Former Premier League footballers Stu Holden and Tim Howard have joined Turner Sports’ coverage of the UEFA Champions League as studio analysts, the broadcaster announced today.
Turner Sports will simultaneously utilize two fully-integrated studios – in Atlanta and Los Angeles – throughout its coverage of the UEFA Champions League. Howard, a current MLS player, will contribute to UEFA Champions League studio coverage on Wednesdays, with Holden regularly appearing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. They will join previously announced host Kate Abdo and Steve Nash, along with additional commentators and special guests, throughout the season.
Additionally, Fernando Perez, a former MLB player with media experience as a MLB Network contributor and Vice correspondent, will be on site for B/R Football at select matches throughout the season, delivering a firsthand account of the unique atmospheres that surround the world’s game.
Howard, a veteran U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper and current member of Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids, also has extensive international experience with EPL clubs Manchester United (2003-07) and Everton (2006-16). Howard spent a decade with Everton, amassing more than 400 appearances. Prior to Everton, he spent three seasons at Old Trafford with Manchester United.
SEE MORE: B/R Live reveals pricing and plans for Champions League and Europa League coverage
Holden notched two stints in the Barclays Premier League, first with Sunderland (2005) and later Bolton Wanderers (2010-14). In 2011, he earned Bolton Wanderers “Player of the Year” honors. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and raised in Texas, he won two MLS Cups in his home state while a member of the Houston Dynamo.
Turner’s UEFA coverage will include the upcoming UEFA Super Cup – Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid –Wednesday, Aug. 15, at 3 p.m. ET, available on both B/R Live, TNT, PlayStation Vue and Sling TV.
SEE MORE: Schedule of Champions League games on US TV and streaming
Prior to working for Turner Sports, Howard was a co-commentator for several Premier League matches on NBC. Howard is a complete unknown when it comes to analysis in a studio, so it’ll be interesting to see how he copes. His appearances as a co-commentator on the Premier League coverage were underwhelming, but that was several years ago so it’s possible he may have grown more into the role as time has passed by.
Holden, while working with Turner, will continue as a FOX Sports employee after his impressive co-commentary work for the American broadcaster during the World Cup.
For Holden, it’s a smart move given his knowledge of the game and the fact that FOX Sports is out of the European club soccer business except for the Bundesliga. It’s an opportunity for him to increase his exposure among a new audience, and to share with viewers his knowledge of the game where he was perhaps held back at times when he was at FOX Sports.
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Oliver Tse
August 9, 2018 at 3:06 pm
Still don’ t understand why Turner will NOT use London-based CNN Int’l correspondents such as
1: Alex Thomas :
youtu.be/zH-GgRaw__M
Thomas is LIT: En Fuego!
or
2 Rhiannon Jones
youtu.be/SSgeoMnwpcQ
(Jones was at Real Madrid TV before she moved back to London to join CNN Int’l World Sport. She replaced Kay Murray as the primary host of Real Madrid TV in English after Murray moved to Miami to join beIN Sports USA. Jones is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. She gave birth to her son in April 2018.)
Fernando Perez? Former MLB Network correspondent? Who the heck is he?
Matthew Hong is setting himself up to be fired.
Drew
August 15, 2018 at 6:15 pm
Rhiannon is nice people, but she isn’t a dynamic enough of a personality to be a lead anchor.
Joe
August 9, 2018 at 2:58 pm
For anyone that thinks soccer has made it in this country,,,,,it sure has, just not in the English language. Turner is a huuuuuuge step back from Fox. I dont care about the commentary or the studio analysts, I JUST WANT TO WATCH THE GAME! Say what you want about Fox but now you all get what you wanted. No Fox and no games on TV!
Rick
August 9, 2018 at 1:30 pm
Will there be a 30 minute highlight show on Turner?
CTBlues
August 9, 2018 at 1:25 pm
SI has an exclusive about what Univision will be doing and its awesome.
https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/08/09/champions-league-univision-coverage-press-release-uefa-europa
Ivan
August 9, 2018 at 11:34 am
The only good news about the Turner CL coverage is that Univision has acquired the Spanish language rights to CL and EL. Turner being greedy and putting the majority of games on paid platform will lead to football fans tuning to Univision and Univision Deportes to watch those games.
Eddie
August 9, 2018 at 12:05 pm
What’s the coverage of univision deportes this season?
Daniel
August 9, 2018 at 2:10 pm
I dont speak spanish. But the fact on how they ard screwing people is pathetic. You cant tell me that at 12pm central you get better ratings on trutv,tnt,tbs with some pseudo reality show or reruns of supernatural or the big bang theory than CL or EL soccer. But i damn well will go to Univision to watch matches.