CNN host Piers Morgan is joining Fox… as a soccer analyst. This Sunday, the Fox broadcast network will air an English Premier League game between Manchester United and Arsenal. It will be the first time an EPL game has been televised on U.S. broadcast TV, but it will not be the first time Morgan joins the broadcast booth.
Morgan provided some analysis to Fox Soccer Channel last year, though the broadcast network is a much bigger platform. He is an unabashed Arsenal supporter, so there is no doubt where his heart lies in the match.
Sports Business Daily’s John Ourand spoke to Fox Sports co-president Eric Shanks about soccer, and Morgan:
Q: Fox has been criticized for giving airtime to a non-soccer analyst like Piers Morgan. Why did you make the decision to include him on your telecast?
Shanks: Piers is knowledgeable, obviously well-spoken and his role on Sunday is to provide the voice of the fan as he has done for Fox Soccer Channel several times before. He hasn’t been afraid to express his opinion. In August, when Manchester United beat Arsenal 8-2, Piers went on Fox Soccer and said that after watching that match he was ashamed to be an Arsenal fan, and was pretty critical of Arsene Wenger, Arsenal’s manager. It was just the kind of commentary you’d want a studio analyst to provide. Hopefully, critics will give him a chance and judge him after they’ve heard what he has to say on Sunday.