MLS Ratings on ESPN2 up since WC

good news...

 

Now that I discovered Veronica, I will be tuning into more MLS games..... Does she do sideline reporting for weekly games as well?

 

That is a positive step. Lets hope a good chunk of that continues to watch all the way to the MLS championship.

 

yes... she didn't during the world cup, but that was because she was in j/k with jack, ty and everyone's favorite... lisa salters (a real reporter)

 

Very, very good news indeed.

 

Dude, these numbers are still pathetic.

 

Maybe? Try definitely.

 

actually, they really aren't that bad... they aren't great, but they aren't bad

 

Granted they're not too hot, but they're not that much worse than ratings I've seen for some of ESPN2's other programming.

Ice hockey on ESPN2 had an average rating of 0.3 a few years ago, women's basketball 0.2, etc.

 

This story is just a bit ridiculous given the Nielsen methodology. All of the discrepancies listed are well within Nielsen's margin for error.

 

Any rise in the ratings is an improvement. Last time I checked, improvement was important, no matter how much or how little. Rome wasn't built in a day....and neither was MLS. It took like 3 years for attendance to begin to rise (fell after the 1st and 2nd years I think....)

 

For espn2, they're actually not bad at all. ESPN2 is probably the perfect type exposure for MLS right now.

 

What sort of average rating would be needed for a TV contract where ESPN pays for rights to MLS?

0.3? 0.4? 0.5? 0.8? 1.2?

Any thoughts?

 

i don't think it is going to be any set tv rating

it's just going to take time and encroachment into the american sports scene

 

This echoes what Garber said a few days ago in his State of the League address. Hopefully this can be sustained the rest of the season. The next big test is going to be growing these ratings over the next 4 years.

As for being pathetic - maybe, but considering ESPN is putting pennies into MLS for each dollar it spends (literally, as well as time on Sportscenter) on hockey for similar ratings, this is pretty good.

I am guessing, but I would say MLS has to get close to 0.5 or double what they have now to get any money out of a TV contract. That could happen in 4 years, with help from the Nats, but again, it is going to be tough to grow these ratings without a WC.

 

good point about investment. When you consider that the NHL got a 600 million dollar tv contract from abc/espn yet they get similar ratings to mls. I would say mls is probably a pretty good deal for them.

 

i would imagine that would be something that they wouldn't necessarily like to admit too... am i wrong on that or??

 

You know, with the advent of SUM, getting $$ for TV rights might not be part of the plan. If ratings go up, SUM can leverage ad sales and sponsorships in a way ESPN2 never could. And SUM ought to be able to sell ads for soccer broadcasts more efficiently than ESPN2 (since they'd already have the relationships.)

What I'm trying to say is, for the foreseeable future, it's probably win-win for ESPN2 to continue to get the guaranteed, low hassle income from a timebuy, and for SUM to reap the benefits of higher ratings.

That won't be the case if ratings go way, way up, but so long as ratings are slowly but surely going up, SUM and ESPN/2 may both benefit from the timebuy.

 

The link below gives the Top 10 rated programs on ESPN and ESPN2 for each quarter in 2001. Interestingly, several soccer broadcasts made the list.

http://www.timewarnersd.com/espn2001.htm

 

that first quarter had 3 us soccer matches make the top 10... 1, 3, and 10 for the rankings

the second quarter had a us soccer match at #1 and a highlight show at #10 (15 minutes???)


First Quarter
#1 1:00pm - 3:00pm 02/03 Sat 1.8 (what was this???)
#3 4:30pm - 6:30pm 02/28 Weds 1.6 (US vs Mexico at Columbus)
#10 2:30pm 4:30pm 01/27 Sat 1.1

Second Quarter
#1 4:30p 6:30p 25-Apr Weds 1.8
#10 1:45p 2:00p 02-May Weds 1.3 (highlight show)


what was the highlight show of??

 

That 15 minutes of highlights must have been after a Champions League game?!?

 

USA 0-1 Colombia at the Orange Bowl

USA 2-1 China at the Oakland Coliseum

USA 1-0 Costa Rica at Arrowhead

 

Little League "World Series" kicks ass on ESPN2. Would a telecast of the best U.S. U-13 side against the best the world has to offer draw similar interest? Could it match the LLWS for scandals?

 

While that may be true in the short-term, I am sure in the long-term MLS will want primetime coverage. For a weekly primetime spot MLS would need to strike a deal.