Since BeIN came around in 2012, they've had this competition every year. But with it kicking off in earnest next week (with everyone involved but Barca and Real, who are making up their postponed El Clasico), it's nowhere to be found on BeIN's schedule as aside from El Clasico the only matches lined up for midweek are some French League Cup ties. This applies to BeIN Espanol as well, and it's absent from the promoted properties on their BeIN Xtra page too. Anyone know what's up with the US rights? Seems like it's coming down to the last minute.
This seems like it would be prime material for Fox Sports Deportes...but when they went mainstream, it seems they lost a lot of their soccer stuff, especially as other channels decided to start showing soccer. Or maybe that's just my impression.
Just to clarify, 16 of the 20 first division clubs are involved in the Copa del Rey first round next week. The four clubs not involved are those competing in next month's Spanish Supercopa: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia and Atletico Madrid. These four clubs will also bypass the second round when the Supercopa is actually being contested and will enter the Copa del Rey in the third round/Round of 32 in late January. Barca and R.Madrid are able to play their Liga game in hand on December 18 since they were not scheduled to play in the Copa first round.
Thank you for pointing out the format. All clubs except those four must win seven rounds to win the Copa del Rey. Does anybody know of another cup where top level clubs had to play more than six rounds to win it? I'm include current and past formats.
This is in full swing (without the 4 Supercup teams) this weekend, and still nothing on the US front. This is also the first time in recent memory that a full weekend has been given over to it rather than keeping it exclusively mid-week. So from reading some articles around the web, it looks like the Copa del Rey rights were bid on back in September and they were uncoupled from La Liga rights for the first time in recent history. From what I could find, it looks like DAZN bought rights throughout several countries, but not a peep anywhere about US rights which would mean it would be the first time this competition hasn't been broadcast in the US since at least 2012 when BeIN took over. Hoping ESPN swoops in at the last minute.
BREAKING: ESPN+ has acquired the US rights to Copa del Rey after beIN SPORTS decided not to renew them. Here all all of the details:https://t.co/vqrKMTkaih— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) January 10, 2020
Just got home from being out of town all day and I went to watch one of the Carabao Cup matches from the other day and there it was. ESPN+ FTW again!