BeIN Sports (American TV channel)

BeIN Sports USA is an American pay television sports channel that launched on August 16, 2012. It is part of the BeIN Sports family of channels, a subsidiary of the Qatari-based BeIN Media Group.

beIN Sports

Country	United States
Broadcast area	United States
Network	beIN SPORTS
Headquarters	Miami, Florida (administrative) Mexico City, Mexico (production)
Programming
Language(s)	English Spanish
Ownership
Owner	beIN Media Group
Key people	Nasser Al-Khelaifi (Chairman) Yousef Al-Obaidly (CEO)
Sister channels	beIN Sports MENA beIN Sports France beIN Sports Canada beIN Sports Australia beIN Sports Turkey
History
Launched	August 16, 2012; 12 years ago (2012-08-16)
Links
Website	www.beinsports.com/us/
Availability
Streaming media
FuboTV	Live Stream
Sling TV	Internet Protocol television
Vidgo	Internet Protocol television
beIN SPORTS Connect	OTT

BeIN Sports primarily airs soccer; featuring coverage of Ligue 1, along with other leagues in Europe. The channel also airs rugby, auto racing, handball, motorcycle racing, tennis and volleyball. A companion network, beIN Sports en Español, carries simulcasts or alternate programming primarily in Spanish, with both networks offering secondary Spanish or English commentary via the second audio program option.

As of December 2023, BeIN Sports is available in 8.97 million households in the United States that subscribe to a pay television service, while beIN Sports en Español is available in 6.152 million.^[1]

History

BeIN Sports launched via DirecTV on August 16, 2012, coinciding with the start of the European soccer leagues 2012–13 season.^{[citation needed]} The network would later launch on Dish Network the following day^{[citation needed]}, Comcast on September 6, 2012^{[citation needed]} and Verizon FiOS in March 2013.^{[citation needed]}

In 2016, BeIN Sports reached a deal with Conference USA to carry select football, basketball, baseball and softball games.^{[citation needed]} This agreement ended after the 2018-19 season and was not renewed.^{[citation needed]} Also in 2016, BeIN Sports began showing matches from the North American Soccer League.^{[citation needed]}

In August 2018, several major television providers dropped the network; including AT&T (both DirecTV and U-verse), Verizon Fios and Xfinity.^[2]

In October 2018, the WTA Tour returned its broadcast rights back to Tennis Channel. Its contract with BeIN Sports (as part of a wider international deal) was criticized by fans for limiting the reach of its events due to inconsistent and intermittent scheduling (with scheduling conflicts favoring its soccer coverage) and declining carriage.^[3][4][5][6]

Based on numbers from Nielsen, beIN Sports was ranked as the lowest-rated broadcast or cable network in the United States in 2021 based on total viewers, with a 40% decline year-over-year.^[7]

Programming

Current

European soccer

• France: Ligue 1, Ligue 2
• Turkey: Süper Lig

South American soccer

• Copa Libertadores
• Copa Sudamericana
• Recopa Sudamericana

African soccer

• Africa Cup of Nations
• Women's Africa Cup of Nations
• CAF Champions League
• CAF Confederation Cup

Mexico-Centric Talk/Debate Shows (in Spanish only)

• La Octava Sports
• Xtra Time

Professional wrestling

• Major League Wrestling
  • MLW Fusion
  • Battle Riot III
  • TV Specials (2023–present)

Combat sports

• BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting^[8]

Former

European soccer

• Spain: Copa del Rey (exclude final) (until 2018–19)
• France: Coupe de la Ligue (until 2019–20), Coupe de France (through 2022), Trophée des Champions
• Sweden: Swedish Cup (semifinals and final)^[9]
• Spain: La Liga 2012–2021
• Italy: Serie A 2012–2017
• England: EFL Cup 2012–2015
• Austria: ÖFB Cup (final only)

Basketball

• Europe: Basketball Champions League^[10]

Handball

• EHF Champions League

Motorsports

• MotoAmerica (2016, 2017 and 2018)
• FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX)
• SBK Superbike 2012–2018
• W Series
• World Touring Car Cup^[11]
• FIM Speedway Grand Prix^[12]

Tennis

• ATP World Tour 250

Gaelic games

• Gaelic Athletic Association

Commentators

Effective January 22, 2024, beIN Sports USA/Canada talent in English and Spanish are based at MEDIAPRO Mexico studio in Mexico City, Mexico unless otherwise indicated below. Most talent who were based at MEDIAPRO US studio in Miami, Florida, US were released as of January 31, 2024.^[13]

