Major League Soccer has kicked off 2019 right where it finished the 2018 regular season with disappointing TV viewing numbers on English-language television across both ESPN and FOX Sports, and a surprising drop in viewership on the Spanish-language Univision Deportes.
Compared to the 2018 opening weekend, the viewing numbers for the nationally televised games this past weekend were:
• Down 24% on Univision for Orlando-New York City,
• Down 13% on ESPN for DC United-Atlanta United,
• Up just 6% for LA Galaxy-Chicago and Seattle-Cincinnati on FS1.
While the 6% increase on FS1 might seem positive, the average of 186,000 for both games on a Saturday night was far below expectations given that the teams were featured during primetime on the East Coast (LA Galaxy-Chicago) and West Coast (Seattle-Cincinnati).
Over at ESPN, the debut of Jon Champion as the new MLS lead commentator failed to make an impact for the DC United-Atlanta United game. The MLS TV viewing number for ESPN’s broadcast averaged 394,000 viewers — down 13% from last season’s opening weekend game (Seattle-LAFC). LAFC versus Sporting KC fared even worse on ESPN on Sunday with 361,000 viewers watching the 8:30-10:30pm ET broadcast.
Worryingly, this is the third year in a row where viewing numbers for the opening weekend have dropped on Spanish-language TV. In 2017, it was 509,000 viewers for LA Galaxy-Dallas. It dropped to 469,000 for Houston-Atlanta in 2018, while 2019 had 355,000 viewers for Orlando-New York. For 2017 to 2019, that’s a 30% drop in viewership.
The 355,000 viewing figure is also another data point from the past few years to illustrate how much of a lack of interest there is among New Yorkers to watch nationally-televised NYCFC and RBNY away games.
In the MLS 2018 regular season, viewing numbers were down on both ESPN and FS1. ESPN and ESPN2 had their lowest audience for MLS games since 2014. FS1 failed on multiple occasions to draw more than 200,000 viewers to their broadcasts. While the viewing numbers were up for the over-the-air FOX network, it was only because they aired the games immediately after World Cup matches when TV sets were left on. On the Spanish-language side, ratings were up 16% on Univision Deportes, which helped boost the overall numbers.
In other TV ratings news, Manchester United versus Southampton on NBCSN on Saturday morning (10am ET) averaged 591,000 viewers, which is the best number for a Saturday Premier League match on NBCSN in 12 months.
I knew it was on, but honestly couldn’t remember what time and which network was showing what games. Oh.. and a game was shown on Twitter? First I’ve heard about it.
They have a partnership and will show about 25 more games on Twitter this 2019 season.
MLS outdrawn by the fledgling AAF league on NFL network even with Zlatan, Rooney,Schwein and Vela all in action…..that’s not good
AAF outdraws the other soccer leagues too but some people hate to break it to you not just MLS.
Every soccer game around the world should be on some sort of American network since there are so many channels for them to be on. Also it would grow the game. Or make new TV deals and make this possible.
Next time, don’t schedule games when El Clasico is on.
People will pick that over this any day. I can’t blame them. MLS should do scheduling on a day by themselves and air a bunch of rivalry games to promote themselves. Kind of like a 2nd Rivalry Week. Only 1 in August this year. Used to be May and August. Go back to the old format. Put on every single rivalry in these 2 Rivalry Weeks. Show them on TV. Bang! They now have lots of viewership for future games.
Or do a giveaway code during MLS games on TV and give away a trip to a regular season game, a playoff game, the All Star Game, or the Cup Final. People will watch anyway even if it’s for a few minutes to get the code.
RE: MLS opening weekend. I am an avid soccer fan. I watch as many games as are aired as possible. I saw little advertising for the opening weekend. If I didn’t check daily for soccer schedules I wouldn’t have known it was opening weekend.
The soccer I watch is MLS and Premier League. I’d watch more but they conflict with these. There were lots of ads for it on ESPN but there wasn’t a single ad on Fox Sports 1.
This is like the only website that actually reports the negatives about the MLS. Many websites hide so much negative news to prevent the MLS from looking bad. For example, a few weeks ago, a ramp or something at the Kansas City stadium collapsed, which caused injuries to Toluca fans and a Toluca player who will be out 4-6 weeks, I didn’t see anything about it from anybody journalist or website that covers the MLS. They obviously didn’t report on it because it would make the MLS look bad. The only reason I found out about the Toluca player’s injury was because some Colombian sports site reported about it and several Mexican sites picked it up.
