It wasn’t always the case, but Paris Saint-Germain is a global brand thanks to the ownership of Qatar Sports Investments. With an emphasis on superstar players and a goal of winning the UEFA Champions League, PSG games are watched worldwide, and you can find jerseys on kids from France to Japan.
There is one market where the reigning French champions could emphasize more, and that’s the United States, where you can find Kentucky sports betting promos. The club hasn’t visited the U.S. in years for a summer pre-season tour despite countless other European clubs making the trip yearly.
Instead, the club has opened PSG stores in several locations nationwide to sell merchandise, but not necessarily the team, the players, and the culture. Right now, many in the U.S. who wear a PSG shirt do so because of the Jordan Brand logo. It’s for fashion purposes more than the club. When Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. were at the club, fans flocked to the club to support those individuals, but now that they’re gone, there isn’t a mainstream push in the U.S. to support PSG.
Making matters worse, watching PSG on television or streaming is incredibly difficult and expensive. The U.S. broadcaster, beIN Sports, isn’t on many leading television providers, and subscribing to their streaming service is expensive. You really have to be a passionate supporter to pay the money to subscribe to a streaming service for one game a week.
The good news is that the Ligue 1 rights in the U.S. are up for negotiation after this season, so we could see Apple TV, Amazon, Paramount/CBS, etc. get involved in securing those rights. Obviously, if Kylian Mbappé sticks around PSG and Ligue 1, it bodes well that a major network will bid for the Ligue 1 rights.
Regardless, now is the time for PSG to tap into the U.S. market like it’s never before. It starts with a U.S. tour in the pre-season. That is an absolute must. In order to build excitement, they need to play recognizable brands, such as Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Manchester United, etc. Coinciding with the tour, there needs to be a marketing push to let the U.S. market know that PSG matches can be watched on whatever the new provider is.
I also think Ligue 1 could get creative. Like the National Football League, which plays games in London and Frankfurt, why not schedule a Ligue 1 match featuring PSG in the United States? Or, at the very least, play the Trophée des Champions in the U.S. I’d also be open to bringing the Coupe de la Ligue competition back and playing a knockout-style tournament at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles or Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
There’s a great opportunity for PSG and Ligue 1 to grow their audience in a market that is beginning to crave quality football. PSG would be wise to pursue any and all opportunities in the U.S.
