NHL opener on ABC get a 1.4 rating, MLS 2003 get a 1.0

[pc4th]

MLS source: kenn.com
NHL source: http://www.nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/01/199240.html

The NHL on ABC's 2003-04 regular-season opening coverage this past Saturday (1/10/04) generated 2,103,461 national viewers, according to Nielsen television data. The 2.1 million viewership figure for ABC's regional broadcast of Detroit at Boston, Colorado at Dallas and New York Rangers at New York Islanders ranks as the most-watched regular-season opening broadcast for the NHL since January 24, 1998 (2.2 million viewers).

Compared to last year's regular-season opening coverage on ABC (1/11/03), which featured Detroit at Philadelphia, New York Rangers at Pittsburgh and Dallas at Colorado, the 2.1 million viewers represents a 23 percent increase in audience size for the NHL on ABC.

Saturday's NHL on ABC broadcast also recorded a 1.4 household rating and 4 share, which marks the highest-rated regular season opening broadcast for the NHL since March 18, 2000.

MLS do not have regional game (only LA at Columbus), NHL has 3 regional games.

of course, one big difference is that NHL has commercials, MLS doesn't, that why NHL is getting paid $120 mil a year and MLS is paying to be on TV. Though from this article, it seems that ESPN is willing to offer half that after the contract is up.

http://www.sportsbusinessnews.com/index.asp?story_id=32617
NHL TV rights -- not worth very much these days

ABC/ESPN Sports president George Bodenheimer told the Sports Business Journal this week: "ESPN is in a position where nothing is a `must have.' We don't need to own everything. Currently we have the top four professional (team) sports. It's unlikely that can continue forever. This may be the end of one of them.

ESPN President: does not consider MLS as part of its top professional sport.

Please do not bash ESPN (they have the US game tomorrow after all). This thread is for a quick read for those who are interested in the numbers in sports business. Though with a rating of 1.4 on ABC, $60 mil a year does seem a little high when MLS is paying to be on TV with a 1.0 rating. Though the All-stars game and Final were not great.

p.s. the business article has NHL opener with a 1.7 rating.

Another doom and gloom article for NHL fans (myself include for the playoff and an occassional Vancouver game on CBC):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23666-2004Jan16.html
The coming Ice Age

[FlashMan]

Well, MLS does have commercials, just not as many as the NHL. Of course it's only two hours v. two hours and a half or three.

Having regional broadcasts help the NHL with their ratings I would think. If it was just one of their games or another, it wouldn't have such a high collective rating.

[DAGSports]

The NHL does its best numbers when the Red Wings are in the primary game. Colorado, the New York Rangers and/or Philadelphia are also must-shows for ABC coverage because they draw audiences. Boston and Dallas sometimes do well ratings-wise too.

A small increase in ABC ratings is likely this year because many of the above teams are in dogfights for playoff positions and will make multiple appearances on ABC. We'll see if the NHL delays continuing their TV negotiations for a while to try and force ESPN to pay more because the ratings go up a little bit.

I think both sides will settle for around $80 million a year over 2-3 years with most of the games airing on ESPN2 (as it has been ever since ESPN2 launched), Thursday Night games on ESPN (after College Football season ends), and possibly a few games on ABC in February and March. Plus the extensive playoff coverage on ESPN/ESPN2/ABC that we have come to expect.

[monster]

Originally posted by DAGSports
The NHL does its best numbers when the Red Wings are in the primary game. Colorado, the New York Rangers and/or Philadelphia are also must-shows for ABC coverage because they draw audiences. Boston and Dallas sometimes do well ratings-wise too.

A small increase in ABC ratings is likely this year because many of the above teams are in dogfights for playoff positions and will make multiple appearances on ABC. We'll see if the NHL delays continuing their TV negotiations for a while to try and force ESPN to pay more because the ratings go up a little bit.

I think both sides will settle for around $80 million a year over 2-3 years with most of the games airing on ESPN2 (as it has been ever since ESPN2 launched), Thursday Night games on ESPN (after College Football season ends), and possibly a few games on ABC in February and March. Plus the extensive playoff coverage on ESPN/ESPN2/ABC that we have come to expect.

I vaguely remember reading somehwere that hockey on ABC was already quashed as part of a future deal. Could be dreaming it though.

[Elder Statesman]

MLS should experiment with a pre-game or post-game show with highlights and interviews from other matches. That would allow alot more time for commercials.

[Frank Cunha]

Mls will do a lot better if they had regional games,

[SYoshonis]

MLS would also do a lot better if they had more teams in more cities. If there are more fans of their local MLS teams in Detroit, Houston, Philadelphia, Seattle, etc., then there would be at least a bit more interest in the teams playing in the one national game. How many people tune in to the NHL games to watch the Red Wings lose, because they own those fans' local team?

Yes, St. Louis, I'm talking to you! :)