No rivalry in soccer carries more weight than Barcelona vs. Real Madrid. The 265th ELCLÁSICO makes its ESPN/ABC debut Sunday at 4 p.m. ET.
What We Know: ABC, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ will combine to carry the 265th ELCLÁSICO live from Barcelona on Sunday, October 25. English-language viewers can stream the match on ESPN+, while Spanish-language fans can tune in to ESPN Deportes. Additionally, ESPN Unlimited subscribers can watch through the ESPN App. Ian Darke and Steve McManaman will call the English broadcast, and Fernando Palomo and Eduardo Biscayart will handle Spanish alongside reporters Martin Ainstein and Moises Llorens. Meanwhile, starting on Thursday October 22nd Dan Thomas and Mauricio Pedroza will host three days of studio programming from Barcelona, joined by Craig Burley, Sid Lowe and others.
What’s at Stake: The ratings test. ESPN is putting ELCLÁSICO on broadcast television for the first time, against the NFL’s late Sunday games. The result could shape whether more soccer lands on ABC.
What Remains Unclear: It’s unclear how much of the American sports audience it can attract when going against the NFL. Whether ELCLÁSICO will become a regular ABC event and how many additional matches the network will televise remains to be seen.
What It Means: The debut could widen ELCLÁSICO’s U.S. audience beyond cable and streaming subscribers. However, the 4 p.m. kickoff lands in the NFL’s late Sunday window. The viewership will show how much room soccer has on a football Sunday. Moreover, ABC airs Monday Night Football the next evening, which allows a chance to promote both events. A strong turnout might also encourage the network to put more soccer on broadcast television.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