Was the collapsed ramp story reported here?
That is a sad story. Hope they all feel better soon.
Problem 1: MLS has too many teams, too many games. Just as DiRT points out.
Problem 2 : MLS is competing with other leagues with teams with more followers, history, etc. More appealing. Just like Jasinho said.
By 2021 they will have 27 teams. This 2019 season there are 89 regular season games on Twitter or a TV network. Plus the All Star Game and Post Season.
89 Regular Season Games + 1 All Star Game + 13 Post Season Games = 103 TV Total
Unfortunately it remains a 2nd or 3rd rate league no matter how they try to spin it.Far too many more attractive viewing options available for a serious fan.Most casual observers have a hard enough time identifying the teams,and more than a handful of players in addition to figuring out which network is broadcasting which game at what time. That’s alot to try and overcome.
They need a deal like the Premier League where they air on 1 network or a series of networks. Either air only on ESPN’s networks or only on Fox’s networks.
MLS seems inauthentic to the US soccer snobs who spend their Saturday and Sunday mornings supporting teams half a world away that they no connection too.
Or maybe MLS doesn’t advertise their games well, spreads them out over so many channels it’s impossible to find them, and the league’s very setup is unappealing. I’m from Chicago. The Fire consistently suck. In basically every other league around the world, they’d be relegated and would have to step it up. But not in MLS. They can just continue to suck with no outside pressure on them to work to improve. That is a fundamental flaw in MLS that leaves a bad taste in the mouth for an awful lot of people. Owners of MLS clubs don’t have to do much to keep their clubs doing well.
I dislike watching clubs with no ambition, Why should I give you my passion when I get none in return? Newcastle United’s owner Mike Ashley had to break their transfer record to sign Almiron because fans and the manager were putting him under immense pressure and they were in danger of slipping into relegation territory. Show me an MLS club owner that feels that pressure, please.
P.S. in my experience, those who call others snobs typically are snobs themselves 🙂
Bars should televise MLS more and create more awareness.
Soccer numbers are down across the board and MLS is no exception. Face facts and realize soccer is not widely popular in this country at all and never will be.
That’s the reality of the situation. For decades, they’ve tried to make it a success in America but every time it fails. It’s just not something that the majority can take to… it’s got a good, although small, dedicated following but it will never be big in the US.
It has already surpassed most people’s expectations when MLS started in 1996. Everyone thought it was doomed to fail. It can become even more popular, but think they’re expanding too fast and diluting that talent.
Couple changes I would make.
1) Since pro/rel seems like it’s never going to happen and expansion seems never ending, move to a regional set up (Northeast, Southeast, West Coast, Southwest, etc) and then create a domestic “Champions League” type tournament to run concurrent with those leagues.
2) Shorten the season. Starting in early March is absurd, as is ending around Thanksgiving. If they’re not going to adopt the European schedule, which would be difficult for cold weather locations, an April to October schedule should suffice.
Really popular in certain areas of the country like the Northwest. The Northeast should be the same but the New England Revolution is probably the worst run club in the league. Instead of focusing on adding teams they should tell Bob Kraft, who I doubt watches highlights of Revolution games, to either sell the team are start giving a f**k.
Mr. Kraft was too busy getting happy endings in Florida
They should air MLS games then other sporting events right afterwards so you have to watch MLS before other bigger events like the NFL or the MLB. Get rid of the pregame show because it’s worthless and show MLS.
How can you say that when Premier League and the Mexican league get over 1 million viewers pretty regularly for their games. That’s way more than Hockey and even baseball in some cases. It’s just MLS it’s lagging, but they will find a way soon.
Never scheduele a game in an important rivalry match!!
They need independent scheduling where they go against no big events. Fans can watch other sports besides Soccer.
How do these numbers compare to other nationally televised sporting events in similar time slots? Aside from the NFL and playoffs/finals in other leagues, most sports viewership is for local games without much interest in the ‘national’ game if their team isn’t involved.
And although those of us who read this site may think otherwise, soccer is still very much a niche product in this country. When up against other sports in these later day time slots it will most likely lose out. There was a local NHL game in my market at 7PM on Saturday night and didn’t even give one thought to checking out the MLS matches on FS1.
