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I am pretty sure I am correct on the TV viewership raising, you are right about last years MLS final. It was ridiculously bad, I usually watch but spreading the games out so far made me lose interest. As soon as Colorado where gone so was my interest. You cant drag stuff out like that and expect neutrals to still keep interest.
I think what i read was that 2013 was a struggle, but close to flat, and 2014 has started off really well...like double last year. I think NBC has been trying to tie EPL and MLS together which helps MLS, so ESPN and Fox will need to figure out a good lead in.
So since this is an MLS reform thread I'll add my two cents what MLS and USSF have to do to increase the league's popularity.
-faze out the single entity model. Let clubs be clubs. I want to support a club that has an owner that is accountable to the clubs fans. Not a club that is owned by the league. Having a league that owns all the teams and holds all the contracts is not a good structure for a sports league. No other American sports league operates this way. This structure turns off fans from supporting the league.
-get rid of salary cap. Soccer leagues don't use salary caps. They don't fold because of it. It's just that simple. MLS's salary cap of DP players paired with League 1 wage players is a silly wage structure. It kills the quality and it leads to MLS overpaying for some "stars". Replace the cap with financial regulations similar to financial fair play. Set foreign player cap at 6 and make the slots un-tradable.
-free agency
-single table with league champion. This is what most American soccer fans are used to. There are no playoffs in Europe or South America. Emphasis the league during the season.
-MLS Cup separate from league title. Take the top 12 teams and put them in a post-season tournament. Remove the word playoffs from all branding. Call the tournament the MLS Cup and the final match the MLS Cup Final.
-10 year plan to implement promotion/relegation with NASL. Use the economic trigger model to implement promotion/relegation. It works like this: Promotion/relegation between MLS and NASL will automatically trigger once NASL has 18 clubs, 3/4 of which play in MLS size SSS, and when average attendance reaches 10k. This shoots down the argument that pro/rel wouldn't work because our 2nd div is unstable (it would only trigger once the 2nd div was stable). It also gives lower division economic incentive for investment. This kind of structure would see a boom in soccer development and the growth of clubs all throughout the pyramid.
So, basically my theory is that if MLS shows that it is serious about being a real soccer league that is part of a real soccer pyramid, with free agency, and real clubs, then the fans will come. If not then I think the league will continue to get the cold shoulder from the majority of soccer fans in this country.
I think somewhere in this thread we were discussing moving the MLS season to match European leagues, which I would hate (since I live in Chicago). Anyway, Garber basically said it won't happen.
it includes USMNT games though which get much better ratings than MLS.
No, no one is watching MLS. The TV ratings are really bad. But it looks like ESPN/FOX etc think the ratings will improve.
After 8 games on NBCSN, the respective averages are:
2014: 216k 2013: 100k 2012: 98k
MLS 2014 Regular Season TV Ratings Summary
Home teams listed first. All times are Eastern
NBC Sports Network (all ratings for 2.5 hour window unless specified)
Game 1: 330k (SEA vs KC) Saturday 3:00pm. 3/8/2014
Game 2: 171k (SEA vs TFC) Saturday 4:30pm. 3/15/2014
Game 3: 180k (RSL vs LA) Saturday 4:00pm 3/22/2014
Game 4: 157k (DC vs CHI) Saturday 4:00pm 3/29/2014
Game 5: 277k(POR vs SEA) Saturday 3:00pm 4/5/2014
Game 6: 171k (CHI vs NE) Saturday 4:00pm 4/19/2014
Game 7: 219k (KC vs CLB) Sunday 4:00pm 5/4/2014
Game 8: 219k (POR vs LA) Sunday 2:30pm 5/11/2014 Average: 216k
These are the figures I was talking about. I agree 216k isnt badass but its much better than 98k and 100k. Its a pretty big improvement over one season.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ataque 77
After 8 games on NBCSN, the respective averages are:
2014: 216k 2013: 100k 2012: 98k
MLS 2014 Regular Season TV Ratings Summary
Home teams listed first. All times are Eastern
NBC Sports Network (all ratings for 2.5 hour window unless specified)
Game 1: 330k (SEA vs KC) Saturday 3:00pm. 3/8/2014
Game 2: 171k (SEA vs TFC) Saturday 4:30pm. 3/15/2014
Game 3: 180k (RSL vs LA) Saturday 4:00pm 3/22/2014
Game 4: 157k (DC vs CHI) Saturday 4:00pm 3/29/2014
Game 5: 277k(POR vs SEA) Saturday 3:00pm 4/5/2014
Game 6: 171k (CHI vs NE) Saturday 4:00pm 4/19/2014
Game 7: 219k (KC vs CLB) Sunday 4:00pm 5/4/2014
Game 8: 219k (POR vs LA) Sunday 2:30pm 5/11/2014 Average: 216k
No, no one is watching MLS. The TV ratings are really bad. But it looks like
ESPN/FOX etc think the ratings will improve.
Well I'd suggest we may not have to worry. MLS in my opinion is kind of niche sport here. Question is will it grow? NBC sure does. Bringing in the EPL here was a great move and I'd think it showed Americans how exciting a sport can be when played at the highest level. I certainly think soccer and MLS will pick up as the current 18-34 generation ages and has children of their own. Also, I'd think the popularity of MLS can ony grow has youth soccer here grows in interest and it has.
At this point I don't think soccer is say the 'favorite' sport of youths today. But arguably it could be if trends say in youth football go where they're going (concern about injury specifically concussions). It will still be a popular game but perhaps other sports like soccer will get more of a look- see by kids. More look-see, more players, more better players, more attention, more interest etc. This I'd think has to be the way to see MLS rise since I just don't believe our culture right now has as deep and rabid relationship to the game say as other countries. But who knows? This can change as the generations move on. Specifically, in about 40-50 years those who describe themselves as Hispanic will be the dominant demo group here in the US. That has great implications for the sport and MLS here I think.
After 8 games on NBCSN, the respective averages are:
2014: 216k 2013: 100k 2012: 98k
MLS 2014 Regular Season TV Ratings Summary
Home teams listed first. All times are Eastern
NBC Sports Network (all ratings for 2.5 hour window unless specified)
Game 1: 330k (SEA vs KC) Saturday 3:00pm. 3/8/2014
Game 2: 171k (SEA vs TFC) Saturday 4:30pm. 3/15/2014
Game 3: 180k (RSL vs LA) Saturday 4:00pm 3/22/2014
Game 4: 157k (DC vs CHI) Saturday 4:00pm 3/29/2014
Game 5: 277k(POR vs SEA) Saturday 3:00pm 4/5/2014
Game 6: 171k (CHI vs NE) Saturday 4:00pm 4/19/2014
Game 7: 219k (KC vs CLB) Sunday 4:00pm 5/4/2014
Game 8: 219k (POR vs LA) Sunday 2:30pm 5/11/2014 Average: 216k
link?
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