Basically, break it down to four tiers. At this point, exclusivity is counterproductive. If there's one thing to learn from the history of MLS it is that none of the major media companies can be trusted. So use the hunger for live sports content to our advantage. Here's how I'd do it: Tier 1 6-8 games a year; ability to flex up to 5 times a season; select playoff games; MLS Cup (to be played on a Saturday afternoon after the regular college football season); must put games on network TV (surely, this would eliminate a certain cable channel but I'm OK with that; it's not like they put MLS in the highlight reels on a regular basis) Tier 2 25-30 games involving Portland, DC, Philly, LA Galaxy, Seattle, Chicago, Houston, team 20, RSL, SKC, SJ, NYRB; weekly highlights show to run during regular season; no team can appear more than 6 times; must have pre- and post-game shows; cable channels can participate but reach must be more than 60 million persons Tier 3 20-25 games involving Portland, DC, Philly, LA Galaxy, Seattle, Chicago, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, NYRB, team 20, Houston, Dallas, NE Revolution, Colorado, RSL, SJ, SKC, Columbus, CUSA; Canadian team paired against US team; no team can appear more than 4 times; any cable channel must have reach of more than 30 million persons to participate in bidding Tier 4 Option of exclusive rights to up to 20 games from Direct Kick/MLS Live package of games; channel must demostrate history of airing competitions involving domestic teams within the last 5 years Potentially, a Spanish-language broadcaster could win one of the higher tiers but I doubt it since it's now looking likely that Univision won't be back after 2 years. With the entry of beIN Sports, it appears that Fox Soccer and GolTV can no longer be picky as to what they could go for. MLS may have gained more advantage even if they'll never appear on beIN. If Fox Soccer can convert themselves to a general sports channel, thereby creating more demand for the channel, then MLS could take another look at them.
Ok, I don't really understand what you mean here, but I have contention anyway (I'm just that good). Tier II differs from Tier III is that 12 teams were chosen to be Tier II, almost at random. What standard is used to determine those 12 teams as opposed to the other 8 (especially when you consider that you have no information about TeamXX) And if the "certain cable channel" you mentioned was ESPN, you've forgotten about ABC
Well it looks like Univision Deportes, FSC and GOLTV can only compete for tier 3 and 4. Well I guess Fox could go for tier 1 but I doubt they would want that. I am also not sure how big will Fox Mundo (spanish) will be when it rolls out. Also I assume this is for USA rights, different "restrictions" for Canada rights. Would you also be willing to take less money that what MLS gets right now? What if say Telemundo (Spanish Network TV) offers only 5 million for all Spanish Tier 1 or 2? Right now the 3 tiers are as follow. Tier 1 ESPN - 8 million (also includes rights to show on ESPND) Tier 2 NBCS - 12 Million Tier 3 Spanish (Galavision) - 8 Million Total 28 Million; Would you take less money with more restrictions?
By this you mean Dec. 8th (in 2012), which only has the SWAC Championship and the Army-Navy game. There are full days of games every Saturday up to that point, and bowls start on Dec. 15th.
MLS is going to let SUM handle the "National TV" package(s) . ("National TV" is placed in quotes, since that was a phrase that once corresponded to full coverage of the US via free OTA broadcast tv, but now "National" can mean any cable/satellite station that is "available" to most homes, even though those may be somewhat "niche" channels that may or more likely will not have a broad coverage of subscribing homes.) SUM (very likely) will opt to "bundle" some US Soccer rights (that they also control/manage) into the MLS game package(s) that they offer. Items that US Soccer controls (and lets SUM manage) can be very valuable, be that home WCQs for the USMNT and major friendlies (such as USA versus marketable and big/top NTs). The "lower tier" rights will get a network access to the v. Canada and v. Scotland type friendlies that NBCSN picked up this year in their package. The US game broadcast rights can/will make the "MLS package(s)" of games a better overall product that SUM can manage (and make money from) on MLS's behalf. (Also, SUM will likely work to organize additional and marketable "club friendly" matches which will involve MLS teams -- in most cases -- and will likely be a part of the full "National TV" package(s) that SUM will make available for sale.)
Looking at the TV landscape right now, I'd say odds are 75% that it remains ESPN and NBC. I don't see them going back to FSC, or for that matter GolTV or beIN. MLS is much more interested in greater exposure than pure dollars. I think they will remain loyal to ESPN/NBC if they are pleased with the quality of the production they are providing. I also don't think the US Open Cup deal being 3 years was a coincidence. I expect them to include that in the new deal. The wildcards issues for me are who gets the MLS Cup/All-Star game, how are the games divided i.e. ESPN gets first choice or they alternate picking games, and the unlikely event one of the broadcast networks decides to show MLS games regularly.
Open Cup belongs to USSF not to MLS. USSF would first have to "sell" the rights of the Cup to SUM, and then SUM could package it on the deal. I doubt SUM would want it unless the USSF forces it on SUM in exchange for USNT rights.