I'm curious to get some Nielsen numbers from the MLS/WNBA snafu last night. First set of numbers: How many people were tuned in during the first 1/2 hour of the game before they moved the WNBA over and how many people watched the rest of the WNBA game on ESPN2. For that matter, how many were watching the game on ABC and how many followed them to ESPN2. Second: How many people watched the rebroadcast? Yes it was 11pmEST but it was prime-time on the West coast (8pmPST). I'm still irritated it happened, but maybe some silver lining is that with it rebroadcasting at 8pm on the West Coast, MLS may have gotten some good sports bar play, especially being post-Stanley Cup.
The whole thing is im sure WNBA has dibbs over us just because of the contract ESPN/ABC has with the NBA. Im sure there is something in that contract that puts NBA/WNBA games over MLS or any other sport that is low on the totem pole. If WNBA had its own TV contract this would not be the case which is partly why the NBA made sure their most recent TV contract they made WNBA part of it.
I'm not debating who had dibs to what. I think we all know that ABC put the WNBA on ESPN2 because of the NBA how much more of a money maket and pull they have than MLS. And I'm also not saying ABC/ESPN are horrible people for doing it and I'm not saying we should all get up in arms. I'm just actually curious what the numbers are.
I am sure the numbers exist. I am doubtful we'll see them anytime soon. Cable ratings are hard to come by, especially when they get all discombobulated like they did yesterday. Not to mention a rebate. And I'm not sure when the decision was made, you'd think it would have had to have been before yesterday, but I didn't see it - but instead of tape-delaying Fire/Galaxy next week to late Saturday night, they're going to show it live at 4pm ET. Well, they're scheduled to, anyway. Jimmy Carter isn't getting any younger.
Neither is Gerald Ford. Now, that would truly be a joke of an interruption. Maybe Chevy Chase could fill in for Carole what's her name.
I think it was rescheduled before yesterday because I swear I was looking at the TV schedule earlier in the week to see when it was going to be on and when I saw it it was in it's normal spot. I don't think what happened yesterday had anything to do with it. I hope someone asks about what ESPN is going to do for MLS during the conference call this week.
There should be a BS rule, like the results rule, that states that if you start a thread about ratings, but have no ratings, only a question, then you must put a question mark in the title. If anyone provides actual ratings figures, then the question mark can be removed by a moderator. I'm sick of visiting these threads thinking there's something worth reading here.
Before was ABC, then ESPN and Know ESPN2, why not ESPN3? Soccer get's push around by fishermen, Hunting, Gambling etc, so why the surprise? use to be a time I use to leave work early to watch the MLS games, I guess I learn my lesson
Just a side note that most of you already know but at the time of Reagans death announcemnt on ABC, their were roughly 4 times as many households tuned into the WNBA game on ABC as opposed to the amount of households tuned into the MLS game on ESPN2. Andy
MLS needs to market better. What I mean is they need to market to people other than soccer fans. Commercials for games need to be on at a time when a soccer game isn't...we've been through this too many times. MLS, if you're looking for a good Marketing/Advertising/PR guy; I wouldn't mind changing jobs.
Wouldn't the ESPN News channel be considered ESPN3? I'd have thought a much better solution would have been to move the bounceball over there...but I guess it's not available in enough homes yet.
A solution pointed out in the DC United forum by (forget who), suggested that ABC continue with WNBA, ESPN2 continue with MLS, and on the bottom of ABC, run a scroll suggesting viewers switch to ESPN News to see ABC's coverage of Regan. ABC could have done a period split screen with WNBA and news as new information came in. But hey, at least ESPN2 rebroadcast the MLS game.
They would never do that. The reach of News is only at about 40M. NBC can get away with switching news to cable because MSNBC is in the 80M range. I wish they would have used News for something in this case, but the main news division would never have gone to ESPNews.
I don't see any way a network news division lets its coverage of the death of a US President be booted to ESPNews. If ABC had an actual cable news network attached to it, that would have been perfect, but they don't.