The European leagues have the benifit of virtually no competition from other sports when their matches are scheduled. While some may think 9 or 10am matches are a detriment, I believe it’s very much part of the appeal.
Yea, 9am EST (6am PST) is a big advantage on a weekend day is big advantage….. Also Formula 1, rugby, cricket, etc, on live at the same times provide no alternatives. People are basically forced to watch the Premier League because what else would they do? Sleep in or watch some other sport?
Hi DT, the point I was trying to make probably wasn’t clear. I actually love watching soccer on weekend morning/afternoons…but am also aware that if many of those same matches happened to go against my local hockey/basketball/football team wouldn’t watch nearly as much, so the timing is a benefit vs what MLS currently competes with (aside from the summer sports wasteland when it’s only going against baseball).
As for competition with rugby and cricket etc, those aren’t as widely available like soccer is…and even a smaller niche (here) than soccer.
But they don’t go against major American sports and are shown at times where the majority of people are not thinking about sports. My argument is that lots of the people watching the EPL or Champions League are overwhelmingly immigrants like me. Most of the hardcore MLS supporters seem to actually have a deep dislike of people that support European teams “euro snobs” etc.. I don’t really believe that there is somebody flicking through their channels at 9am and decide to land on the EPL. I think it’s going to change slowly as top players get the attention of younger kids. But who really outside of a dedicated EPL watcher wants to watch a Man City-Huddersfield game? Yet the EPL destroys Fox’s coverage of the German League. The Italian league is so uninteresting that ESPN+ can add it without a price increase (also they added ENGLISH championship (2nd division), league 1 (3rd division), FA Cup, League Cup, etc), doesn’t ESPN show at least 1 Italian game on ESPN News or whatever live each week that gets terrible ratings, the Spanish League not widely available but has ways been a league where most games don’t get huge numbers outside of the usual derby’s.. Rugby, cricket, and Formula 1 are niche sports but NBC has rugby now on delay (or you can pay to stream live), cricket has add-on television station (and streaming options), and Formula 1 is on ESPN and the ability to show commercials during a race is bad. The type of people to like soccer typically also are into these sports is why I mentioned them.
I like getting up early and having sports on. No other sport is on in the morning besides Soccer. I agree with you it’s part of my appeal as well.
ESPN needs to remove the intrusive ticker at the bottom of the screen. It’s gotten bigger recently. I tuned in on Sunday to see Jon Champion make his MLS debut. I changed the channel after a few seconds. Who wants to see scores from American sports when watching the beautiful game? It makes the screen too ugly. I did watch Vancouver vs MN United on Saturday in it’s entirety on the regional Fox Sports North. I saw all the highlights from the opening weekend but online. I wish there was an MLS highlights show on TV in English. UDN has one but it’s in Spanish. Good for them.
there is one on mls youtube chennel
I agree.
Not sure where you are getting your numbers from regarding 2018 viewership. This is from Sports Business Daily, October 29, 2018:
“U.S. broadcast viewership for the 2018 season, which concluded on Sunday, is up 6 percent year-over-year, reaching more than 26 million viewers across all networks. Viewership on the Fox network, which televised five games, many of which were tied to World Cup coverage, was up 59 percent year-over-year, averaging 988,000 viewers. Univision saw a 14 percent growth in total viewers, averaging 287,000, marking its most-watched season to date.
For ESPN, viewership in the 25-54 demographic is up 5 percent, and ESPN Deportes saw its best-ever viewership for MLS. In Canada, viewership on TSN and TVA both saw increases as well, up 29 percent and 6 percent year-over-year, respectively.”
And more importantly from the same article:
“This season also marked the third consecutive year that ad inventory for MLS matches was sold out. ESPN, Fox and Univision are also sold out for the playoffs, which start Wednesday, and for the MLS Cup, which is scheduled for Dec. 8.”
I don’t think the site will allow me to post a link but if you search for “MLS scores in key metrics in 2018”, you’ll find the article
MD – you’re welcome to post links here.
One thing about Sports Business Daily is that they’re masters at spinning numbers to satisfy the executives at MLS, so that Sports Business Daily can continue to get the business-related exclusive stories that MLS give them. So in the quotes that you included above, you’ll notice that they spun the numbers to not mention ESPN’s average TV ratings and instead focused on growth from ESPN Deportes and in the 25-54 demographic.
