The 2020 MLS TV thread

JayRockers! · Feb 8, 2020

Mach1 said: ↑

Going to an all streaming platform for local broadcasts still sounds like a horrible idea to me. The entire point is to increase revenue, and you do that by increasing the number of eyes watching your product. Having the games on local sports channels give you the opportunity for a non-fan to come across a game, either from channel surfing, looking for a sports game to watch, or whatever. Sure, the numbers state most aren't, but you still have the chance of creating a new fan. The moment you move to Amazon or ESPN+ or any of the other streaming services, you've effectively maxed out the amount of viewers for your games. The only people who will go to those services to watch the games are the dedicated fan base. It might mean a revenue increase short-term, but it'll be a loss long-term.
Click to expand...

cc: DC United (failed and now it looks like wont have any local broadcast), Chicago, LAFC, FCC (am I forgetting anyone?)

While it's true the potential audience becomes nationwide (unless they geofence) the actual audience is infinitesimal. I don't personally know any DC United fan who subscribed to Flo Sports. Every casual I ran across didn't have it and usually didn't know when games were on.

Even if they decide all matches will be available nationwide on a platform with penetration (ESPN+), only a handful will actually take advantage of watching out of market games live. With 14+ games a weekend now unless someone is doing PiP it's neigh impossible to watch every single MLS game.

Thx,

Jay!

DCYC · Feb 8, 2020

Mach1 said: ↑

Going to an all streaming platform for local broadcasts still sounds like a horrible idea to me. The entire point is to increase revenue, and you do that by increasing the number of eyes watching your product. Having the games on local sports channels give you the opportunity for a non-fan to come across a game, either from channel surfing, looking for a sports game to watch, or whatever. Sure, the numbers state most aren't, but you still have the chance of creating a new fan. The moment you move to Amazon or ESPN+ or any of the other streaming services, you've effectively maxed out the amount of viewers for your games. The only people who will go to those services to watch the games are the dedicated fan base. It might mean a revenue increase short-term, but it'll be a loss long-term.
Click to expand...

As an advertiser, isn´t that what you want though? an engaged audience. Unless you want to be president, a dollar spent in 10 posible customers is better than a dollar spent in 100 randoms with high rate of bots/fake accounts.

I agree with you that it may not be the best move business wise. But if for once we remove our owners cap and put our fans cap, I would gladly pay for an MLSFLIX instead of having to figure out each week where to watch the games.

AlbertCamus · Feb 10, 2020

I agree the streaming thing is a concern. The Rapids are on Altitude sports with the Denver Nuggets and Hockey Avalanche. It is good because you get spill over audience, and most bars carry that local sports channel. . Now, however, Altitude is in a carriage dispute with COMCAST, so I'm not sure how I'm going to watch the Rapids games I don't go to.

I do love ESPN+, and I do wonder if the end of cable/satellite is coming with this Disney streaming package among other things. But I still think we are a couple of years from a sports bar carrying ESPN+ so you can watch an MLS game or Seria A or something, so it seems the teams and the league still need regular cable coverage to grow an audience. And I agree, you don't just land on ESPN+ while channel surfing.

crookeddy · Feb 10, 2020

AlbertCamus said: ↑

I agree the streaming thing is a concern. The Rapids are on Altitude sports with the Denver Nuggets and Hockey Avalanche. It is good because you get spill over audience, and most bars carry that local sports channel. . Now, however, Altitude is in a carriage dispute with COMCAST, so I'm not sure how I'm going to watch the Rapids games I don't go to.

I do love ESPN+, and I do wonder if the end of cable/satellite is coming with this Disney streaming package among other things. But I still think we are a couple of years from a sports bar carrying ESPN+ so you can watch an MLS game or Seria A or something, so it seems the teams and the league still need regular cable coverage to grow an audience. And I agree, you don't just land on ESPN+ while channel surfing.
Click to expand...

I would bet that most good sports bars have ESPN+ because of UFC, but they won't be putting an MLS game on it.

Allez RSL · Feb 11, 2020

Mach1 said: ↑

Going to an all streaming platform for local broadcasts still sounds like a horrible idea to me. The entire point is to increase revenue, and you do that by increasing the number of eyes watching your product. Having the games on local sports channels give you the opportunity for a non-fan to come across a game, either from channel surfing, looking for a sports game to watch, or whatever. Sure, the numbers state most aren't, but you still have the chance of creating a new fan. The moment you move to Amazon or ESPN+ or any of the other streaming services, you've effectively maxed out the amount of viewers for your games. The only people who will go to those services to watch the games are the dedicated fan base. It might mean a revenue increase short-term, but it'll be a loss long-term.
Click to expand...

