If you’re MLS, how do you make sure that the opening weekend of games have greater TV rating numbers than last season’s opening weekend? You put a game on FOX in primetime and you sign Mexican star Javier Hernandez.
Enticed by the prospect of a brand-new expansion team playing at home against the most exciting team in Major League Soccer, televising Nashville versus Atlanta on FOX in primetime made perfect sense, and was bound to generate a lot of interest.
In another smart marketing move, MLS scheduled the debut game for Mexican star Chicharito live on the over-the-air Univision network, making sure that it would boost the TV ratings for Houston versus LA Galaxy.
So how did MLS do in the 2020 opening weekend?
FOX’s viewing number was up 3% compared to the average on FOX network last season., while Univision/TUDN had a 57% in viewership compared to last season’s Orlando-New York City FC opening weekend game. ESPN’s numbers on English-language TV grew 2.5%.
During the opening weekend of the 2019 season, MLS’s five nationally-televised games collectively averaged 296,000 viewers (compared to a 318,250 average for 2018’s opening weekend from four nationally televised matches). For the 2020 opening weekend, the average viewership was 463,400, which is a 56% gain. Viewing numbers for ESPN Deportes and FOX Deportes were unavailable at time of publication. (Viewing numbers for ESPN Deportes and FOX Deportes were not included in the 296,000 average for opening weekend of 2019 either).
Specifically, here’s how each MLS game did on the national broadcasts:
• Nashville vs. Atlanta — 756,000 viewers on FOX network (FOX Deportes number not available at press time)
• Houston vs. LA Galaxy — 558,000 viewers on Univision and TUDN combined
• LAFC vs. Inter Miami — 463,000 viewers on ESPN (ESPN Deportes number not available at press time)
• Seattle vs. Chicago — 311,000 viewers on ESPN (ESPN Deportes number not available at press time)
• Portland vs. Minnesota — 229,000 viewers on FS1 (FOX Deportes number not available at press time)
Looking at 2020 versus 2019, here’s a head-to-head comparison:
| 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|
| FOX | 756K (Nashville-Atlanta) | No game on FOX |
| FS1 | 229K (Portland-Minnesota) | 199K (Seattle-Cincinnati) & 174K (Galaxy-Chicago) |
| ESPN | 463K (LAFC-Miami) & 311K (Seattle-Chicago) | 394K (DC-Atlanta) & 361K (LAFC-KC) |
| Univision & TUDN | 558K (Houston-LA Galaxy) | 355K (Orlando-NYCFC) |
| FOX Deportes | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| ESPN Deportes | Unavailable | Unavailable |
While the TV viewing numbers for the opening weekend of the 2020 MLS season are strong, this weekend’s matches will be the true litmus test to see whether interest in the top-flight American league is growing. Only one game this weekend will be on over-the-air television (DC United against Miami on Univision). And the Atlanta United game isn’t televised nationally (it’ll be behind the ESPN+ paywall).
100+ Channels With Sports & News
- Starting price: $29.99/mo. for fubo Español Package
- Watch Premier League, LaLiga, Liga MX & MLS
- Includes NBC, NBCSN, ESPN, FS1, FS2, TUDN, beIN SPORTS and more
Favorite Leagues At The Best Price
- Starting price: $7.99/mo. for Live TV Package
- Watch LaLiga, Primeira Liga and Copa Libertadores
- Includes beIN SPORTS, GolTV, TyC Sports and more
Many Sports & ESPN Originals
- Price: $5.99/mo. (or get ESPN+, Hulu & Disney+ for $12.99/mo.)
- Features Serie A, Bundesliga, FA Cup, EFL & more
- Also includes daily ESPN FC news & highlights show
Live TV, Soccer & Originals
- Starting price: $5.99/mo.
- Features Champions League, Europa League & NWSL
- Includes CBS, Star Trek & CBS Sports HQ
175 Premier League Games & PL TV
- Starting price: $4.99/mo. for Peacock Premium
- Watch 175 exclusive EPL games per season
- Includes Premier League TV channel plus movies, TV shows & more
According to Stadium digest, attendance at the games was also very strong!
Approximately 24.5k average.
Encouraging numbers indeed. There are many football fans in this country who could easily make MLs ratings much better, but unfortunately, much like World Football, the football fans in the states are fragmented by “loyalties” to the football club one followed when they were a child, Or the adoptive football club “allegiance” to an European football club one bonded with because their own loyalty to their own football club sucks. Having said that, when it comes to football fans in the states, it seems some prefer to support other sports or football leagues than the MLs football league we have the opportunity to bond with and make it grow even better than La/Premier or any other sports league out there, That is the shortsighted
reality of football fans in the ol’ USA.