Yes, MLS TV ratings last season were up 6% but only because of (1) Univision’s numbers that grew by 16% and that (2) the viewing numbers were artificially inflated on the over-the-air FOX network for games piggybacked after World Cup matches.
FS1 and ESPN were down for 2018 compared to 2017.
Interesting numbers.
I live in New Jersey, a NY Red Bulls fan. ESPN+ is promoting “out of market” matches. So why is Red Bulls AT Columbus blacked out. Columbus, Ohio, is in the New York market? This is not the first time for this occurrence.
It’s because your local team is playing in that game. That game probably could been found on the msg family of networks. Same problem in south jersey with any Union games. Shame beacaue the Union are unwatchable on cable because picture quality is so bad. Broadcast team great picture bad
Any New York game not on TV you can’t watch.
Sports Business Journal is a trade publication. What interest do they have in spinning numbers for any specific entity? 25 – 54 is the key demographic that advertisers target, which explains why MLS sold out ad inventory.
I know there are some valid criticisms of MLS but it feels like this site goes out of its way to discredit any sign of growth that the league.shows. Considering not so long ago the league was down to ten teams, struggling to average 14,000 per game, had onl1 soccer specific stadium, and all their national coverage were effectively time buys, I would say they’ve grown tremendously.
SBJ is in the business of playing nice with the sports leagues so they can get exclusives for their audience, and so they can sell more $200+/year subscriptions.
The key demographic that advertisers want to reach is 18 to 34, not 25-54.
We have published favorable articles about MLS including, most recently, their 2018 MLS Cup final TV rating. But many MLS fans only seem to remember the stories that aren’t favorable to the league.
As for attendances, most people know that MLS is inflating the numbers by a huge margin to make it appear that there are far more people attending games than the actual number. Thankfully, some of the clubs don’t need MLS to fake the numbers (such as Atlanta and Seattle).
So your overall opinion is that MLS is not Growing?
Values of franchises going up, TV revenue up, attendance up (even if inflated which every sports league in the world does) but the league is stagnant or regressing? I just have difficulty believing you are basing that on objective data.
I guess it doesn’t matter that much other than a virtual disagreement. I’ll keep watching the league and hoping it grows and helps facilitates the growth of the sport in the US.
Number of teams are expanding. Sponsorship deals are up. Level of play among some teams has improved. More soccer-specific stadiums are being built. Yes, there are plenty of success stories, for sure. Nowhere have I said that the league is stagnating or regressing (except for TV ratings).
And that’s not true that “every sports league in the world” inflates attendance numbers. When it comes to soccer, MLS are experts at it.
American businesses might be biased towards events in their own country before other countries.
Here is one more reason why MLS is not appealing: in the 1st leg of CONCACAF Champions League Quarter-finals, overall record of four US teams (New York RB, Houston Dynamo, Sporting KC, Atlanta United) is 0-4, goal differential 1-9.
I have never understood why the CONCACAF Champions League is not more popular and attendance is so poor at the matches.
Ok and is was the opposite last year when MLS teams had a winning record against Liga MX sides head to head it happens. Sure MLS fans wish they did better this year but the problem in lack of interest existed last year too.
This league is good to watch but we need better players.
How about when last year Toronto kicked out the big Mexican boys America and Tigres? I do agree with you though, that once MLS teams start beating Mexican teams regularly, viewership will definitely improve. GO SKC!
Chris,
Somehow I missed Jon Champion going to the MLS. Very disappointing. When Ian Darke left, he emerged, in my opinion as the best. Arlo White is OK, but not in Champion’s league (pun intended). I agree with a past piece you wrote that Leon Osman shows great promise. Right now I think that Lee Dixon is by far, the best analyst.
One play-by-play guy who I think should have been given more exposure was Alan Parry.
And a final note, I think that ESPN got greedy when having the ESPN Gold premium charge for EPL games beyond what NBCSN carries. I have to think the revenue from offering those games free would be much higher than the piddly amount they get from nicking subscribers the extra $5 a month.
And I am surprised that all Champions League games with English teams are not on a “free” channel. Same for FA Cup matches.
