form feature of U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Christian “Wonder Boy” Pulisic for 60 minutes in 2017. Alfonsi is a good correspondent, but she is not in the same league as Andrea Kremer, who wants to be the “greatest of all time” by the time she is ready to retire.

CBS News correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi interacted with then 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund (German Bundesliga) midfielder Christian Pulisic (USA) for this “60 Minutes Overtime” supplement video for her long-form feature of Pulisic which aired during the October 1, 2017 episode of CBS News’ weekly magazine show 60 Minutes. Courtesy CBS News.

Seriously, would you rather listen to “Blogger X” interview very colorful co-commentator Ray Hudson, or would you spend $5.99/month for CBS All Access in order to watch Andrea Kremer conduct a fun, friendly and informative long-form feature conversation with Ray Hudson?

I will “bone out” $5.99 any day of the week to watch a CBS All Access EXCLUSIVE long-form feature conversation between Andrea Kremer and Ray Hudson.

Why Andrea Kremer is AWESOME: at the 2017 Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) annual convention at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachusetts, GBTA Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Michael McCormick interviewed legendary U.S. English-language sports television correspondent Andrea Kremer, who emptied her playbook and dispensed nuggets of wisdom and professional advice that anyone working in any industry can use. Courtesy GBTA.

Because many clubs that qualify for the UEFA Champions League also take part in preseason friendly competitions in North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico) each July, Kremer will NOT have to to miss her NFL assignments or travel to Europe during the autumn, as she can conduct several feature interviews (i.e. 6 so one can be released during each UEFA Champions League Group Stage match week) with players over the summer while they train in North America. Other correspondents can handle features and interview assignments in Europe throughout the season to supplement video interviews and features produced by London-based host broadcaster Gravity Media (formerly Input Media) for its UEFA Champions League Magazine linear television program.

If CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus were willing to spend serious money (i.e. at least $1 million/year, if not closer to $2 million/year) to hire one sportscaster among the handful who can be considered the “greatest of all time” for the purpose of winning the UEFA Champions League ratings WAR against Univisión Deportes and to sell enough subscriptions to CBS All Access in order to cover the UEFA Champions League U.S. English-language media rights fee, I will argue that McManus should spend the money to hire Andrea Kremer as the lead features correspondent instead of Derek Rae as the lead play-by-play announcer.

Ask yourself the following:

Q: Will Derek Rae the play-by-play commentator be able to drive the sale of 2 million subscriptions to CBS All Access at $5.99/month for 9 months each season in order to generate $108 million in annual revenue?

A: H— NO.

Q: Will informative features produced by a team of sports television correspondents with fun and friendly personalities, led by the best U.S. English-language sports television correspondent alive today in Andrea Kremer, be able to drive the sale of 2 million subscriptions to CBS All Access at $5.99/month for 9 months each season in order to generate $108 million in annual revenue?

A: I am willing to bet my reputation on the answer being YES.

With that said, because Derek Rae is fluent in German and travels to Germany several times each season to call play-by-play commentary of German Bundesliga matches for the English-language World Feed, CBS Sports can use Rae as a features correspondent to conduct interviews of German-speaking players and coaches.

But will Rae’s Jupiter-sized ego allow him to accept a role as an occasional correspondent from Germany (behind Kremer) instead of the lead play-by-play announcer position? Quite possible if the money is right, of course, because Rae and Kremer have developed a friendship over the past 2 NFL seasons as they both call NFL Thursday Night Football for Amazon Prime Video “off tube” from a studio in Stamford, Connecticut and they sometime commute back to Boston’s South Station on Amtrak together on Friday mornings (Rae’s house on the North Shore of Massachusetts Bay is about 25 minutes from Kremer’s house):

At this point, I do not care if Derek Rae will ever speak to me again, as he has no idea how to put together a team for the sole purpose of fighting a ratings WAR against a formidable competitor on a 38-year winning streak in Univisión Deportes that is run by a total maniac in President Juan Carlos Rodríguez.

While I respect Rae as a soccer play-by-play announcer, I have ZERO respect for his deficient situational awareness and business acumen.

In particular, Derek Rae could not figure out on his own that Aly Wagner was his only “ticket” into FOX Sports (U.S.) to call play-by-play of FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 until “Da Pimp (TM)” explicitly explained to him the reason.

Rae, who held the Chief Press Officer position at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts during FIFA World Cup USA 1994 (because he was dating a local woman named Beth Powers who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from Cornell University), did make the correct “play” after he understood the reason why Aly Wagner was his only “ticket” into FOX Sports (U.S.) by contacting one of his press officers from Foxboro, current Minnesota United FC minority owner and FOX Sports Media Relations consultant Ben Grossman, to set up a meeting with FOX Sports Executive Producer of FIFA Men’s and Women’s World Cups David Neal.

