The 2019 MLS TV thread

Maybe. It is very unlikely that MLS Cup would be on broadcast ABC or Univision on Friday night. Both of those networks have prime-time programs that would have to be preempted. Programs that already have sponsors.

And the local affiliates wouldn't like it at all.

A 9 pm ET game could possibly run into the local news even if it actually started at 9 pm. The affiliates in Eastern and Central time hated Monday Night Football for that reason. The local late news is a big money-maker for the affiliates.

And that would be a 6 pm game on the West Coast which has the opposite problem for the affiliates. Those two factors were part of the move of MNF to ESPN.

Friday night would probably mean ESPN and UniMas for the Cup. Not terrible but it does reduce the overall potential viewership.

 

If by great idea, you mean horrible? Friday has, traditionally, been a dead zone for TV viewing because people are doing other things that night. That may be different now that they have OOH, but I would imagine a Friday night game would be a ratings loser for MLS.

 

Best and Worst TV Days of the Week-- U.S.: Friday is the lowest rated and Sunday is the highest.

There is no magical day or time slot that will suddenly bring in viewers for the final. For those that haven't followed the season, there's no halftime show or TV ads that will attract them like the Super Bowl. That means that you actually have to like watching soccer, and MLS specifically. That's a big distinction because there's obviously a disconnect between American soccer fans and the league. Case in point, the first three MLS Cups (also on ABC) remain the most-watched and highest rated in the U.S. (excluding Canada). Those games had to compete against the NFL and the World Series! Also, consider that there are now 50M more people living in the U.S., with much more favorable demographics towards soccer (immigration trends, younger fans), and the number of American sports fans that call soccer their favorite sport is at an all-time high (7%), twice as many as hockey and almost tied with baseball.

Soccer isn't a niche sport in the U.S. anymore and there are plenty of American soccer fans. Unfortunately for MLS, they don't have a monopoly on soccer like the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB have on their sports. They're low on the soccer totem pole when it comes to soccer viewing options, so rather than attempt to win over hardcore soccer fans by implementing some real changes to provide a more authentic experience, it seems the league would prefer courting casual sports fans. This is obvious in how every aspect is closely tailored to the American leagues of those other sports (closed system, playoff system, drafts, salary caps, all-star game, etc.). They even allow artificial fields.

My guess is that the league will continue to march to the beat of its own drum, for better or worse. They'll make cosmetic changes, like changing the playoff structure to single games, while refusing to implement structural changes that would appeal to soccer fans and bring the league in line with international standards. For example, if MLS wants to use a playoff format, why not use a split season structure like all of Latin America and Canada? On the bright side, if the upcoming CBA negotiations and TV rights deal don't go in their favor, they can just go to their favorite tactic: expansion. We might be hearing of a 40 team league before we know it, with the last several teams being able to enter the league for the low expansion price of $500M...despite the league saying pro/rel is unsustainable. ‍

 

There's something off when a league has more butts in plastic seats than butts on sofas.

I think the networks are looking for MLS to do something rather than looking within, while the league only cares about social media clicks or "fan engagement".

How about a regular timeslot and a serious half- time analysis to start with.

 

Universal rule with sports broadcasting.

TREAT IT LIKE WHAT YOU WANT IT TO BE

ESPN almost created the spectacle of what college football is today all by themselves. The NHL playoffs get the same love and folks that don't give a shit about the NHL at all care about the Stanley Cup blood matches.

30m pre-game ... game ... 30m post-game with a stable (mostly) time slot. Sell what the league is and why it is important (top end of domestic soccer in the US, highest US available soccer competition, bleeding ground for many USMNT players and hopefuls, the academies, etc etc) but don't sell on what it isn't. You don't have to play dumb or treat folks like they're dumb. Present it as such and it will be viewed as such to the extent that people will view it as such. ESPN already saw a difference when they got the league back and put more effort into it than before.

 

I meant in general, not MLS Cup final specifically.

 

I noted in the 7:00 pm (EST) Sportscenter following MLS Cup, the introduction to the MLS Cup highlights - which as I recall were about ten minutes into the show - was that before we get to more NFL coverage there is some other stuff we have to "get out of the way." The highlights began with some brief establishing shots of the stadium and mention of a European atmosphere , then included the three Seattle goals; the anchor chiming in that the scored "ended up" 3-1.

One anchor strongly implied that Seattle had won two championships in four years *of existence*. While showing Ruidiaz celebrating his goal, an anchor said he was the MVP, then the highlights concluded with a soundbite from Rodriguez (the MVP). Sportscenter finished off their report with a screen showing all-time MLS Cups, headed by LA Galaxy with six (sic).

Without even going into the issue of tone, which is subjective, showing a report of the championship game of the top US professional soccer league rife with such basic errors about the teams, players, and league may offer a view into how ESPN wants to treat MLS, and how it wants MLS to be seen.

