When ESPN signed its new eight-year contract with Major League Soccer, network president John Skipper said he was in essence investing in pork bellies hoping for long-term ratings success.
He may not have to wait that long as three MLS games on the ESPN mothership last month saw some unexpected viewership gains. World Soccer Talk notes the viewership for the three games:
• August 9, 4-6pm ET: LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders, ESPN: 549,000 viewers
• August 23, 3-5pm ET: LA Galaxy vs. New York City FC, ESPN: 452,000 viewers
• August 30, 4:30-6:30pm ET: Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers, ESPN: 438,000 viewers
The viewership is higher than normal for an MLS game especially on its customary home, ESPN2. And the move of the games in August was part of a decision by the Worldwide Leader for ESPN to carry more MLS matches.
The move paid off with increased viewership and it’s part of a larger picture that MLS’ ratings have been slowly rising this year as opposed to last year when the games were on ESPN and NBCSN/NBC.
Perhaps it’s the consistent scheduling where fans know national MLS games are on UniMás/Univision on Friday nights and a Sunday afternoon doubleheader on ESPN/ESPN2 and FS1.
While this is not totally a trend, it is an encouraging sign for MLS to see that viewership is up not just from last year, but also steadily increasing from this year. World Soccer Talk says the three games rose from the same matchups earlier in the season as the Galaxy-Sounders game garnered the highest audience for an MLS match on cable in three years. And there was other good news as well:
.. the 452,000 number for the Galaxy vs. NYCFC game on ESPN was far greater than the 216,000 who watched the same teams play on ESPN2 in April.Next, the 438,000 viewers for the derby between Seattle and Portland on August 30 was far greater than the 309,000 who watched the game on FOX Sports 1 in late April.
MLS is making strides and both ESPN and FS1 are hoping the league continues to do so for the next seven seasons.
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