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.