I don't know that the bolded won't ever happen with streaming services. I've watched the odd Thursday-night NFL game on Amazon Prime because I was thumbing through the app looking for something to watch. I guess it would depend on what the service is and how the service presented the streams. If it's a well-known player like Amazon or ESPN+, it's possible they could pick up casual viewers.

eddygee · Feb 11, 2020

crookeddy said: ↑

I would bet that most good sports bars have ESPN+ because of UFC, but they won't be putting an MLS game on it.
Click to expand...

Well as fans of MLS/Soccer that's when you come in and request it. We often say this as fans but the only way this changes is to be adamant about them changing the channel. I have never encountered a sports bar or BDUBS that hasn't seen the channel to a MLS game when asked.

AlbertCamus · Feb 11, 2020

crookeddy said: ↑

I would bet that most good sports bars have ESPN+ because of UFC, but they won't be putting an MLS game on it.
Click to expand...

I guess so, I didn't know ESPN+ had UFC, I don't follow it at all. I guess it depends on the bar.

crookeddy · Feb 11, 2020

So looks like the only game on FS1 will be the return leg of the Atlanta match :-/

NaBUru38 · Feb 14, 2020

Any news about Nashvile local rights?

MisterB1968 · Feb 15, 2020

NaBUru38 said: ↑

Any news about Nashvile local rights?
Click to expand...

Which other teams don't have their local rights deal completed yet? I know the Union do not, and Goff is saying that DCU's are basically sold now.

JasonMa · Feb 15, 2020

MisterB1968 said: ↑

Which other teams don't have their local rights deal completed yet? I know the Union do not, and Goff is saying that DCU's are basically sold now.
Click to expand...

Technically the Rapids haven't announced anything, but there's no reason to think they won't be on KSE's Altitude like they have every year save one since KSE bought the team.

Centennial · Feb 17, 2020

JasonMa said: ↑

Technically the Rapids haven't announced anything, but there's no reason to think they won't be on KSE's Altitude like they have every year save one since KSE bought the team.
Click to expand...

With over half the front range no longer having access to Altitude tv due to the Comcast lawsuit and dish network dispute it would be in their best interest to find a carrier.

JasonMa · Feb 17, 2020

Centennial said: ↑

With over half the front range no longer having access to Altitude tv due to the Comcast lawsuit and dish network dispute it would be in their best interest to find a carrier.
Click to expand...

True, but I don't think the Rapids get a choice. What's in the best interest of the Rapids doesn't match what's in the best interests of Altitude, and I think Altitude trumps the Rapids at KSE.

JasonMa · Feb 18, 2020

Altitude has published their schedule through the opening weekend and the Rapids-DC game is listed for opening day. So despite no announcement or any TV listing on the team's or league's website it appears, as we all were certain of, the Rapids will e on Altitude this season.

crookeddy · Feb 18, 2020

I wonder why the CCL is relegated to TUDN only even when Liga MX teams are playing...

ceezmad · Feb 19, 2020

Not sure about the money, but it is good coverage at least in the Midwest.

All non-national televised games.

Chicago's Football Club, on Chicago's Very Own @WGNTV.https://t.co/yt8ZUzg4oP
— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) February 19, 2020

newtex · Feb 19, 2020

ceezmad said: ↑

Not sure about the money, but it is good coverage at least in the Midwest.

All non-national televised games.

Chicago's Football Club, on Chicago's Very Own @WGNTV.https://t.co/yt8ZUzg4oP
— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) February 19, 2020

Click to expand...

So I'm guessing this is the WGN that is available in Chicago but not the WGN that is available outside of Chicago on cable/satellite systems. I wonder how widespread that the Fire games will be available.

AlbertCamus · Feb 19, 2020

Frustrating TV season so far. Rapids on Altitude which is in a dispute with COMCAST and DISH, so no Rapids (live at least). I knew I didn't get FS2, but it turns out I also don't get Spanish speaking TDUN so no champions league in either Spanish or English - at least live. I cold add TDUN for $10/month, might do that. Just need to clarify it is not a 12 month commitment.

AlbertCamus · Feb 19, 2020

newtex said: ↑

So I'm guessing this is the WGN that is available in Chicago but not the WGN that is available outside of Chicago on cable/satellite systems. I wonder how widespread that the Fire games will be available.
Click to expand...