Studio host

English:

• Ramón Barrenechea (Lead)^[14]

Spanish:

• Claudia García (Lead) ^[15]

Play-by-Play

English:

• Ramón Barrenechea (Lead)^[16]

• Rodrigo Del Campo^[17]

• Fernando Cevallos (Emergency fill-in)^[18]

• Antonio Aquilino (Based at MEDIAPRO US studio in Miami, Florida, USA)^[19]

Spanish:

• Luis Fernando Ortiz (Lead)^[20]

• Oscar Francisco Cano^[21]

• Fernando Cevallos^[22]

• Andrés Terán^[23]

• Angel Jiménez ^[24]

• Darío Daicz (Based at MEDIAPRO US studio in Miami, Florida, USA)^[25]

Match Analyst / Studio Pundit

Spanish:

• Alex Aguinaga
• Oscar Francisco Cano
• Fernando Cevallos
• Luis Fernando Ortiz
• Andrés Terán
• Armando Melgar ^[26]
• Rodrigo Del Campo
• Ramón Barrenechea
• Ángel Jiménez ^[27]
• Carlos Hermosillo

BeIN Sports Xtra/en Español

In 2019, BeIN Sports launched BeIN Sports Xtra, a FAST channel extension featuring select free sporting events and related programming. Like the main network, Xtra also has a complementary Spanish service, beIN Sports Xtra en Español (beIN Sports Xtra ñ).^[28]

The service is available on FuboTV, Sling TV, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Vizio, Redbox, Samsung TV Plus, Fanatiz, Klowd TV and Xumo. Xtra is also carried on over-the-air television stations in select markets.^[29]

Former affiliates for BeIN Sports Xtra

City	Station[30]	Virtual channel	Owner
Arizona
Phoenix	K12XP-D	22.6	HC2 Holdings
	KTVP-LD	23.5
Colorado
Cripple Creek	KRDH-LD	5.3	HC2 Holdings
Florida
Jacksonville	WKBJ-LD	20.4	HC2 Holdings
Tampa	WTAM-LD	30.3
Georgia
Savannah	WDID-LD	26.2	HC2 Holdings
Idaho
Boise	KBKI-LD	27.3	HC2 Holdings
Illinois
Chicago	WPVN-CD	24.2	HC2 Holdings
Springfield	W23EW-D	41.4
Louisiana
Lafayette	K21OM-D	20.4	HC2 Holdings
Massachusetts
Boston	WLEK-LD	22.2	HC2 Holdings
Springfield	WTXX-LD	34.2
Michigan
Midland	WFFC-LD	17.6	HC2 Holdings
Minnesota
Rochester	KMQV-LD	49.1	HC2 Holdings
Missouri
Kansas City	KCMN-LD	42.5	HC2 Holdings
St. Louis	KPTN-LD	7.7
Springfield	KFKY-LD	20.4
Nebraska
Lincoln	KAJS-LD	33.6	HC2 Holdings
Nevada
Las Vegas	KNBX-CD	31.4	HC2 Holdings
New Mexico
Santa Fe/Albuquerque	KQDF-LD	25.1	HC2 Holdings
	KWPL-LD	45.4
New York
New York City	W02CY-D	45.2	HC2 Holdings
North Carolina
Charlotte	W15EB-D	21.2	HC2 Holdings
Ohio
Canton/Cleveland	WQDI-LD	20.3	HC2 Holdings
	KONV-LD	28.1
Oklahoma
Enid (Tulsa)	KUOC-LD	48.6	HC2 Holdings
Oklahoma City	KOHC-CD	45.1
Tennessee
Memphis	W15EA-D	42.5	HC2 Holdings
Texas
San Antonio	K17MJ-D	51.1	HC2 Holdings
Tyler	KCEB	54.1
Wisconsin
Madison	WZCK-LD	8.7	HC2 Holdings
Milwaukee	WTSJ-LD	38.3