David Neal’s EGO would not allow him to resist the idea of teaming up Rae and Wagner.

Those of us who connected with Derek Rae in the 1990s jokingly refer to his now wife Beth as his “Chief Financial Officer” (CFO). Beth needs to read this article and teach Derek Rae some much-needed busine$$ $en$e.

While Kremer is on NFL assignments during the autumn when the Group Stage of the UEFA Champions League is taking place, CBS Sports can choose from a sizable pool of Europe-based freelance senior sports television correspondents with extensive experience interviewing players and coaches.

One impressive London-based senior sports television correspondent candidate, 34-year-old former Real Madrid TV host Rhiannon Jones, is a familiar face to many U.S. English-language international fútbol television consumers as she had reported for FOX Sports (U.S.) when she was based in Madrid in 2010-2016.

International sports media personality Rhiannon Jones (ENG) reported for FOX Sports (U.S.) prior to the Real Madrid CF (ESP) vs Manchester City FC (ENG) 2015-2016 UEFA Champions League Semifinal 2nd Leg match at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, Spain on May 4, 2016. Courtesy Rhiannon Jones via Twitter.

Jones is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese and is able to interview players from Spain, Portugal, and Latin America in their native languages.

2020 Demo Reel for 34-year-old freelance international sports television correspondent Rhiannon Jones (ENG), who is currently based in London and can speak Spanish and Portuguese fluently. Jones is represented by London-based agent Samantha MacKenzie Weller. Courtesy Rhiannon Jones via YouTube.

Jones occasionally fills in as anchor of World Sport on CNN International, as she did in December 2019 and again in February 2020 when 2 London-based World Sport anchors were at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Berlin, Germany.

International sports media personality Rhiannon Jones (ENG) anchored the February 18, 2020 1:30pm London Time (8:30am New York Time) edition of World Sport on global all-news pay TV network CNN International from its London studio. Courtesy Cable News Network/Warner Media.

International sports media personality Rhiannon Jones (ENG) anchored the December 16, 2019 1:30pm London Time (8:30am New York Time) edition of World Sport on global all-news pay TV network CNN International from its London studio with contributing analyst Darren Lewis (ENG) of British newspaper Daily Mirror. Courtesy Cable News Network/Warner Media.

On September 2, 2013, Real Madrid TV presenter Rhiannon Jones (ENG) interviewed forward Gareth Bale (WAL) shortly after his presentation at Estadio Santiago Berbabéu in Madrid, Spain. Bale had completed his transfer to Real Madrid CF (ESP) from Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG) for a reported transfer fee of EURO 100 million. Courtesy Real Madrid TV via YouTube.

As for young English-language sportscasters who are candidates to join an UEFA Champions League on CBS Sports features correspondent team to be headed and/or mentored by Andrea Kremer and/or Lesley Visser, I can think of these 3 former soccer players without World Cup or Olympic medals who have fun and friendly personalities and have demonstrated their ambition, drive, and work ethic to become complete television sportscasters who can play any on-camera position. 2 of the 3 candidates have soccer TV play-by-play experience calling both men’s and women’s matches and 1 candidate already has experience calling men’s matches involving MLS clubs. Samples of their work and their stories are below:

25-year-old Nottingham, England native Poppy Miller has been employed by the “Division 2” United Soccer League (USL) men’s professional soccer club Charleston Battery in Charleston, South Carolina since March 2017, 2 months before she graduated from the University of South Carolina at Beaufort. Miller was promoted twice at the Charleston Battery, first from digital host/video producer to television match analyst near the end of the 2017 season, and to television play-by-play commentator prior to the start of the 2018 season. She has freelanced for Soccer United Marketing (SUM), including calling play-by-play commentary of the Atlanta United (MLS) vs Saint Louis FC (USL) United States Open Cup quarterfinal game from Kennesaw, Georgia on July 10, 2019 for the subscription Internet streaming video service ESPN+. Miller has recently begun working as a women’s college soccer play-by-play commentator and field hockey analyst for ESPN Networks including ESPNU, SEC Network, and the ACC syndicated regional network. Courtesy Poppy Miller via YouTube.

