http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...yoffs/2007/06/15/finals.ratings.ap/index.html Both had record lows this year. Even more surprising for the NBA with Lebron James playing. It makes me wonder in this kind of sports television environment if MLS can ever get any kind of ratings. There are more home entertainment choices then ever before(internet,cable,video games,etc.) and it seems to be harder then ever for sports programming to get ratings. I seem to remember even the NFL ratings being lower then normal lately especially Monday Night Football. What does everyone think are realistic expectations for the league in the next 5-10 years?
Toronto FC games are going great in Canada. They are actually posting higher numbers on TV than the Stanley Cup Finals, and in Canada that is saying something, especially since there was a Canadian team in the finals. The last two Stanley Cups did great in Canada with a Canadian team in them. Even this year's Finals had decent ratings, but MLS ratings (okay, so only TFC ratings) are through the roof. Of course, other than TFC the on MLS games shown are on Fox Sportsworld Canada which is a digital channel with only a couple hundred thousand subscribers, many of which are probably sports bars (although I was paying for it until I recently moved I absolutely loved it, but not as much as Gol TV Canada which showed international friendlies)
Sorry, but as I just pointed out on the other forum, Toronto FC is not by any means anywhere close to Stanley Cup ratings. The Stanley Cup Finals drew 2.5 million viewers, on average. Toronto FC is averaging about 100,000 (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070605.TRUTH05/TPStory/TPSports/).
I personally feel that the recent communication age has really changed viewership. We have all seen and been exposed to MJ, Bird, and Magic...in other words we've seen the very best the game has had to offer in all sports, and if we were too young to watch it then we can simply tune into ESPN Classic. Since we have all seen it, I think it takes much more for us to tune in and actually be interested in what we are watching because it is constantly being compared to MJ, Walter Payton, etc. Also even current and up&coming players model their games after older players that it all just looks the same, we just need a new style of play or attitude in the sports so that people can actually care aout watching something exciting.
I have been in the televssion business for over 30 years, and I cannot figure out why it is so important for fans of the various sports to care what the ratings are.....If you watch it and enjoy it, why do you care if others do or do not watch it? Ratings are currency that advertisers and networks use to buy and sell advertising, they are not a measure of happiness, and they do not in this era of increased choices tell the whole story. If there are 3 kinds of pies and 10 eaters then all the pies will be gone, but if there are 100 kinds of pies and only 15 eaters, well...some pies will not have been touched. If you flipped the dial yesterday afternoon (I was in NJ) you had about 10 different choices of things to watch including USA-Mexico....that is a great thing...but the era of monster ratings are over...but so what? Who cares? Watch what you like and you'll be happy. R
"Gold Cup Ratings Dwarf Stanley Cup Final Ratings" This deserves its own thread, IMHO, but here it is: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/soccer/06/26/bc.soc.goldcupratings.ap/index.html And this is just for the spanish-language broadcast in the US!
People who are passionate about something often derive great satisfaction, rightly or wrongly, from the knowledge that other people share their 'vision'. Hence, the interest in soccer ratings. That's my theory, anyway. There's also the point that, as right-thinking people (i.e., soccer nuts), we want others to know what we know. Ya know?
I care about the ratings more than the actual results. Why? Because I care about the future of the sport in this country. When it comes to that, the results have very little meaning compared to the ratings. Ratings equal more money for MLS, which equals better talent being brought in and more fans to watch that talent. It's simple: better ratings = better league. Not to mention that it's fun to root for the things you like to do well. I follow tv ratings, the box office, and the Billboard charts every week because it's fun. It's the same thing with politics and following the polls. It's interesting to know what's going on in the world, and when it comes to politics, extremely important.