It's been mentioned that people have to get used to knowing where the games are being broadcast and I agree 100%. I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but I think MLS stands to benefit from timeslot standardization. Let me explain: I know it's not the same, but I'd like to reference the NFL. I believe the NFL not only benefits from people knowing where to find the games, but also when. Every Sunday you know there is an early timeslot and a later one. It's always at the same time. Basically people create a routine, and it's easier to plan to watch the games. MLS is not there, but doing time blocks could be the way to go to increase ratings. Basically I go into a Sunday (Eastern time zone) and I know that the first game is at 1:00 PM and the second is at 4:00 PM. You can't believe what it does to me personally as a fan to know with certainty what time I can watch a game!! I believe that the oft-maligned MLS season actually works in its favor, because a large chunk falls during school break months. I would propose two basic timeslots for the majority of games (all times Eastern): Saturdays 5:00 PM (5:30 kickoff) for East coast games - this means that Central time teams start at 4:00/4:30 local time. Then, going with the West coast teams, the games are broadcast at 7:00 for the East coast. That means that teams start at 4:00 (broadcast)/4:30 (kickoff) - consequently, Mountain time teams would have the corresponding times be 5:00/5:30 local time. For weekdays (mostly Wednesdays) I think it would be a good idea to go with maybe something like a 8:30 PM Eastern time game time/broadcast. This would be the only time slot used for weekdays. It maybe gives you the best combination of game time and also reaching a broad enough audience which is not so much an issue on Saturdays because people are not in the middle of a commute/working/school/etc.
I think that works for the NFL only because people will watch any NFL game. A couple of years ago, two last place teams playing on Monday night beat out the World Series in the ratings. I'm not sure the same theory works for MLS. For starters, fans of the league would miss out on seeing games played at the same time the local team is playing. Then there would be the decision as to which team is the local team for markets that are close together--which team do people in New Jersey want to watch--NY or PHI??
That's not a unique decision for MLS. My grandparents used to live in New Jersey where they got all the New York City broadcast channels plus Fox, NBC, and ABC from Philadelphia. I don't remember them getting CBS from Philadelphia. Even without CBS from Philadelphia, they would have the channels to get all the Giants, Jets, and Eagles games except if the Eagles were on CBS because they were hosting an AFC team and that game was playing at the same time as the Jets.
Seriously? The only way MLS could adopt blocks like this is by it becoming important enough that people want to watch in staggering numbers. MLS can't dictate TV terms so it takes what it can get. The league also needs to schedule games in such a way to give us the best possible on-field product. Playing at 4 or 5pm is not going to work well in large parts of the US during the summer. The Union played a number of early games in 2010 and it was taxing.
If you are going to do it, you can do most games on Saturday at either 7:30 ET or 10:00 ET for the west coast.
Already been discussed in in previous threads ( Sorry no time for finding links) Yes TV broadcasters have a lot to do with it But assume new contracts are signed in 2015, I can easily see MLS sharing with Disney, NBC Fox and univision NBCSC wants hockey on saturday night, ESPN has pointed football all fall, but has more than one network to work with at all times. Fox has lots of room for Soccer as it too will have multiple channels. Univision seems happy Sundays. So I can easily see a schedule EST ( assuming 20 teams) Friday 8 pm (or 10 pm) Saturdays 4pm 7pm 10pm Sunday 4 pm 7 pm Only four time slots would have multiple games. You get NBC to commit to Friday night , and one saturday game. Fox to Sunday night and ESPN to pick whichever it wants on Saturdays, depending on its other programming that week. The Spanish broadcast to remain Sunday afternoon. That's pretty sweet national coverage. The Don and suites at MLS should want this. And fans should be happy because they know where to go for footie.
I don't think that it has to be this stardardized, only the nationally televised games should be standardized so you can still spread out games. in the US there is already a game on NBC sports Network usually between 2 and 5 PM ET start time on saturday or sunday, in order to avoid the MLB, NBA, and NHL's sunday Matinee's as well as the NFL when in season the MLS sould do games every saturday with a 4 PM ET star time as well as sundays at the same time after the NBA and NHL regular season ends and before the NFL regular season starts. this way it's 4 on the east coast but still 1 on the west. also there should be occasional Night games on weekends on the NBC networks starting at 8 PM ET or 5 PM Pacific time. this would happen during first kick, July 4th, or big games in between the NBA/NHL seasons and the NFL season, and also the last couple weeks of the MLS regular season. ESPN would get weekdays, with games on Monday or Tuesday, and Thursday or Friday at 8 PM ET.
The problem with this idea is that, as I understand things is that ESPN airs college football ALL day Saturday and has an 8 PM game on Friday which would eat up the 10 PM time slot. That would leave them with Sunday, and I don't know how much they might pay to go against the NFL's games at those times.
