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Taylor Twellman has a unique perspective when it comes to the Great Hydration Debate that has stirred up controversy at this year’s World Cup.
The American soccer announcer is the lead match analyst for Apple TV’s coverage of MLS and spent more than a decade as ESPN’s lead soccer analyst. He has broadcast three World Cups, three European Championships, eight MLS Cups and developed a reputation as a passionate pundit with analytical bona fides. Twellman is someone who understands very well why World Cup broadcasters would jump at the chance to sell additional commercial inventory for the world’s biggest soccer tournament.
But then comes his other side: If you are a soccer fan over the age of 35, you might remember Twellman as a player. He scored 101 goals in 174 matches for the New England Revolution of MLS and became the youngest player in that league’s history to hit the 100‑goal mark.
Naturally, Twellman has thoughts on one of the heated debates of the World Cup. He has zero problems with hydration breaks in soccer if the temperature and humidity reaches a certain threshold. He cited a memorable 2-2 draw between the U.S. and Portugal during the 2014 World Cup in Manaus, Brazil. At the start of that steamy match, FIFA listed the temperature at 30 degrees Celsius with 66 per cent humidity.
“That’s an example of when you needed a hydration break,” Twellman said. “Matches that become about the players’s welfare. But when it’s not used for something in that fashion, you really kill rhythm and momentum. Take, for instance, when Ghana played Panama in Toronto. It was 60-something degrees (Fahrenheit). That doesn’t make sense to me to have a hydration break there.”
What even is a ‘hydration break’?
Then there is the broadcaster part of Twellman. He is not opposed to media outlets making money – his livelihood depends on that — but he intensely dislikes the idea of a World Cup broadcaster leaving the field of play during a game.
“As a colour analyst, there is a lot that goes on during that hydration break,” Twellman said. “Who is the manager talking to, what is happening with the tactical setup, are we seeing changes? Even in 70 to 80 seconds, you can read the tea leaves and watch mannerisms. Viewers appreciate that. I wish the ads and the revenue were done in the manner of still giving me those pictures. Personally, I would never leave the event.”
The hydration breaks — a three-minute stoppage in the middle of each 45-minute half — were first announced by FIFA last December as a result of severe heat experienced by teams and players in the U.S. during last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup. But what was designed as a safety play for players has become a financial bonanza for some host broadcasters, especially in the United States. The Wall Street Journal reported that an average 30-second hydration spot was going for $275,000 US on FOX, the English-language broadcaster for the World Cup in the U.S., with spots in the U.S.-Paraguay broadcast going for around $850,000 US. They estimated the three U.S. games in the Group Stage would bring in $23 million US just for the hydration break ads alone.
Sportico, the U.S. sports business publication, estimated that a three-minute window in each half of the 104 matches for the World Cup equalled more than 10 extra hours of advertising time over the course of the tournament. The BBC referred to it as the Americanization of soccer – and they are not wrong.
Ed Desser, the president of consultancy Desser Sports Media Inc., and John Kosner, the president of consultancy Kosner Media, are longtime sports media executives who jointly ran the NBA’s media operations in the ’80s and ’90s. Kosner eventually landed at ESPN and led the company’s digital media from 2003 to 2017. In a joint interview, they spoke of the commercial value in dividing the action into quarters rather than halves.
“This is a tremendously valuable move from the standpoint of sports media, and FOX has indicated as much by taking advantage of the ad breaks to run at least four commercials within each half,” Desser said.
CBC Sports reached out to Fox Sports to ask about their hydration break strategy but they declined to comment. Fox Sports has generally left the field of play during hydration breaks but they have also run some ad spots featuring a double box (split screen) where one of the boxes stays on the field. The Athletic reported that broadcasts in Spain, Italy, France, Mexico, Ireland and Germany have shown ads. In the U.K., The Athletic said the BBC is commercial-free, while ITV has chosen not to show ads.
Canadian host broadcaster TSN has also followed this protocol, showing commercials during these breaks. (TSN did not respond to multiple queries on the topic.)
I only like it when the conditions are extreme, but when the conditions are good, it is unnecessary.– U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino
We have seen a flood of soccer figures come out against the hydration breaks, including U.S. national team coach Mauricio Pochettino (“I only like it when the conditions are extreme, but when the conditions are good, it is unnecessary”) and French national team coach Didier Deschamps (“Those three minutes interrupt everything. We have to adapt. But the broadcasters are happy, right?”). Reporters onsite across North America have noted loud boos from fans during the two FIFA-mandated hydration breaks.
But the reality is the business side is likely to win this debate. The sports television executives CBC Sports spoke with universally believed that hydration breaks would become standard for World Cups heading forward as well as potentially big international tournaments. (Remember, FIFA can charge more for World Cup rights from broadcasters knowing that they have created more commercial inventory.) In the countries where advertising within sporting events have become commonplace, host broadcasters will almost certainly push for these breaks. You can easily see other continuous clock events adopting in-game breaks given the potential for added revenue.
Kosner and Desser predicted the hydration breaks would become even more valuable inventory for future World Cups because host broadcasters will have more advance time to sell them.
“I think the amount of money made here will catch FIFA’s attention,” Twellman said. “COVID brought five subs to our game and we never thought we’d see five subs. Now no one even thinks twice about that. I think it’s a conversation that’s going to be had post-World Cup and if FIFA keeps this, UEFA is going to be like, “Woah, look at how much money we can make for Champions League?” You are looking at a conversation that is going to go on for quite some time.”
Kosner and Desser agree with Twellman’s thinking. They also suggest that viewers will adapt quickly.
“Many may not like it as it’s a change in tradition,” said Kosner. “But in time, it will become the bathroom/kitchen break for hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.”
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