MLS TV Ratings

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by Revolt, Mar 12, 2012.

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  1. Twix1138

    Twix1138 Member

    Jul 9, 2010
    When was the last time SKC had a game on the big ESPN? Usually the ratings will be pretty low if this is the only time you ever see the team on television. Most people in Kansas probably didn't even know the game was on ESPN. They aren't used to seeing it on there.

    And LA of course won't pull its weight when it comes to TV ratings. Not as bad as NY, but still pretty bad. Game probably got around 320K or so.
     
  2. ScrappytheSeal4

    Jun 5, 2010
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nope. Neither of these theories are correct.
     
  3. Sportsfan1

    Sportsfan1 Member

    Jul 22, 2007
    St. Louis, MO
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Wow. That is a consistent drop, but that is higher than NBCSN games.

    Hopefully MLS is paying attention to the potential up North.
     
  4. stingbee30

    stingbee30 Member

    Mar 16, 2006
    The game was on TSN as well...So, keep that in mind....
     
  5. guitarob

    guitarob Member

    Jun 14, 2010
    Valencia, VE
    Club:
    Montreal Impact
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Where did you get these numbers?
     
  6. ScrappytheSeal4

    Jun 5, 2010
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, there are now 3 Canadian franchises. So, I guess they did.
     
  7. stingbee30

    stingbee30 Member

    Mar 16, 2006
    THE MLS Game was the #5 rated game for the week...

    Blackburn-ManUtd, 315k on ESPN2; ManUtd-QueensPk, 258k on FOXSoc; Sunderland-Tottenham, 219k on Espn2; KC-LA, 215k on ESPN.

    The Saturday afternoon experiment on ESPN is not working...It is a weak time-slot for MLS. The first real test will be when the Galaxy meets Redbulls on primetime in a few weeks on ESPN (Saturday night)
     
  8. pace8

    pace8 Member

    Aug 17, 2006
    Miami and Montreal
    Club:
    Montreal Impact
    Nat'l Team:
    Haiti
  9. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    "Le Réseau des sports a présenté trois des cinq premiers matchs de la saison: il a attiré 224 000 téléspectateurs lors du match d’ouverture du 10 mars à Vancouver, 192 000 une semaine plus tard pour l’ouverture locale contre Chicago, et 113 000 le 31 mars lors du voyage du onze montréalais à New York."

    I do not speak (read) French but that sounds understandable to me. :D
     
  10. MLSFan123

    MLSFan123 Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Boston Area
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks Stingbee! Here is the compiled data. As always, if anyone has access to the Galavision numbers, please share.

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

    NBC Sports Network
    Game 1: 82k (Dal vs NY). Sunday 3:00pm. 3/11/2012
    Game 2: 124/145k (2.5 hour/two hour) (Phi vs Colo) Sunday 4:00pm. 3/18/2012
    Game 3: 107k (2.5 hour) (Sea vs Hou) Friday 10:00pm 3/23/2012
    Game 4: 76k (DC vs Dal) Friday 7:30pm 3/30/2012
    Game 5: 123k (2.5 hour) (LA vs NE) Saturday 11:00pm 3/31/2012

    ESPN2
    Game 1: 337k (Por vs Phi) Monday 9:30pm 3/12/2012

    ESPN
    Game 1: 217k (NY vs Colo) Sunday 4:00pm 3/25/2012

    Game 2: 215k (KC vs LA) Saturday 4:00pm 4/7/2012
     
  11. MLSFan123

    MLSFan123 Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Boston Area
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If these ESPN numbers hold for 2 more games, I would not be surprised to see ESPN move some of the later season games back to ESPN2 if they are allowed.

    These numbers are much lower than last years numbers on ESPN (which averaged just a hair under 500k viewers for 4 games)
     
  12. MLSFan123

    MLSFan123 Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Boston Area
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I will agree it is a weak time slot for MLS, but it has only been a one game sample so far (the other ESPN game was on a Sunday) so while it may fail, I think we should wait until we have a few more samples.
     
  13. Revolt

    Revolt Member+

    Jun 16, 1999
    Davis, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would love to know what the ratings are for events before and after the MLS game -or what a typical rating is for that time period on ESPN. Its very difficult to get much context for any specific rating.
     
  14. MLSFan123

    MLSFan123 Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Boston Area
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just a quick note, these are just the English language games that are being listed.

    I believe the most watched game in the US this past weekend was Chivas Guadalajara vs Club America at almost 1.9 million viewers.
     
  15. camilos

    camilos Member

    Feb 13, 2007
    Montreal
    Considering the hack marketing job the Impact owner is doing, I'd say those number are excellent.
     
  16. triplet1

    triplet1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2006
    Perhaps MLS can convince ESPN to measure "televisions distributed" instead? ;)
     
  17. Twix1138

    Twix1138 Member

    Jul 9, 2010
    honestly, these MLS ratings are horrible. Much worse than last year.

    215K is low even by ESPN2 standards. And looking at the games on ESPN in the future, I doubt this will change much. The ESPN2 average is higher which is a little puzzling.


    MLS ratings continue to defy logic as usual. LA ratings are usually pretty bad, but I expected at least 300K.


    Don't expect LA vs NY to get any significant ratings. The LA vs NY playoff match last season barely got over 320K. I'd bet money that LA vs NY regular season match doesn't get anywhere near 300K.
     
  18. MLSFan123

    MLSFan123 Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Boston Area
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The ratings looked like more on tv
     
  19. MLSFan123

    MLSFan123 Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Boston Area
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They should do higher than 250k, IMO, simply because the game will be in prime time.
     
  20. IndyMac

    IndyMac Member

    Nov 2, 2008
    Evansville, Indiana
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    LA v SKC went head to head with the Masters, the final weekend of the NHL season and the first weekend of the baseball season, including FOX Saturday baseball, with ironically had the Angels v Royals having the same start time as this game. Relax, the numbers will improve over the summer.
     
  21. HailtotheKing

    HailtotheKing Member+

    San Antonio FC
    United States
    Dec 1, 2008
    TEXAS
    Club:
    San Antonio Scorpions FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, but those are facts ....

    :cool:
     
  22. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re-run of friends

    The voice - repeats

    Game of thrones season 1 marathon

    Mad Man

    How the Universe was made on the History Chanel

    American diggers
     
  23. WarrenWallace

    WarrenWallace Member

    Mar 12, 1999
    Beer and Cheese
    I saw that Beckham wasn't playing in the game so I turned it off.
     
  24. bbsbt

    bbsbt Member+

    Feb 26, 2003
    Well, I put it on ESPN2 and saw that MLS wasn't on, so I left.
    Little did I know that it was on ESPN proper.
     
  25. Sportsfan1

    Sportsfan1 Member

    Jul 22, 2007
    St. Louis, MO
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It is a very strange North American Sports Set up.

    You have one team that is going to average over 40,000K per game in a league that has a tiny Television Footprint. There are so many folks in non MLS cities, or even MLS cities that would visit Seattle and get dragged to a Sounders game and be utterly shocked at the experience.

    We also have to remember not to count the Canadian teams and vice versa when contexting these ratings.

    MLS has a healthy MLS tv footprint in Canada now. It is very possible if Toronto played an American team that Canada would out-rate the Cup Final. If it was an all Canada-Final it would be nearly certain.


    It might even break the all time MLS cup record on ABC or ESPN.

    The good news is that MLS is moving into regional markets and not just small local niche ones. Building a real footprint.

    Three generations will be rolling over between years 20-30. Gonna see growth pick up, expecially in the local markets and Cup Final.
     

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