MLS 2013 TV Ratings

Here are the latest EPL numbers

NBCSN
Mon Oct 21 3pm ET: Crystal Palace-Fulham 130k
Sat Oct 26 7:45am ET: Crystal Palace-Arsenal 259k
Sat Oct 26 11am ET: Manchester United v Stoke City 397k
Sat Oct 26 12:30pm ET: Southampton v Fulham 286k
Sun Oct 27 Noon ET: Chelsea-Manchester City 583k


Summary
====================
NBC Saturday 12:30 pm
Swansea City v. Man United: 792k
Aston Villa v. Liverpool: 789k
Crystal Palace v. Sunderland: 865k
Everton v Chelsea: 917k
Swansea v Arsenal: (0.6)

NBCSN Saturday 12:30pm
Chelsea v. Fulham: 447k
Sunderland v. Man United: 435k

NBCSN Saturday 7:30 am
Liverpool v. Stoke City: 287k
Fulham v. Arsenal: 266k
Man City v. Hull City: 276k
Man United v. Crystal Palace: 302k
Norwich v. Aston Villa: 241k
Spurs v. Chelsea: 324K
Man City v. Everton: 321k
Newcastle v. Liverpool: 313k
Crystal Palace v. Arsenal: 259k

NBCSN Saturday 9:55 am
Arsenal v. Aston Villa: 450k
Southampton v. Sunderland: 393K
Cardiff City v. Everton: 417k
Sunderland v Arsenal: 445k
Liverpool v. Southampton: 437k
Aston Villa v. Man City: 376K
Liverpool v. Crystal Palace: 408k
Man United v Southampton: 393k

NBCSN Saturday 11:00am
Man United v. Stoke: 397k

NBCSN Saturday 12:30pm
Southampton v. Fulham: 286k

NBCSN Sunday 8:30 am
Crystal Palace v. Spurs: 238k
Liverpool v. Man United: 570k
Stoke v. Norwich: 176k
Norwich v. Chelsea: 279k

NBCSN Sunday 10:55am
Chelsea v. Hull City: 443k
Spurs v. Swansea City: 459k
Arsenal v. Tottenham: 574k
Southampton v. West Ham: 346k
Man City v. Man United: 852k
Sunderland v. Liverpool: 422K
West Brom v. Arsenal: 415k
Aston Villa v. Tottenham: 276k

NBCSN Sunday 12:00pm
Chelsea v. Man City: 583k

NBCSN Monday 3:00 pm
Man City v. Newcastle: 189k
Man United v. Chelsea: 536k
Swansea v. Liverpool: 255k
Everton v. Newcastle: 132k
Crystal Palace v. Fulham: 130k

Wednesday 2:45 pm
Chelsea v. Aston Villa: 185k

 

Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper)
11/7/13, 10:29 AM
RT @richarddeitsch: NBC's broadcast of Arsenal/Liverpool Sat. was the season’s most-watched EPL telecast in U.S., averaging 991,000 viewers.

==================

Can someone remind me of the start time of this game so that I can add it to the summary?

 

m.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/11/04/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/MLS.aspx?app_data=%25257B%252522pi%252522%25253A%25252238048_1383833438_1855108452%252522%25252C%252522pt%252522%25253A%252522twitter%252522%25257D

Here is the ratings info from article, with some talk of flex scheduling wanted by both NBC and ESPN
========

What also might be in the league’s future is a change in the way MLS schedules games for broadcast with national partners ESPN and NBC after this year’s marks came in down from 2012.

Audiences for the 20 matches on ESPN/ESPN2 in 2013 — mostly on Sunday evenings — dropped 29 percent, from an average of 311,000 in 2012 to 220,000 this season. The decline comes one season after ESPN had its best MLS numbers since the league’s inception in 1996.

The ratings drop-off was not as bad at NBCSN, thanks in part to hefty promotion from the network’s first season with the English Premier League, but audiences were still relatively small. Across 37 MLS games, NBCSN averaged 112,000 viewers this season, an 8 percent decrease from 2012. After the Premier League debuted on NBCSN in August, the network averaged 132,000 viewers for its MLS broadcasts.

“The Premier League has proven to be a tremendous promotional platform for MLS,” said Jon Miller, president of programming for NBCSN. “Without question, MLS has received more promotion from our Premier League coverage than any sports property on NBC Sports Network.”

Now that MLS has established strong attendance in most markets and has become successful enough to establish a goal of expanding to 24 teams by 2020, NBC and ESPN believe the time is right for the league to seek solutions to improve its national TV ratings.

“In a very cluttered sports broadcasting landscape, sometimes it’s difficult to break through,” said Scott Guglielmino, senior vice president of programming at ESPN. “We have to find the right scheduling mix of what works for MLS from both an attendance and national TV perspective.”

One possibility is flex scheduling, as NBC has with the NFL for its “Sunday Night Football” broadcasts beginning in the 11th week of the season.

“We have strongly urged MLS to consider a flex-scheduling concept,” Miller said. “With good reason, MLS’s focus has been on attendance and getting local television deals. I think they know now that national television should be a priority. Hopefully, the league will work with the club owners to make something like flex scheduling a reality.”

