Television ratings missing link for growing MLS
Reuters - Friday 09 March 2012, 16:55
Major League Soccer (MLS) needs to
boost its television audience to move further into the North
American sports mainstream, the league's commissioner Don Garber
said ahead of the new season.
MLS attendances last season rose to an average 17,872, up
seven percent, with the league's best supported team, the
Seattle Sounders, averaging 38,496 per game.
But the television ratings for the league remain just a
fraction of those for the big three U.S. sports - the NFL, NBA
and Major League Baseball.
The North American league also has to compete against
overseas soccer, with England's Premier League proving to be
more popular viewing than the domestic product.
While Garber is delighted to see teams growing their support
in local communities, breaking through on television remains the
missing link.
"Growing our television ratings is a priority. It is a
function of our marketing efforts. It is a function of ensuring
that we have the right schedule, that we have the right
promotion platform with our television partners and that we have
a product that people care about.
"Those four things are pillars if you will that we focus on
almost every day," he said on a conference call ahead of
Saturday's opening game of the league's 17th season.
Garber accepts that making the ratings dial move won't be a
quick process.
MLS VISION
"By 2022 if we are going to achieve our vision and be one of
the top leagues in the world we are going to have to have higher
television ratings. There is no doubt about that.
"But the growth of our TV audience, we believe, is a
function of the growth of the overall popularity of the league,
our players and our clubs. And that is a process that is going
to take some time," he said.
The good news for MLS is that time appears to be on their
side - a recent ESPN-Luker sports poll had 'pro-soccer',
including MLS and the international game, as the number two
sport for those aged between 12-24-years-old.
While it is a tough sell to get fans without a local team to
watch MLS matches on a weekend, the league is certainly making
it easy for them to find a game if they wish.
This season, MLS games will be broadcast on the rebranded
NBC Sports channel for the first time along with long-term
partner ESPN and on TSN in Canada.
The league is also looking to cement its place on
Spanish-language broadcasting on the Univision networks and ESPN
and the French language RDS channel in Canada.
In addition clubs have deals with local networks while the
league on Thursday unveiled an improved online and digital
subscription package which allows fans to see over 230 'out of
market' games on mobile devices, tablets such as iPads and other
digital platforms.
MLS was launched in 1996 and has grown from 10 to 19 clubs
with Montreal Impact joining the league this season.