Did FoxSoccer show Sunday afternoon MLS games? There are a lot of variables to consider when looking at audience data (or trying to compare one data point to some other data set). update: well that's interesting -- but keep in mind that NBCSN is in about twice as many homes as FoxSoccer.
Interesting how that # could have been over 100K viewers had the 20K people in the stadium were at home watching the game on TV.
then they would have been playing in an empty stadium. (and would that have caused other viewers to turn the game off?) also, the "math" isn't that straightforward. of those 20K that were in the stadium, if none of them are in a Nielsen home (part of Nielsen's sample), then their home tv viewing isn't utilized in Nielsen's audience projections. again, with such small audience levels (as is the case with most niche channels), not much can be learned from the top-line ratings (household or persons) numbers. MLS and its tv partners (and its potential tv partners of the future) will have to dive deeper into the data available to them to look at the demographic group data and other insights beyond just the top line numbers that are made available to the press.
and the reality of NBCSN's bigger penetration (and overall business relative to just FoxSoccer) is that NBC was able to put together and pay for a more attractive rights package and become a (bigger) tv partner for MLS/SUM. independent of this first data point (for NBCSN's first MLS telecast), the fact is that MLS/SUM are locked in for 3 years with NBC as a partner now. it will be interesting to see how that partnership develops and is utilized over time (and if it is re-upped for 2015 and beyond).
On Verizon Fios in my area, the channel is not next door to the ESPNs, it's next door to the NBA/MLB Network, etc, channels you have to have a specific sports pack to get. I imagine this 'bad real estate' is generally par for the course right now (and that's where NBC SN isn't itself part of the high-tier sports pack), and one of the major driving factors of the low ratings on NBC SN, along with just the mental adjustment to thinking about a new sports net. Right now, even some BS posters and other soccer posting fora thought this game was on NBC, because they didn't understand yet that we're talking about a new and different channel. Consumers are lazy, and NBC SN starts out in a semi-Catch 22, where to attract viewers it needs to get better real estate, and to get better real estate it needs to attract viewers. This situation is one that NBC SN will only wiggle out of with some time and some 'must watch' events that will probably only come starting with the Olympics. For MLS, they might pick up a little once each MLS fan has made that mental effort to locate and get used to watching the channel, something that might happen only after the first couple games that fan regards as 'must watch'--ie their team is playing, big/playoff game, etc.
I think the Olympics will really help bring awareness to NBCS. That said, FSC is a whole lot more obscure than NBCS when it comes to cable tv real estate.
It's the same on DirecTV. The ESPNs, NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB channels are all bundled next each other in the 210s, right between news and general interest channels like TNT and USA. NBC Sports is in the 600s next to Speed, Outdoor Channel and, uh, Fox Soccer Channel. Niche sports. I wonder how long/when it would take for NBC to move on up to the first tier neighborhood. Surely they have people talking to Verizon, DirecTV and others in trying to get the channel moved to more desirable real estate.
We should get everyone to stay home and watch on TV, then. Bingo, 25% ratings jump. (BTW, no, it wouldn't, Nielsen homes don't work that way.) Close. NBCSN = 75M+ TVHH FSC = 40M+ TVHH NBCSN is still early in a rebrand that's taking time to catch on (their viewers were down 20% from January 2011 to January 2012). This is an early start to the MLS season (the only MLS regular-season games ever played earlier than March 11 were the ones played the day before). Everything takes time.
I thought that they did a great job and unlike Fox, who for some reason the ball in flight leaves a streak of sorts on my tube, NBC does not. Looking forward to many, many more games on this new network.
Did he really? To be honest, I wish comcast and other cable companies would release tv viewing information, even though it would , or "could" violate a persons privacy. I'd believe those guys before I will ever again believe the Nielsen ratings.
I don't mean to derail this thread but I'd like a clarification on this comment. What are you insinuating exactly? If you believe that the ratings are inaccurate, then go ahead and let us know why. But I see little need to disparage a province just to prove your point.
Possibly. On DirecTV, NBCS is Channel 603, FSC is 619. As a soccer fan, I was used to flipping to 619; Getting to 603 is going to take some getting used to. NBCS will benefit from the Olympics and possibly other big events, such as the NHL playoffs, etc. But that channel seriously needs to get rid of the hunting shows. I can see the rodeo stuff, but the hunting stuff seems so diametrically opposed to the MLS target demographic.
I would imagine they're going to continue to program things that make them money, wouldn't you? I mean, it's not like they're going to clear the deck to make their entire 168-hour programming week line up demographically with the people who watch MLS for 2.5 hours a week. And you oddly never hear people complain about Nielsen's methodology when a number is high.
On the other hand.... RDS , TSN attract record audience for Vancouver vs Montreal 541,000 viewers!! http://www.mountroyalsoccer.com/201...act-record-audience-for-vancouver-vs-montreal
Fwiw, Miller has said they plan to tone down on that stuff over time. He called the ratings for those shows 'empty calories', saying they were ratings that were hard to monetize.
I hear people complain about Nielsen's methodology all the time, up or down. But I'm admittedly no expert...
I don't even believe their Super Bowl ratings, lol. I would believe cable company figures, because that would be a actual better gauge of what is actually being watched in America. But, privacy would be a concern for people, I'm sure.
Can you re-linnevermind, I found the article from yesterday. k the article, it leads to a "phone scam" story. nevermind, I found the article from yesterday. I don't really expect someone to openly state they're disappointed in the result, either. I guess I'll wait for remarks on it later this week.
So my understanding of Nielsen ratings is something like, they have their boxes in a certain number of households in the country (20,000 if i'm not mistaken) and based on what each household is watching they extrapolate numbers (although 20000 seems like an awfully small sample size). I think it's probably easier to figure rating on shows like American Idol where larger percentages of the boxes are set on that show. When you get down into the lesser watched shows it seems to me the small initial sample size makes it harder to get a more concrete number. I could be wrong, but the higher viewership shows are probably more correct than the lower ones.
I guess our only choice is for every MLS fan to try to become a Nielsen household. Just be sure to tell them you are interested in NFL, and MLB, don't mention sockers.