Every good story needs a villain. Currently in sports, there are few better stories than the number we’re receiving about the World Cup. From the Scottish fan base invading cities across the United States, drinking all their beer and singing their songs, to the Norway fan base that has made rowing in public an art form. However, the most intriguing storyline from FOX Sports’ production of the FIFA World Cup is the love-hate relationship with commentator Alexi Lalas.
When I had the opportunity to chat with Lalas a month before the tournament, I already knew his reputation. Brash. Unapologetic. Opinionated. But underneath all of that is someone who understands the assignment. Television isn’t simply about being right. It’s about being entertaining.
Over the last two weeks, Lalas has done exactly that. Some viewers have questioned whether he’s even liked by the people sharing the desk with him. That’s by design.
The World Cup has long been Lalas’ stage. He’s played in one tournament and served as FOX’s lead World Cup analyst for the last eight. This year, however, the cast around him became stronger than ever. Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic joined the desk alongside longtime Premier League host Rebecca Lowe, giving FOX perhaps its deepest studio lineup ever.
For longtime soccer fans, the attraction is no longer Lalas on the broadcast. He’s now riding sidecar with two of the best to ever play the sport. Plus, instead of Rob Stone, Lowe adds another layer of familiarity and prestige to the broadcast.
Four years ago, Lalas was the shining star among fellow American soccer stars Clint Dempsey, Carli Lloyd and Maurice Edu. Times have indeed changed, and I’m not just talking about the hydration breaks.
With the elevated roster around him, rather than trying to compete with them on credentials, Lalas leaned into the role only he could play. As the lone American representative on the studio team, he had to appeal to the average American viewer. This year, the tournament has flooded televisions across the United States with matches being played on home soil. If you’ve paid attention to the viewership figures, this will likely go down as the most-viewed FIFA World Cup in English-language television history.
With that pivot, he has leaned into what FOX has always done best: generate buzz. What helps is that the rest of the cast is playing along as well.
When Lalas is away from the studio to attend on-site coverage of the USMNT matches, Lowe points out his absence, only for Zlatan to tell America, “You’re welcome.”
When Lalas called France‘s first-half performance against Senegal “arrogant,” Zlatan took the pass and fired back with, “It’s not arrogance. It’s confidence. Ignorant people will say it’s arrogant. Intelligent people will say it’s confidence.”
Column after column. Tweet after tweet. Sports talk radio segments filling the airwaves. All in the same breath saying Alexi Lalas is unwatchable. He’s trying to be Charles Barkley or Skip Bayless. Yet when he’s out on the road for USMNT matches, Lalas gets standing ovations. Viewership spikes. Social media engagement peaks. Media sites and podcasts get clicks and listens.
“I love the entertainment aspect of the job I’m in. I don’t care if you agree with me or not, just don’t change the channel,” said Lalas when I spoke with him two months ago about his approach to the World Cup broadcasts.
Lalas is no dummy. He understands his soccer resume cannot compare to those of the people FOX Sports has surrounded him with. Instead, what Lalas has done is make the program more entertaining. The FIFA World Cup provides a global audience and the largest American audience in history to watch the tournament. An American audience wants to be entertained. If Lalas wasn’t present, what’s the entertainment value?
Yes, Lalas picked the United States to win the World Cup. He should, because he’s American. He celebrates the country’s 250th birthday and doesn’t care if he’s wrong. Hell, we should all have the passion to want our home country to win the FIFA World Cup on our own home soil.
When did the value of being correct ever outweigh the entertainment value of being a homer for the USA?
If Lalas wasn’t in the far-right chair, would we be talking about the programming surrounding the matches at all? As accomplished as the résumés of both Henry and Ibrahimovic are, they would be considerably less entertaining by themselves. There’s a reason FOX Sports keeps Terry Bradshaw. There’s a reason Jason Kelce continues to get work with ESPN.
Networks like FOX Sports understand that shoulder programming needs more than discussion. It needs personality and personalities who bring out the characters of others.
Alexi Lalas isn’t the star because he’s the most decorated player on the set. He’s the star because he understands what television has always rewarded: creating entertaining moments people can’t wait to debate.
Every great studio show needs tension. It needs someone willing to say what others won’t, absorb the criticism and keep the conversation alive long after the final whistle. Henry brings credibility. Ibrahimovic brings knowledge of the current game. Rebecca Lowe brings polish. Lalas brings the spark that forces the rest of the cast to react.
That’s why people keep talking about him. Not because they agree with him, but because they can’t ignore him.
Whether you believe Alexi Lalas deserves the role is beside the point. The audience keeps showing up, the conversation keeps growing and the broadcast is more entertaining because he’s in it.
In television, the villain isn’t always the bad guy. Sometimes, he’s the reason everyone keeps watching.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
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