John, good feedback. Thanks. Regarding Jon Champion leaving, here’s a piece I wrote about the news and my two cents about it: https://worldsoccertalk.com/2018/12/11/jon-champion-departure-england-leaves-gaping-hole-premier-league-commentaries/
Thanks, Chris.
I read your piece when I found the news about Champion.
Good job.
After watching the skill level throughout the Premier League, I have a tough time with the MLS.
The 24-team ESPNFC fantasy league I manage keeps me connected to the EPL. The featured game on NBCSN isn’t always the one I want to watch. It was good when games were shown on other networks without dinging us for money above the dough we pay for the cable service.
One last comment on the announcers: any game called by Gus Johnson is harmful to your ear drums. Thankfully, he is not in the current mix.
The MLS commentators are pretty solid to me.
There are a LOT of fans of MLS teams who are really only interested in watching the team that they support. I’m not one of them, but I get it.
I really only watch nationally-broadcast matches on Sundays. On Saturdays, I’m either at the stadium watching my team or watching a local broadcast if they’re on the road.
I am a neutral fan and will watch any MLS or Premier League game.
If only MLS had a relegation battle, Premier League fans like myself would definitely tune in to see the worst 5 or so teams play, because that’s what you do in the Premier League, and that’s also the most exciting thing about the Premier league.
Also MLS sucks! Last year I would never want to watch, say, Atlanta and Almiron play against, hmm Rooney and Acosta, but now that Almiron is on Newcastle, I will surely watch him play because relegation battle! And if Acosta went to PSG, I would watch him play too. Rooney and Zlatan are too old! retirement league! unless of course Zlatan went to Milan this year, then he would be good because Serie A. And if Rooney went to Brighton, then I would watch because the quality of play is better.
This weekend I am going to watch the full games of Leicester-Fulham and Huddersfield-Bournemouth because the quality of play is so high that I never see defenders make mistakes or strikers miss shots. They run and jump fast and kick the ball quickly (thump). Also I’ll watch Liverpool–Burnley because I know Burnley will attack a lot and the suspense of I don’t know who’s going to win.
Also I don’t like going to games in person. In fact I don’t enjoy watching soccer for the skills I can see or drama of the game itself–I only like watching what I hear is “the best” quality. I consider myself an expert and just by watching I can tell the difference between Huddersfield and Atlanta. I almost laugh!
And that’s also why I never watch college football or college basketball– because the quality of play is much better in the NFL and NBA, so why would anyone watch college? Lame! I know the difference in quality!
Also I bet you if a good EPL team even in its preseason played an MLS team it would KILL them easily. (the ones that lost in the past was because it was preseason and they didn’t care so they let them win).
I feel like a have a close connection to England and the team I chose to support, and I feel like if I just go there I will be accepted as part of the family. I am too young to remember when the US didn’t have a pro league and all the US soccer fans watched European soccer but prayed for the day they would have a US league so they could attend matches and have a hometown team to really have a connection to.
Thanks and I hope you understand!
Lol spot on haha
They already have a league to send teams to. Make minor tweaks to the format of the league and there you go.
At least in two of the MLS games, they had the two of the best (in my opinion) English speaking commentators doing the games. Derek Rae on FS1 (LAGalaxy vs Fire) and Jon Champion on ESPN for D.C.-Atlanta. I’m not that big a fan of Twellman. He talks to often in a raised voice and he can talk on and on and on. I know Derek Rae is freelancing so I don’t know how often he will be doing MLS games, but having top quality commentators helps watching the game, at least for me.
Derek Rae became the head MLS PBP guy with Taylor Twellman who I agree talks to much his color analyst. I’m hoping Champions style rubs off on Twellman some. The North American style in soccer though is that the PBP guys like to hear themselves talk. It’s the same in Liga MX but they’ve learned to use that raised inflection Twellman has at the right moments. I like Taylor but he’s seems to always try to sell you on the whatever I’m talking about is important and serious in tone, however he uses it all the time people don’t want that all the time CHILL OUT. Let the game breathe and use that tone for important parts of the game. ESPN definitely made the right move I think Champion’s style will eventually rub off on Twellman it may take a season or two.
Chris, it looks like every MLS match that isn’t on national TV is available on ESPN+ (local blackout applies). I still see MLS Direct Kick as on optional add on via my cable and know it is more expensive than ESPN+, will Direct Kick be going away? I don’t see how it remains viable when ESPN+ provides the same service for cheaper.