After my Barcelona FC lost, I was too sad to watch any other matches………… Sorry
I did watch the last 10 minutes of FC Dallas and PSG, CAF Champions League’s Mamelodi Sundowns FC, Barcelona SC (Ecuador), Pumas on Saturday.
Caught up on all the CAF matches, watched Emelec down in Ecuador and Santos in Liga MX on Sunday, so maybe I was not that sad
LOL, your Barcelona? are you native from Barcelona or have season tickets and attend their games? 😛
As a football fan, I do also have a favorite football club from England and Spain (FCB) because obviously their football is enjoyable to watch; Having said that, that football was unexistent on this so called “Clasico” because RM did not show much and still managed to win.
Having said that, it is okay to root/enjoy for other football clubs from other football leagues, but if you got a young footbal league in the US like MLS which keeps growing each year then it is only a “duty” to support the sport one way or another.
In my case, I have followed MLS since the start. I attended the now defunct Miami Fusion’s inaugural game and some games after that. Even after they folded, I watched their games when they showed them mostly on ESPN2 and their schedule fluctuated often. Later on , I purchased the MLS live pack.
Now that Miami 2.0 is back in the MLS, I was totally not feeling it because of all the political banana republic issues they are facing and much like the Fusion faced back then. It is a travesty MLS 2.0 is starting on FLL so it is like dejavu all over again. I am easily 1 hour and 15 minutes away / 2 hours and 30 minutes both way drive to go to their stadium which is more than a drag, However, I am taking a leap of faith with my pocket and supporting MLS MIami 2.0 and became a full season ticket holder. The fact Beckham and Co. have been so persistent, amid the obstacles , to bring a football club to MIami speaks volume (unlike the Fusion’s Ken Horowitz ownership) and it merits for the ones who call themselves “Football fans” to support this football club and MLS league as much as they can.
Great, teams need strong support from both long time MLS supporters and hopefully many new followers. Soon, Inter will sign a big name. I sure hope it is not Luis Suarez!
@ Robert-. I have a feeling it will be Cavani.
That would be a very good move!
I think you and Christopher(Gaffer) both share some of the disappointment of the first failed Miami Franchise.
I am not sure about the “,Gaffer”, but yes, I was disappointed even though at that time it meant saving the football league. Although some things continue to be the same (Banana Republic political ways), the demographics have changed completely in South Florida in which Cubans , mostly baseball fans, are not the predominantly majority as they used to be. The problem with Football fans in Miami is that they either follow Barcelona or Real Madrid mostly and would not be able to name their whole roster or any other football clubs from La Liga outside of Atlético Madrid and possibly Villareal. In other words, they are event minded fans , if not bandwagon fans.
The Rapids won, that is the most important thing about this past weekend.
Yes and they may have a good year after a several year wait.
Tom, let’s hope the Colorado Rapids fan and casual fan supports the team and fills that beautiful design stadium they have even though it’s located in Commerce city, Colorado.
Let’s hope it continues. The football was pretty good!
I thought the action around MLS was readily better than last year, The average American player is better and the talent from Mexico and Europe is both younger and more skilled, With new teams, new stadiums, and big name and quality coaching the game is all that more appealing. The new teams bring in more tv markets and you have quality teams across the league that have an appeal to the average fan that enjoys the game, I think MLS 2.0 has arrived .
Technically, it is MLS 3.0 Version
Is it possible to look at an individual region to see the viewing numbers? I’ll be watching San Jose vs Minnesota United on the regional Fox Sports North.
We only report national numbers, not regional.
It’s a shame to spoil that momentum by only having one game shown nationally this weekend. What happened to the guaranteed timeslots we were told about a couple of seasons ago?
ESPN + (MLs Live) $4.99 per month. -.
and yet ESPN News showing USL match………
I just checked my TV Guide and you’re correct. I can’t believe what I saw. USL Soccer Las Vegas Lights FC vs San Diego Loyal SC at 10PM ET on ESPNEWS
Paul, there are actually 3 MLS games televised nationally this weekend. 1 on Saturday & 2 on Sunday. TUDN, English available via SAP, ESPN & FOX tomorrow. WST has the schedule above.