Guglielmino also was in favor of flex scheduling.

“As with any sport, stories develop as you get closer to the playoffs,” Guglielmino said. “As a national broadcaster, you want to provide the fans with the most important games and best stories.”

MLS traditionally has set its full national broadcast schedule at the start of the season, and those games slated for national broadcast are generally unchanged as the year progresses.

MLS President Mark Abbott was unavailable at press time to discuss his reaction to the networks’ ideas.

The league’s deals with NBC and ESPN expire after the 2014 season. Both Miller and Guglielmino said their networks want to extend their partnerships with the league.

 

Fixing a mistake I had in the NBCSN average. I am still off by a small amount compared to the SBD average (they have 112k average, I have 111k average)


=========================

MLS 2013 TV Ratings Summary

Home teams listed first. All times are Eastern
NBC Sports Network (all ratings for 2.5 hour window unless specified)
Game 0: 95k (RSL vs SEA) Saturday 7:30pm 2/23/2013*
Game 1: 107k (HOU vs DC). Saturday 8:00pm. 3/2/2013
Game 2: 79k (CHI vs NE) Saturday 7:30pm 3/9/2013
Game 3: 82k (KC vs CHI) Saturday 3:00pm 3/16/2013
Game 4: 209k (SEA vs POR) Saturday 8:00pm 3/16/2013
Game 5: 97k (DC vs COLU) Saturday 3:30pm 3/23/2013
Game 6: 100k (NY vs PHI) Saturday 3:30pm 3/30/2013
Game 7: 41k (COLO vs RSL) Saturday 7:30pm 4/6/2013
Game 8: 86k (DAL vs LA) Saturday 3:30pm 4/13/2013
Game 9: 108k (POR vs SJ) Sunday 10:30pm 4/14/2013
Game 10: 58k (LA vs KC) Saturday 10:30pm 4/21/2013
Game 11: 53k (MON vs CHI) Saturday 4:00pm 4/27/2013
Game 12: 122k (COLU vs NY) Saturday 4:00pm 5/4/2013
Game 13: 51k (CHI vs PHI) Saturday 1:30pm 5/11/2013
Game 14: 80k (KC vs HOU) Sunday 3:30pm 5/26/2013
Game 15: 96k (NE vs LA) Sunday 4:00pm 6/2/2013
Game 16: 149k (SEA vs VAN) Saturday 10:30pm 6/8/2013
Game 17: 133k (POR vs COLO) Sunday 7:00pm 6/23/2013
Game 18: 123k (PHI vs DAL) Saturday 5:30pm 6/29/2013
Game 19: 173k (VAN vs SEA) Saturday 11:00pm 7/6/2013
Game 20: 126k (POR vs LA) Saturday 11:00pm 7/13/2013
Game 21: 94k (HOU vs CHI) Saturday 8:00pm 7/27/2013
Game 22: 83k (KC vs NY) Saturday 6:30pm 8/3/2013
Game 23: 58k (PHI vs DC) Saturday 8:00pm 8/10/2013
Game 24: 110k (NY vs PHI) Saturday 8:00pm 8/17/2013
Game 25: 133k (CHI vs KC) Friday 8:30pm 8/23/2013
Game 26: 171k (RSL vs POR) Friday 10:00pm 8/30/2013
Game 27: 67k (NY vs DC) Saturday 8:00pm 8/31/2013
Game 28: 102k (SEA vs CHI) Saturday 10:00pm 9/7/2013
Game 29: 177k (SEA vs RSL) Friday 10:00pm 9/13/2013
Game 30: 131k (POR vs COL) Friday 10:00pm 9/20/2013
Game 31: 247k (LA vs SEA) Saturday 10:00pm 9/21/2013
Game 32: 98k (KC vs PHI) Friday 8:00pm 9/27/2013
Game 33: 89k (DC vs CHI) Friday 8:00pm 10/4/2013
Game 34: 183k (COLO vs SEA) Saturday 10:00pm 10/5/2013
Game 35: 83k(KC vs DC) Friday 8:00pm 10/18/2013
Game 36: 189k (PHI vs KC) Saturday 3:00pm 10/26/2013
Game 37: 68k (SJ vs DAL) Saturday 5:30pm 10/26/2013
Average: 111k
* This was the Preseason Diamond Cup final.


ESPN2 (all ratings are for a 2.5 hour window unless specified)
Game 1: 221k (POR vs NY) Sunday 7:30pm 3/3/2013
Game 2: 179k (SJ vs NY) Sunday 10:00pm 3/10/2013
Game 3: 108k (DAL vs HOU) Sunday 1:00pm 3/17/2013
Game 4: 157k (CHI vs NY) Sunday 5:00pm 4/7/2013
Game 5: 170k (DC vs PHI) Sunday 5:00pm 4/21/2013
Game 6: 145k (LA vs HOU) Sunday 11:00pm 5/5/2013
Game 7: 250k (LA vs NY) Sunday 1:00pm 5/19/2013*
Game 8: 191k (LA vs SEA) Sunday 11:00pm 5/26/2013
Game 9: 393k (NY vs HOU) Sunday 2:00pm 6/30/2013**
Game 10: 138k (COLO vs LA) Saturday 7:00pm 7/27/2013***
All-Star Game: 319k (MLS vs Roma) Wednesday 7:00pm 7/31/2013
Game 11: 184k (DAL vs LA) Sunday 8:00pm 8/11/2013
Game 12: 346k (SEA vs POR) Sunday 10:00pm 8/25/2013
Game 13: 82k (SJ vs PHI) Sunday 11:00pm 9/8/2013*
Average: 197k (does not include All Star Game)
*Window was 128 minutes
**Window was only 80 minutes due to Confed Cup game running long
***Window was 126 minutes

