Ted Lasso and US Soccer Team Up Ahead of Season 2 and Tokyo Olympics

The U.S. Women's National Soccer team picked an unexpected announcer to formally name the athletes who would compete for Olympic Gold at the Tokyo Olympics. In fact, he was an entirely fictional one. It was the most-watched roster announcement video to date, according to the U.S. Soccer Federation, which manages both the U.S. Women’s National Team and the U.S. Men’s National Team and governs leagues like Major League Soccer. The video had 20 million views, almost twice as many as the 10.9 million views for the 2019 Women’s World Cup roster announcement, and quickly became the second most-viewed video the organization has ever shared digitally. “All credit goes to Jason and Brendan for agreeing to do it—in character—and nailing it,” said Aaron Heifetz, the press officer for the U.S. Women’s National Teams, who helped execute the partnership. “I wrote them up some facts and a few lines, but they basically improv-ed the whole thing.” Here’s How Connected TV Platforms Are Streaming the Tokyo Olympics Growing cross-promotional efforts Sudeikis’ and Hunt’s character cameos are just one portion of a growing cross-promotional effort between the breakout Apple TV+ show and the U.S. Soccer Federation. Ahead of the Olympics’ official kick-off today—and Ted Lasso’s Season 2 premiere on the same day—both the soccer organization and the two-year-old streaming service are working together to win over soccer fans. Shows about soccer aren’t exactly bread-and-butter offerings in U.S. entertainment, where American football more often gets the Hollywood treatment (think HBO’s Ballers, CW’s All American or Netflix’s docuseries hit Last Chance U). That may be one of the reasons why Ted Lasso, which follows the American football coach’s attempts to mentor a struggling London team, has broken through with soccer fans for its winsome combination of sports drama and feel-good optimism. Those elements feel particularly close to home for the U.S. Soccer Federation and its players, making a crossover partnership something of a dream come true. “It’s a great fit because of the popularity of the show and the overall messages of positivity under adverse conditions, which is what life is like in the world of high-level soccer,” Heifetz said. “We are all big fans of the show. Also, who doesn’t love Jason Sudeikis?” Ted Lasso's second season premieres today. For Apple TV+, representatives of which did not respond to interview requests, fans of Ted Lasso are a surefire way to buoy the success of its $4.99-per-month streaming service, which is designed primarily as a giveaway to entice customers to buy more Apple products. Ted Lasso is easily the most successful show on the service to date, becoming a breakout hit as viewers stuck in quarantine found a feel-good show to love, but it’s also winning over critics hearts. Last week, the series’ freshman season was nominated for a resounding 20 Emmys, including a nod to Sudeikis for his acting. Unsurprisingly, the comedy has also won over soccer fans. The U.S. Soccer Federation, whose staff count themselves among them, have been looking for ways to work with the show a few months, knowing the crossover could be powerful. And while Heifetz isn’t holding his breath for the Ted Lasso roster read to boost viewership of the U.S. Women’s National Team’s Olympic games, it's not really about that. “I don’t think the video will impact viewership at all—the games are at god-awful times in the USA—but certainly our fans enjoyed it, as did the fans of Ted Lasso,” Heifetz said. Soccer embraces the show Other cross-promotional opportunities have mostly played out on social media, including an April Fools’ Day tweet from MLS team Sporting Kansas City announcing that Ted Lasso character Dani Rojas would be joining the team on loan in exchange for one metric ton of Kansas City barbecue sauce. Sudeikis is from Kansas, as is the character he plays. The men’s soccer contingent has found other ways to embrace the show. Last weekend, Ted Lasso fans may have spotted a simple but instantly recognizable placement of a slightly off-kilter Believe sign hung in the Men’s National Team’s locker room during the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which just wrapped its group-stage games last weekend. That sign factors in heavily in the show and serves as a visual reminder of Lasso’s unyielding optimism and his belief in teamwork. It also hung, coincidentally, in between the lockers of midfielder Gianluca Busio and forward Nicholas Gioacchini, who worked together to score one of six goals against Martinique. After the game, the two players posed together for a picture, the Believe sign held between them. "They listened to you, Coach," the caption read. Apple TV+ Breakout Hit Ted Lasso Tops 2021 TCA Awards Nominations