The Atlanta United FC (MLS) vs Saint Louis FC (USL) US Open Cup quarterfinal match at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia on July 10, 2019 as presented on pay-subscription Internet streaming service ESPN+. Play-by-play commentator: Poppy Miller (ENG). Match analyst/co-commentator: Charlie Davies (USA). Reporter: Tyler Terens (USA). Courtesy United States Soccer Federation/Soccer United Marketing (SUM)/ESPN, Inc.

Charleston Battery (USL) television play-by-play commentator Poppy Miller and midfielder O’Brian Woodbine took part in this “Crossbar Challenge” at MUSC Health Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina in October 2018. Courtesy Charleston Battery.

Charleston Battery (USL) television play-by-play commentator Poppy Miller interviewed Charleston Battery goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky prior to his move to Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Premier League on a loan deal announced on January 21, 2020. Courtesy Charleston Battery.

Cinderella crashes the College Cup! Washington State University Cougars defender Mikyaa Minniss (USA) scored the “Golden Goal” during the 96th minute of the NCAA Division I Women’s College Soccer Tournament Quarterfinal match against the University of South Carolina Gamecocks at Eugene E. Stone III Stadium at the University of South Carolina at Columbia in Columbia, South Carolina, USA on November 29, 2019. Originally streamed at watchESPN.com under the SEC Network+ brand. Play-by-play: Poppy Miller (ENG). Analyst: Brian Hand (USA). Courtesy NCAA/ESPN, Inc.

The Vanderbilt University women’s soccer team visited the set of SEC Now with host Poppy Miller (ENG) and analyst Morgan Conklin (USA) which aired on SEC Network on November 6, 2019. Courtesy Southeastern Conference (SEC)/ESPN, Inc.

University of South Carolina Gamecocks hosted the University of Kansas Jayhawks in this National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Women’s Soccer Tournament Round of 16 match at Eugene E. Stone III Stadium on the campus of the University of South Carolina at Columbia in Columbia, South Carolina, USA on November 24, 2019. Originally streamed at watchESPN.com under the SEC Network+ brand. Play-by-play commentator: Poppy Miller (ENG). Match analyst/co-commentator: Morgan Conklin (USA). Courtesy NCAA/ESPN, Inc.

25-year-old Richmond, Virginia native and Virginia Tech graduate Morgan Conklin was hired by Vista Worldlink in March 2017 for her first full-time paying job in sports television. She worked for the company as Associate Producer, Production Manager, and “Division 2” United Soccer League (USL) men’s and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) women’s soccer television match analyst before moving to Charlotte, North Carolina to be with her fiancé (now husband) in 2018. She continues her sportscasting career as a freelancer, primarily as a college soccer match analyst and touchline reporter/interviewer for ESPN Networks. Courtesy Morgan Conklin via YouTube.

Hosting and Social Media demo reel of 33-year-old Denver-based television sportscaster Jordan Angeli, who played women’s college soccer at Santa Clara University and played professionally in 2010-2015 before retiring to become a sports television personality. Courtesy Jordan Angeli via Vimeo.

Highlights from the 2018 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Men’s Soccer Tournament at Championship Field on the campus of Seattle University in Seattle, Washington on November 7, 9 and 11, 2018 as streamed at WACdigitalnetwork.com and pay subscription service ESPN+. Play-by-play commentator: Jordan Angeli (USA). Match analyst/co-commentator: Roland Vargish (USA). Courtesy WAC/ESPN, Inc.

Highlights from the Canada vs Costa Rica CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Semifinal match played at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on February 7, 2020. World Feed announcers were calling this match off monitor from Vista Worldink in Dania Beach, Florida. Play-by-play: Jordan Angeli (USA). Analyst: Lori Lindsey (USA). Courtesy CONCACAF.

Highlights from the West Virginia University Mountaineers vs University of Oklahoma Sooners Big 12 Conference women’s soccer regular season match on October 20, 2019 as broadcast on U.S. all-sports pay TV network ESPNU. Play-by-play commentator: Jordan Angeli (USA). Match analyst/co-commentator: Cat Whitehill (USA). Courtesy Big 12 Conference/ESPN, Inc.

Whichever personalities were to be hired as UEFA Champions League on CBS Sports features correspondents will have to work harder and smarter than they have ever worked, as their competitors at Univisión Deportes are formidable. Examples of their work:

Anchor Ana Caty Hernández (MEX) of Univisión Deportes’ nightly sports news program Contacto Deportivo introduced this Black Friday Transfer Fee sketch performed by correspondent Iliana Jiménez (MEX) for broadcast on November 27, 2017. Courtesy Univisión Deportes.

