Columbus Crew to Austin Texas?

But when Columbus got rid of streetcars after WW2 and went to buses, it was considered a big move forward. Part of the appeal was the flexibility of routes as no rail had to be laid to new subdivisions.

 

<sigh> Texas isn't a market. It isn't an economic entity. It's a state, a political entity. San Antonio and/or Austin will succeed or fail on their own merits. Dallas and Houston aren't relevant, except that about twice a year SA or Austin would get a decent number of visiting supporters.

I don't know about that. Just holding steady is progress in our TV environment. My sense is that MLS is inching forward, which is pretty good.

 

The point was that businesses would invest near fixed rail stations that can't easily be relocated. Flexible bus stops don't draw investment.

 

I don't follow this as closely as I used to, but the most recent source I've seen gives MLS a 6% market share (La Liga is at 5%) for televised soccer, with Liga MX at 29% and the Premiership at 19%. That source also included international matches, of which there were quite a few in 2017, and those accounted for a 17% share.

My question is, then (and I can't answer it): Does MLS business model work, long-term, with a mid-single digit national TV market share? Because there doesn't seem to be reason to believe that those ratings are going to get much better.

 

I would say that it is a market too. Being a state does make it an economic entity in some measure. But even if you won't go there, these cities are all about 4 hours or less travel time from each other, which gives them some commonality in terms of economics and interests and market. San Antonio and Austin as markets are influenced by the larger Dallas and particularly Houston. Too close not to be. And San Antonio and Austin are too close to each other not to be mutual influences.

 

I think this mostly acts as a ceiling to how much things can grow. My impression is that most of the teams are profitable on a cash flow basis. If the current TV fanbase is small but strong, it would likely survive to an all-streaming environment.

 

And they essentially haven't for a decade, when you look at viewership per game on the ESPNs. More eyeballs see games overall per season because more games are televised, but I'm not really sure if it's the same 270,000ish people every game or not.

 

It's also a heluva lot easier to read a train schedule than a bus schedule, with all its loops and optional bits that depend on the time you get on.

------RM

 

And busses do not always actually follow a schedule--due in part to the aforementioned traffic issues. Mind you, I used them a lot when I was still in school as two of my three alma maters only had bus service.

 

I think the light rail that has single track, the sidings are usually at the station stops, so opposite trains meet at that spot. That's the way it works on the Front Range commuter trains in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City's light rail is all double track I believe.

As far as Austin in MLS and San Antonio, I see *NO* problems with that, they both could have large support, especially San Antonio.

USL has teams in San Antonio which RGV Edinburg TX. New USL teams start in Austin TX and El Paso next year, and I think there will be a team in Albuquerque.

I don't know why Dallas FC hasn't started a USL team too.

 

I wouldn't bet on Austin having a USL team next year. I don't think they have done anything more than announce they are coming.

 

Okay I think they were penciled in for 2019 ??

I think they were serious about El Paso...

 

How many people are watching games over the internet/Mobile though? ESPN is putting a boatload of money into ESPN+ when you look at the amount of exclusive content they are creating for that platform, along with a huge marketing push.

 

Actually FCD announced today that a USL div 3 team is coming to the metroplex next year.

 

Those dicks waited until the Super Rugby season was midway through and shoved ALL of their Rugby behind their paywall. Dicks.

 

This and my crappy Fire going exclusively to ESPN+ are the 2 reasons I’m boycotting this year. I might sign up next February when Super Rugby starts up again.

Edit: Sorry for the rant. Hope the Crew stays in Columbus.

 

Yeah, I understand that. Though I was signing up for it for MLS Live regardless so it really doesn't affect me. For $50/year, the amount of content is substantial. Especially when you factor in MLS Rewind each week, and ESPN FC daily now there's a ton of soccer content. To me everything else is just an added bonus.

So when does MLS officially kick PSV to the curb?

 

Austin City Council report due June 1 I believe.

Austin will be done with AP at that point.

 

They showed 3/4 of the EFL Championship season before doing the same. This will be Disney’s MO for the future, get someone hooked on a product, then charge OTT to find out how a series ends. Or season. I could see them even moving “special” episodes of TV shows. Especially kids shows, knowing parents will have to pay.

Thx,

Jay!

 

Whelp. Disney (and my daughter) will find out just how much a cheap petulant unmovable dick I really am. I hope there are enough of me out there to teach them, and the industry, that this model will lose them more customers over the long run.

 

"Why don't you go over to your friend's house to watch that!"

 

Agree... that is a horrible business model. I hope netflix eat their pants.

 

Unfortunately, it's going to be the business model going forward. ESPN gets upwards of $8 per subscriber from cable companies that have it in their tier. Cable companies are also facing downward pricing pressure from streaming services like Playstation Vue, you tube, directv now, etc.

Networks like are going to move more stuff off the cable linear channels and onto an OTT service. I can't imagine the conference college channels remaining as long term linear channels under the current cable model.

Anyhow, ESPN is leading the way in this. It will be interesting to see how Fox (Disney didn't buy Fox's sports channels) and NBC/Comcast try to compete. I doubt people will spend $5 per month each for OTT. I wasn't willing to pay NBC $50 for the premier league gold pass this year.

 

The Disney/Fox deal is not a given yet. Comcast may be making a hostile approach for Fox assets, then we have regulatory uncertainty as well.

 

You can always change to an English IP address and watch all of their channels for free. Although it's not totally legal.