Beckham and Cruise Put Paramount+ at the Center of the Champions League’s OTT Push.

Roger Hampel

Photo Credit: UEFA TV

The 2025 UEFA Champions League Final in Munich was not just about football. While Paris Saint-Germain made history by winning their first-ever European title, the event itself evolved into a media and marketing case study — thanks in no small part to the unexpected pairing of David Beckham and Tom Cruise.

Their presence wasn’t incidental. Beckham and Cruise didn’t just appear in the VIP section. They became part of the broadcast, part of the content strategy, and ultimately, part of the product.

From Watch Party to Strategic Content: “Beckham & Friends Live”

The most talked-about media activation around the final was the “Beckham & Friends Live” broadcast — an alternative matchday experience hosted on Paramount+, designed to appeal to a broader, entertainment-driven audience. Modeled loosely on the ManningCast concept that revolutionized NFL broadcasting in the U.S., Beckham hosted the show live from Allianz Arena, joined by guests including Tom Cruise, Odell Beckham Jr., and presenter Kate Scott.

Unlike the traditional match commentary, this feed offered behind-the-scenes stories, casual conversation, and unscripted reactions from high-profile personalities. It was designed for virality, not technical breakdown. And it worked.

Clips featuring Cruise and Beckham comparing past injuries mid-match circulated widely on social media. The show was not available on traditional broadcast — further reinforcing Paramount+’s push to position its OTT platform as the destination for exclusive football content in the U.S. market.

A Media Product Disguised as a Football Final Beckham Cruise Champions League

It was part of a deliberate commercial strategy. Paramount+ received brand lift, UEFA extended its cultural reach, and Beckham continued his trajectory toward becoming a multimedia asset with value far beyond football. Beckham Cruise Champions League

As Sports Business Journal noted, “the earned media value of Cruise’s appearance likely exceeded what Paramount+ or UEFA could have paid for in a traditional campaign.” Global headlines didn’t just talk about PSG’s victory — they talked about the Beckham-Cruise broadcast.

Legacy Value for Sponsors, Brands, and UEFA

David Beckham remains one of the most marketable figures in world sport. His lifetime Adidas deal, estimated at over $160M, his connections with PSG and Qatar, and his ongoing presence in U.S. football as owner of Inter Miami — all combine to make him a natural bridge between football, fashion, and entertainment.

At the 2025 final, every image of Beckham in the stands or behind a microphone became potential branded content. For Adidas, for Paramount+, and for UEFA, it was free global advertising, wrapped in organic media exposure.

Tom Cruise, despite not being affiliated with any sponsor, played a complementary role. As a longtime Paramount Pictures icon, his appearance in a Paramount-branded UEFA broadcast became soft promotion for both his personal brand and the studio’s content portfolio — just ahead of new franchise releases.

Commentary Meets Crossover Culture

What made this different wasn’t just who was involved — but how. The fusion of Cruise, Beckham, and Odell Beckham Jr. positioned the Champions League final as not just a sporting event, but a cultural broadcast. One watched as much for the hosts as for the football.

While traditionalists raised concerns — The Observer questioned whether the football was being overshadowed — the marketing world saw something else: a working proof of concept. Football is already global. But its media product is now being reshaped into multi-platform, celebrity-led, entertainment-first formats.

Long-Term Commercial Implications

For UEFA, the takeaway is clear. The Champions League final is now more than a trophy match — it’s a platform for layered content, sponsorship diversification, and brand crossover. Expect more "altcast" formats in future editions, with music, film, and sports intersecting on streaming platforms.

For Beckham, this further cements his status as a post-playing powerhouse. If “Beckham & Friends” returns — whether during the UCL, World Cup, or other competitions — it could evolve into a revenue-generating property of its own, adding media rights value for partners and viewership lift for platforms.

Paramount+ also gains. The broadcast was more than just about football — it was a soft subscription driver. Fans of Cruise or Beckham may have logged in for the novelty but stayed for the spectacle — a model streaming platforms are eager to replicate.