ESPN’s English-language television coverage of Major League Soccer generated a two percent increase during the 2019 regular season, according to Nielsen. The 31-match schedule on ESPN and ESPN2 delivered an average audience of 246,000 viewers, up from 241,000 viewers for 31 matches in 2018.
On ESPN, 25 matches averaged 266,000 viewers, a seven percent gain from 248,000 in 2018 – the most-watched cable network for MLS matches this season. The six telecasts on ESPN2 in 2019 delivered an average audience of 164,000.
During the 2018/19 Premier League season, NBC Sports averaged 457,000 viewers per game. And for the 2019/20 season to date, Premier League average viewership is up 12 per cent compared to last season at this point.
ESPN’s top-three MLS telecasts in 2019:
1. 462,000 viewers – Seattle Sounders FC vs. Atlanta United FC, ESPN (Sun, July 14)
2. 401,000 viewers – DC United vs. Atlanta United FC, ESPN (Sun, March 3)
3. 368,000 viewers – LAFC vs. Sporting Kansas City, ESPN (Sun, March 3)
SEE MORE: Schedule of MLS playoff games on US TV and streaming
The top-10 markets for ESPN’s Major League Soccer telecasts through Friday, Oct. 4:
1. Portland (0.8),
2. Atlanta (0.5)
3. Seattle-Tacoma (0.4),
4. Cincinnati (0.4),
5. Kansas City (0.4),
6. West Palm Beach (0.3),
7. Las Vegas (0.3),
8. Richmond (0.3),
9. St. Louis (0.3) and
10. Austin (0.3).
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