Wow, that will be in a lot of homes.

tigersoccer2005 · Feb 20, 2020

Signed up for ESPN + this year for the first time ever. Right now I'm using it to catch up with Serie A and I'm also enjoying the 3rd season of Major League Rugby which just got underway. Watching the Rugby World Cup was how i found out we even had a domestic rugby league! Anyway, I look forward to watching the MLS out of region games this year as well as Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Paul Berry · Feb 20, 2020

I've seen the future, and it has a bandwidth dependent delay.

"Amazon has overtaken Netflix to become the fastest-growing video-on-demand service in the UK, as tactics including live-streaming Premier League matches helped it record its best year for adding new subscribers since it launched six years ago.

Amazon Prime Video subscriber numbers jumped by 35% year-on-year in the fourth quarter, to 7.14m homes, coinciding with its debut broadcast of 20 Premier League matches."

Minnman · Feb 21, 2020

Have we seen a comprehensive list of 2020 MLS national TV broadcasts anywhere yet? If so, I've missed it.

eddygee · Feb 21, 2020

**MODS PIN PLEASE**
https://www.foxsports.com/presspass/latest-news/2019/12/19/fox-sports-mls-2020-schedule

FOX Broadcast Schedule

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER 2020

DATE TIME (ET) MATCH / STUDIO SHOW VENUE NETWORK
Sat 2/29 8:00 PM MLS PREGAME FOX

Sat 2/29 8:30 PM Nashville SC vs Atlanta United FC Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN FOX

Sun 3/1 7:30 PM Portland Timbers vs Minnesota United FC Providence Park, Portland, OR FS1

Sun 3/8 10:30 PM Los Angeles FC vs Philadelphia Union Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, CA FS1

Sat 3/14 2:30 PM MLS PREGAME FOX

Sat 3/14 3:00 PM Inter Miami CF vs LA Galaxy Inter Miami CF Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL FOX

Sun 3/15 7:00 PM Minnesota United FC vs New York Red Bulls Allianz Field, St. Paul, MN FS1

Sun 3/22 3:30 PM Philadelphia Union vs D.C. United Talen Energy
Stadium, Chester, PA FS1

Sun 3/22 9:00 PM Los Angeles FC vs Portland Timbers Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, CA FS1

Fri 4/3 9:00 PM Nashville SC vs Seattle Sounders FC Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN FS1

Sun 4/19 4:00 PM Philadelphia Union vs New York City FC Talen Energy Stadium, Chester, PA FS1

Sun 4/19 6:30 PM Atlanta United FC vs Portland Timbers Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA FS1

Sun 4/26 3:00 PM D.C. United vs New York Red Bulls Audi Field, Washington D.C. FS1

Sun 5/3 6:00 PM Nashville SC vs Inter Miami CF Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN FS1

Sun 5/17 5:00 PM Portland Timbers vs Seattle Sounders FC Providence Park, Portland, OR FS1

Sun 5/24 6:30 PM Atlanta United FC vs Inter Miami CF Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA FS1

Sun 5/24 9:00 PM Los Angeles FC vs New York City FC Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, CA FS1

Sun 5/31 10:00 PM LA Galaxy vs Minnesota United FC Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA FS1

Sun 6/21 5:00 PM New York Red Bulls vs Portland Timbers Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ FS1

Sun 6/28 6:30 PM Sporting Kansas City vs Portland Timbers Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, KS FS1

Sun 7/5 9:00 PM Seattle Sounders FC vs Minnesota United FC CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA FS1

Sun 7/12 12:30 PM Atlanta United FC vs Seattle Sounders FC Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA FS1

Sun 7/19 6:00 PM New York Red Bulls vs Los Angeles FC Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ FS1

Sun 7/19 8:00 PM FC Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew SC Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, OH FS1

Sun 8/2 10:00 PM LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA FS1

Sun 8/9 6:30 PM Chicago Fire FC vs LA Galaxy Soldier Field, Chicago, IL FS1

Sun 8/16 6:30 PM MLS PREGAME FS1

Sun 8/16 7:00 PM Minnesota United FC vs Seattle Sounders FC Allianz Field, St. Paul, MN FS1

Sun 8/16 9:00 PM Portland Timbers vs Inter Miami CF Providence Park, Portland, OR FS1

Sun 8/23 2:00 PM MLS PREGAME FOX

Sun 8/23 2:30 PM Atlanta United FC vs Orlando City SC Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA FOX