Anchors Lindsay Casinelli (VEN) and Edgar Martínez (MEX) of Univisión Deportes’ nightly sports news program Contacto Deportivo introduced this Copa MX Femenil sketch performed by correspondent Iliana Jiménez (MEX) on location from Toluca, Mexico for broadcast on May 3, 2017. Courtesy Univisión Deportes.

Anchor Ana Caty Hernández (MEX) of Univisión Deportes’ nightly sports news program Contacto Deportivo invited Venezuelan Women’s National Team forward/midfielder “Queen” Deyna Castellanos to the studio in Doral, Florida for the ¿Lo compras o no? (Translation: Do you buy or not?) segment and to head and juggle a fútbol. Originally broadcast on International Women’s Day, Thursday, March 8, 2018. Courtesy Univisión Deportes.

Why wait until August 2021? Why not start in August 2020?

If I were CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus and I had the opportunity to purchase the final 2020-21 season of Turner Sports’ UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League U.S. English-language media rights at the face value of approximately $65 million, I would do the deal in a nanosecond so that CBS Sports can begin UEFA Champions League coverage one year early, in August 2020, before the start of the anticipated economic downturn.

An affordable, motivated and very productive pool of talent, most of whom are based in South Florida, are available to work on the project NOW in order to produce the best English-language U.S. television coverage of the greatest club soccer tournament on Earth and to begin a new winning streak after slaying mighty Univisión Deportes once and for all.

There is no reason to wait.

June 24, 2020 update: Sports Business Journal reporter John Ourand has CONFIRMED that Turner Sports has EXITED its 3-year agreement with UEFA for U.S. English-language media rights to the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League effective IMMEDIATELY. One would expect CBS Sports to pick up U.S. English-language rights to the UEFA club properties during the 2020-2021 season.

If CBS Sports were to pick up U.S. English-language rights to the remainder of the 2019-2020 UEFA Champions League when it resumes with the quarterfinals, semifinals and final to be played at Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal in August, then the logical #1 candidate for on-site correspondent is former CNN International World Sport anchor and former UEFA Managing Director of Communications Pedro Pinto (pronounced “PEEN-too”) who lives in Lisbon and is fluent in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

Former CNN International World Sport anchor and former UEFA Managing Director of Communications Pedro Pinto (POR). Courtesy Pedro Pinto via Twitter.

Former CNN International World Sport anchor and former UEFA Managing Director of Communications Pedro Pinto (POR) presented the 2019-2020 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw at UEFA Headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on December 16, 2019. Courtesy UEFA.

In this video clip from June 18, 2001, Pedro Pinto (POR) anchored World Sport from CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA for broadcast on U.S. all-sports pay TV network CNN/Sports Illustrated (CNN/SI) and global all-news pay TV network CNN International. Courtesy Cable News Network/Warner Media.

Pedro Pinto (POR) presented the Jose Mourinho: Masterclass documentary for broadcast on global all-news pay TV network CNN International on October 5, 2012. Courtesy Cable News Network/Warner Media.

Pedro Pinto (POR) presented the Cristiano Ronaldo: All Access documentary for broadcast on global all-news pay TV network CNN International on November 16, 2012. Courtesy Cable News Network/Warner Media.

International sports media personality Rhiannon Jones (ENG) anchored the February 17, 2020 1:30pm London Time (8:30am New York Time) edition of World Sport on global all-news pay TV network CNN International from its London studio. The episode featured a discussion on racial abuse of professional footballers by spectators with former World Sport anchor and former UEFA Managing Director of Communications Pedro Pinto (POR), who now lives in Lisbon and is fluent in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. Courtesy Cable News Network/Warner Media.

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About Oliver Tse

Oliver Tse operated Oliver Tse Management Group in 2006-2009 to secure product endorsement opportunities for poker players and broadcast talent appearing on televised poker events such as the World Series of Poker (WSOP), the World Poker Tour (WPT), and the NBC Sports National Heads-Up Poker Championship. Among his clients were 3 out of 9 players at the 2007 WSOP Main Event Final Table airing on ESPN (including the champion), the first woman to win a mix-gender WPT event (at the 2008 WPT Celebrity Invitational), and the first female sportscaster on U.S. Spanish-language television who made a successful career switch to poker announcing and hosting and became the original “Voice of Poker in Latin America.” Tse’s clients were deployed as brand ambassadors to emerging international markets for poker including Germany, Russia, Brazil, and Mexico. From 1995 through 2007, Tse founded and operated soccerTV.com, an Internet-based marketing business of televised soccer products for clients including ESPN, FOX Sports, and GOLTV. Tse holds a master’s degree in Financial Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, and a master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Tse currently lives in San Francisco.

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