2016 TFC/MLS TV Ratings

[Beach_Red]

TV provides more money then gates provide to the NHL (in Canada), NBA, NFL, CFL, MLB, top conference US College Football and top conference US College Basketball. TV also gives more money then the gates in most of Europe. But, without that TV money, the public has WAAAY more choices then they used to.

If you are a gate driven league, you have to compete with everything else going on in your city. BUT, if you are a TV driven league, the TV companies pump up your product tremendously as great spectacle in order to drive eyeballs to them.

Do you think MLS would continue in the US as the NHL does as a mostly gate-driven league?

[OgtheDim]

Do you think MLS would continue in the US as the NHL does as a mostly gate-driven league?

Unlike the NHL, soccer has a following all over that country. Once there are enough markets covered, TV contracts will go up in value. Atlanta is a big step in that direction, as is Minnesota. Add St. Louis and Michigan to that number and North Carolina and they have a lot of the largest markets.

[Beach_Red]

Unlike the NHL, soccer has a following all over that country. Once there are enough markets covered, TV contracts will go up in value. Atlanta is a big step in that direction, as is Minnesota. Add St. Louis and Michigan to that number and North Carolina and they have a lot of the largest markets.

But that doesn't answer my question . I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything, I'm just wondering. There have been a lot of changes in the entertainment industry and adjustments have been made. One hour dramas, for example, will never get the kind of ratings they once did but there are many more of them made now. It may be that with many more choices only a few blockbuster events get old-time big ratings and most everything else adjusts to lower ratings. That wouldn't really make any difference to us, would it, as long as the league continues?

[OgtheDim]

But that doesn't answer my question . I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything, I'm just wondering. There have been a lot of changes in the entertainment industry and adjustments have been made. One hour dramas, for example, will never get the kind of ratings they once did but there are many more of them made now. It may be that with many more choices only a few blockbuster events get old-time big ratings and most everything else adjusts to lower ratings. That wouldn't really make any difference to us, would it, as long as the league continues?

Nah, its a good question.

The template is enough markets and the networks can sell it to advertisers. Us cord cutters are not in the majority.

On a side note, a lot of people are talking about and watching 1 hour TV - its just on HBO, Showcase and other channels in the US. Think Game of Thrones, House of Cards, West World, Breaking Bad etc.

[Beach_Red]

Nah, its a good question.

The template is enough markets and the networks can sell it to advertisers. Us cord cutters are not in the majority.

On a side note, a lot of people are talking about and watching 1 hour TV - its just on HBO, Showcase and other channels in the US. Think Game of Thrones, House of Cards, West World, Breaking Bad etc.

Yes, but that's what I mean. Lots of people are talking about those shows but far fewer people are seeing each one than saw an episode of Cagny and Lacy or Dallas. Most episodes of Breaking Bad averaged under 2 million viewers. Before cable a show would get cancelled if it got below 10 million. But that's the difference between 3 channels and 30 (making one hour dramas, I know it's the "five hundred channel universe" ). .

In some ways it's like the music business. It has returned to being a mostly gate-driven business as it was before record sales went crazy from the 50's till the internet. Yes, I know, some people are buying vinyl again but no musicians are making the kind of money from records they did years ago.

All I'm really saying is that TV ratings aren't important at all for MLS. It can stay mostly gate-driven, get very low TV ratings and still be a good league.