Sun 8/23 4:30 PM MLS PREGAME FOX

Sun 8/23 5:00 PM LA Galaxy vs Los Angeles FC Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA FOX

Sun 8/30 6:30 PM Atlanta United FC vs New York Red Bulls Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA FS1

Sun 8/30 9:00 PM Portland Timbers vs Los Angeles FC Providence Park, Portland, OR FS1

Sun 9/13 6:30 PM Seattle Sounders FC vs LA Galaxy CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA FS1

Sun 9/20 7:00 PM Los Angeles FC vs D.C. United Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, CA FS1

Sun 10/4 4:00 PM MLS PREGAME FS1

Sun 10/4 4:30 PM TBC TBC FS1
TBC TBC TBC (Regular Season match during the summer) TBC FS1
Schedule is subject to change. For full PDF, click here.

https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-...ches-during-major-league-soccers-25th-season/

ABC/ESPN Broadcast Schedule

ESPN and ABC’s 2020 MLS Schedule:

Date Time (ET) Match Networks
Sun, Mar 1 3 p.m. Seattle Sounders vs. Chicago Fire ESPN, ESPN Deportes
5:30 p.m. Los Angeles FC vs. Inter Miami CF ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Sun, Mar 8 7 p.m. Portland Timbers vs. Nashville SC ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Apr 5 3 p.m. Inter Miami CF vs. Philadelphia Union ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sat, Apr 11 5 p.m. San Jose Earthquakes vs. DC United ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Apr 26 1 p.m. Orlando City SC vs. Atlanta United ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sat, May 2 3:30 p.m. Portland Timbers vs. LA Galaxy ABC, ESPN Deportes

Sat, May 9 3 p.m. Chicago Fire FC vs. Inter Miami CF ABC, ESPN Deportes

Sun, May 10 4 p.m. LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sat, May 16 3 p.m. Los Angeles FC vs. LA Galaxy ABC, ESPN Deportes

Sat, Jun 13 5 p.m. Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sat, Jun 20 5:30 p.m. Atlanta United vs. Philadelphia Union ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Jun 21 3 p.m. LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders ABC, ESPN Deportes

Sat, Jun 27 5 p.m. Seattle Sounders vs. New York City FC ESPN, ESPN
Deportes

Sat, July 4 5 p.m. Atlanta United vs. DC United ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Fri, Jul 10 8 p.m. Orlando City SC vs. Inter Miami CF ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Jul 12 6 p.m. Minnesota United vs. Los Angeles FC ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sat, Jul 18 4 p.m. LA Galaxy vs. Atlanta United ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Thu, Jul 23 8 p.m. Inter Miami CF vs. Atlanta United ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sat, Jul 25 3 p.m. Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles FC ABC, ESPN Deportes

Sat, Aug 1 3 p.m. Atlanta United vs. New York City FC ABC, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Aug 2 3:30 p.m. Los Angeles FC vs. Seattle Sounders ABC, ESPN Deportes

Sat, Aug 8 3:30 p.m. Seattle Sounders vs. Sporting Kansas City ABC, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Aug 9 3 p.m. Minnesota United vs. Atlanta United ABC, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Aug 16 3 p.m. Atlanta United vs. Los Angeles FC ABC, ESPN Deportes

Sat, Aug 22 4 p.m. Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Aug 23 7 p.m. New York Red Bulls vs. New York City FC ESPN2, ESPN Deportes

Fri, Aug 28 8 p.m. Inter Miami CF vs. Seattle Sounders ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Aug 30 4 p.m. New York City FC vs. LA Galaxy ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Sep 13 1 p.m. DC United vs. Chicago Fire ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sun, Sep 27 TBD Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls ESPN, ESPN Deportes
* Schedule Subject to Change

* All matches will stream live on the ESPN App

Yoshou · Feb 21, 2020

eddygee said: ↑

**MODS PIN PLEASE**
Click to expand...

The thread is already pinned and there's no such thing as pinning a post within a thread. The best we could do is append your post to the first post in the thread, but that would make it seem like POd made the post and can be confusing.

eddygee · Feb 21, 2020

Yoshou said: ↑

The thread is already pinned and there's no such thing as pinning a post within a thread. The best we could do is append your post to the first post in the thread, but that would make it seem like POd made the post and can be confusing.
Click to expand...

Could you I don't care if you do that I just want the info out. Maybe add courstesy of eddygee, but if thats not possible it doesn't matter just want the info out.

Maybe I can add it again on each page so its seen.