ESPN(all ratings are for ~2 hour window).
Game 1: 262k (POR vs DAL) Saturday 5:00pm 6/15/2013
Game 2: 323k (PHI vs NY) Sunday 5:00pm 6/23/2013
Game 3: 331k (CHI vs KC) Sunday 3:00pm 7/7/2013
Game 4: 300k (SEA vs NY) Sunday 9:00pm 9/29/2013
Game 5: 189k (POR vs SEA) Sunday 9:00pm 10/13/2013
Game 6: 232k (LA vs SJ) Sunday 9:00pm 10/20/2013
Game 7: 247k (SEA vs LA) Sunday 9:00pm 10/27/2013
Average: 269K

Unimas
26 games: 229k average

NBC
Game 1: (NY vs DC) Saturday 12:30pm 3/16/2013
Overnight: .7
Final: .3, 461k

Game 2: (POR vs LA) Sunday 3:30pm 9/29/2013
Overnight: .3*

Game 3: (DAL vs SEA) Saturday 2:30pm 10/19/2013
Final: .3, 395k

Game 4: (DC vs HOU) Sunday 1:30pm 10/27/2013
Final: .2, 294k

*Not sure if this is overnight or the fast national rating

 

Adding in the latest NBC EPL number


Summary
====================
NBC Saturday 12:30 pm
Swansea City v. Man United: 792k
Aston Villa v. Liverpool: 789k
Crystal Palace v. Sunderland: 865k
Everton v Chelsea: 917k
Swansea v Arsenal: (0.6)

NBC Saturday 1:30pm
Arsenal v Liverpool: 991k

NBCSN Saturday 12:30pm
Chelsea v. Fulham: 447k
Sunderland v. Man United: 435k

NBCSN Saturday 7:30 am
Liverpool v. Stoke City: 287k
Fulham v. Arsenal: 266k
Man City v. Hull City: 276k
Man United v. Crystal Palace: 302k
Norwich v. Aston Villa: 241k
Spurs v. Chelsea: 324K
Man City v. Everton: 321k
Newcastle v. Liverpool: 313k
Crystal Palace v. Arsenal: 259k

NBCSN Saturday 9:55 am
Arsenal v. Aston Villa: 450k
Southampton v. Sunderland: 393K
Cardiff City v. Everton: 417k
Sunderland v Arsenal: 445k
Liverpool v. Southampton: 437k
Aston Villa v. Man City: 376K
Liverpool v. Crystal Palace: 408k
Man United v Southampton: 393k

NBCSN Saturday 11:00am
Man United v. Stoke: 397k

NBCSN Saturday 12:30pm
Southampton v. Fulham: 286k

NBCSN Sunday 8:30 am
Crystal Palace v. Spurs: 238k
Liverpool v. Man United: 570k
Stoke v. Norwich: 176k
Norwich v. Chelsea: 279k

NBCSN Sunday 10:55am
Chelsea v. Hull City: 443k
Spurs v. Swansea City: 459k
Arsenal v. Tottenham: 574k
Southampton v. West Ham: 346k
Man City v. Man United: 852k
Sunderland v. Liverpool: 422K
West Brom v. Arsenal: 415k
Aston Villa v. Tottenham: 276k

NBCSN Sunday 12:00pm
Chelsea v. Man City: 583k

NBCSN Monday 3:00 pm
Man City v. Newcastle: 189k
Man United v. Chelsea: 536k
Swansea v. Liverpool: 255k
Everton v. Newcastle: 132k
Crystal Palace v. Fulham: 130k

Wednesday 2:45 pm
Chelsea v. Aston Villa: 185k

 

MLS showed small signs of life on Friday night this year on NBCSN, maybe due to a similar reason you are suggesting.
I would not be shocked to see those 7 Friday night games expanded to closer to 15 games next season, if NBCSN has the room on a Friday night.

 

The Sunday night slot in the fall is a tough slot. Just too much competition to ever make a blip imo.

 

I don't know if it is a case of a lost cause or just simply bottom of the barrel, which MLS basically is on the main ESPN this year. No other big sport is crazy enough to take that slot on so the niche leagues get those death spots.

The only way out of the death slot is to get better ratings on a consistent basis.

The ratings growth problem is going to make the attendance growth problem look like a 1 foot open net tap in.

 

How did they lose the USMNT when they are still in the current contract and the new deal has not been negotitated yet for the next contract?

Are you aware of something we don't know regarding negotitations?