 

And even so, having it lead off Sportcenter is a huge improvement over the sad state of yesteryear.

 

My bad, I didn't mean to imply it was at the top of the show. I've edited my post.

 

OK, then that still sucks.

 

It seems that the Bundesliga isn't happy with Fox.

How Germany’s Bundesliga hopes to get more U.S. soccer fans’ attention
by Jonathan Tannenwald, Updated: November 22, 2019

Philadelphia Inquirer

FS1 had three games over the weekend, including two with American players. None drew more than 51,000 viewers to the channel. Spanish-language figures on Fox Deportes and Univision’s TUDN were even smaller.

No wonder Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert recently told SportBusiness.com that he’s “a little bit disappointed from Fox as a partner.”

So the league will try something different when the Fox deal ends after this season: a six-year deal with ESPN that will put almost all games exclusively online through subscription platform ESPN+. The network has agreed to air at least four games per season on linear TV, but that’s barely a drop in the bucket.

 

I’m not surprised. Oftentimes when I’m watching a Bundesliga game I’m struck with the feeling it doesn’t feel worlds removed from MLS level in terms of a basic eye test. plus even with some great crowds the broadcasts never quite capture the atmosphere like they do with the Premier League.

 

I think we already knew this, but MLS Cup was the most watched soccer game of the week for Nov. 5-11, beating out Liverpool vs Man. City.

 

This is so true. I'm not expert enough in TV production to exactly put my finger on what it is, but NBCSN does such an amazing job of presenting the EPL.

 

They take it seriously and understand that they have a knowledgeable fan base.

If you remember Fox's coverage they had at various times two "comedians" presenting their coverage from a couch, a poor imitation of the BBCs "Fantasy Football League", and an imitation pub cos all Premier League fans like a pint before the match, right?

 

I wish MLS would do a Fan Fest like NBCSN do for the premier league.
Would be fantastic to have one per week with thousands of loud fans streaming for their teams.

 

They're probably afraid no-one would show up.

 

There's a bit of tension here.

 

I couldn't agree more.

Fox wants to focus on personalities but there are so few in MLS that we end up with a half-time OP-ed by Alexi Lalas to tell us what we should be thinking.

What about what's happened on the pitch, what tactics each team is playing and how that's working out for them?

MLS has a reputation as an inferior league because its treated as one by the networks. Obviously it's not a top 5, probably not a top 10 league, but it's not the kick and rush affair it was in 2006 and it deserves a more sophisticated approach.

 

Literally just firing Alexi would be a big step in the right direction.

But on a broader level, MLS should really invest in having budding young talent spend time with and work with some of the best soccer broadcasters around. Literally just buy them a plane ticket to go hang out with Gary Neville or Martin Tyler or whoever. Target players who are good with the media when they retire and find stuff for them to do.

The pundit gap is as amenable to investment as anything else.

 

Robie Earle and Rob Mustow aren't exactly the brains trust but it's the format that makes them interesting.

 

True. A dignity about the proceedings. And Rebecca Lowe is as good as there is.

 

I think the major sports networks tend to be dismissive about soccer in general. They'll find ways to broadcast the sport, but the sports debate/talk shows on ESPN/FS1 very rarely discuss anything soccer related except when the World Cup is approaching or if it's a negative story (US misses the World Cup, FIFA scandal). This is probably by design and even if it isn't, the TV personalities on these shows most likely have a personal disdain for soccer (some have even admitted it on air). ESPN pays $1.9B for NFL, $1.4 for NBA, and over $1.3B combined for college football/conferences/bowl games. Comparatively, they pay $700M for MLB. Notice how even MLB has been pushed to the wayside and is rarely discussed on these shows. MLS is $75M per year, similar to the Rose and Sugar Bowls ($80M). Just for perspective Little League Baseball gets $60M. The major issue these networks probably have with soccer is that it can't be easily packaged. For example, UFC was dismissed by these same networks until the sport was growing too big to ignore. When it did, they simply paid the league ($1.5B/5 years) much like they do with the NFL/NBA/MLB. Soccer can be packaged to a certain extent (MLS/USMNT games), but there's so many domestic/international leagues and club/country competitions that a network can go after. Is it in their best interests for soccer to gain a major foothold in the country?

 

Not really, I merely stated a universal rule of broadcasting.

I agree with your broader point but don't agree with this statement. Alexi is very divisive but also does something that needs to be done with our budding domestic scene. He'll take to task, rake over the coals, and call out ANYONE or ANY TEAM or ANY LEAGUE. He'll bring up the uncomfortable and ask questions that people on every side of every discussion about US domestic soccer want to ignore.

That said, he can't be by himself. He has to have a check/balance.