Former affiliates for BeIN Sports Xtra en Español

City	Station[31]	Virtual channel	Owner
Alabama
Mobile	WEDS-LD	29.2	HC2 Holdings
Arkansas
Hot Springs	K23OW-D	39.3	HC2 Holdings
California
Sacramento	KFMS-LD	47.1	HC2 Holdings
Colorado
Cripple Creek	KRDH-LD	5.4	HC2 Holdings
Florida
Palm Beach	WDOX-LD	32.1	HC2 Holdings
Tampa	WTAM-LD	30.4
Georgia
Savannah	WUET-LD	43.2	HC2 Holdings
Illinois
Mount Vernon	W09DL-D	42.1	HC2 Holdings
Louisiana
Lafayette	K21OM-D	20.4	HC2 Holdings
Massachusetts
Springfield	WTXX-LD	34.4	HC2 Holdings
Minnesota
Minneapolis	KJNK-LD	25.5	HC2 Holdings
Missouri
Kansas City	KQML-LD	46.3	HC2 Holdings
Nebraska
Lincoln	KAJS-LD	33.6	HC2 Holdings
Nevada
Las Vegas	KNBX-CD	31.5	HC2 Holdings
New York City	W02CY-D	45.2	HC2 Holdings
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia	W25FG-D	36.1	HC2 Holdings
Puerto Rico
Mayagüez	WOST	14.6	HC2 Holdings
San Juan	W20EJ-D	26.6
Texas
Corpus Christi	KYDF-LD	34.6	HC2 Holdings
Fort Worth	K07AAD-D	31.1
San Antonio	KVDF-CD	31.4
Tyler	KKPD-LD	30.4

References

1. "U.S. cable network households (universe), 1990 – 2023". wrestlenomics.com. May 14, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
2. Lafayette, Jon (August 29, 2018). "AT&T Drops beIN Sports From Channel Lineup". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
3. Rothenberg, Ben (January 11, 2017). "Looking to Watch Women's Tennis? For Now, Good Luck". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
4. "WTA signs TV deal with BeIN". SportsPro Media. May 17, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
5. "Tennis Channel Acquires Rights To 46 Overseas WTA Tournaments". sportsbusinessdaily.com. October 2, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
6. Rothenberg, Ben (October 1, 2018). "New Deal Brings More Women's Tennis to Tennis Channel". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
7. "Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2021's Winners and Losers". Variety. December 30, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
8. December 2023, Global sports channel beIN SPORTS to broadcast “Best of BYB” episodes in US and Canada, as well as live BYB events beginning with BYB 18 on June 25, 2023 live from London’s Indigo at the O2, and additional bare knuckle fighting events slated for August, September, October and. "BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series on beIN SPORTS". beIN SPORTS. Retrieved June 28, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
9. "Svenska Cupen Live Streaming and TV Listings, Live Scores, Fixtures, Results, Tables, Videos, News :: Live Soccer TV". livesoccertv.com. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
10. "Basketball Champions League secures first North American rights deal with BeIN". BasketballCL.com. October 20, 2020.
11. "Watch Us". Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
12. "BeIN SPORTS lands FIM Speedway GP rights in international deal". May 3, 2022.
13. @afigure2010 (January 31, 2024). "Today I close a beautiful cycle of several years working at @ESbeINSPORTS & @beINSPORTSUSA. I'm grateful for the opportunity to those who opened the doors for me and to the professionals who welcomed me with so much affection. To the channel success in what is to come and to the viewers, THANK YOU TOTALLY!" (Tweet) (in Spanish) – via Twitter.
14. "Commentator Listing for Ramón Barrenechea". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
15. "Commentator Listing for Claudio Garcia". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
16. "Commentator Listing for Ramón Barrenechea". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
17. "Commentator Listing for Rodrigo Del Campo". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
18. "Commentator Listing for Fernando Cevallos". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
19. "Commentator Listing for Antonio Aquilino". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
20. "Commentator Listing for Luis Fernando Ortiz". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
21. "Commentator Listing for Oscar Francisco Cano". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
22. "Commentator Listing for Fernando Cevallos". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
23. "Commentator Listing for Andrés Terán". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
24. "icdb.tv - Commentator listing for ngel Jimnez". icdb.tv. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
25. "Commentator Listing for Darío Daicz". Internet Commentator Database. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
26. "Icdb.tv - Commentator listing for Armando Melgar".
27. "Icdb.tv - Commentator listing for ngel Jimnez".
28. Harris, Christopher (November 21, 2019). "beIN SPORTS launches free streaming channel beIN SPORTS Xtra". World Soccer Talk. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
29. "BeIN SPORTS Xtra Providers". BeIN SPORTS Xtra. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
30. "Stations for Network - beIN Sports Xtra". RabbitEars.info. Archived from the original on October 8, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
31. "Stations for Network - beIN Sports Xtra en Español". RabbitEars.info. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved October 7, 2024.