Article by Matt Lichtenstadter
This column space is normally reserved to talk about mainly on the pitch issues in MLS, or issues tangentially related to the quality of play in the league and issues that affect the quality of play. However, for this column, there is another issue that has captured the eyeballs of those in the league’s offices that merits attention.
TV ratings for MLS games on ESPN, FS1 and the Univisión family haven’t been that amazing this season, or in the past. Even though the media world is changing rapidly, TV still drives the bus, and Don Garber et al would like to see TV ratings improve. According to Sports Business Journal, MLS is implementing these four changes to try and goose ratings upward:
- Cameras in the locker room before games
- Access in team huddles like you see in the NBA and NFL
- Microphones on coaches during games (which has already been happening)
- Media “car wash” tours (going to ESPN, FS1, Uni programs during the day to promote the league)
Some of these steps have already been taken, i.e. MLS players and league officials have been making the media rounds more often than before, and coaches on certain broadcasts, particularly Uni ones, have been mic’ed during games. Now while there’s nothing inherently wrong with these ideas, none of them will make any fundamental difference to MLS TV ratings, which are on the whole about flat from last season to this one. MLS does lag well behind the Premier League, UEFA competitions and particularly Liga MX when it comes to TV ratings, and of course each and all the four major American sports dwarf it as well as college sports too. The sports media landscape is crowded, competitive and difficult to break through in, especially for MLS and its unique brand and structure relative to the soccer world around it.
Coverage of MLS on each of the TV partners, and locally, has been at its best this season for all networks, and has been steadily improving year over year too. For this league to achieve massive ratings gold this early in its lifecycle, especially dealing with the competition it deals with, is fanciful and honestly a bit of a pipe dream. Should ratings in many ways be better than they currently are? For sure. But none of that has to do with the coverage itself, or even the promotion of the league (which could stand to be a little better). Games in April and May really don’t mean much when it comes to the playoff race, and the real drama in the league bumps up against the extremely crowded American sports calendar in the fall, which has always been a detriment.
It’s really a shame that MLS seems so fixated on the TV ratings “issues” because their digital product is still one of the best around. They really do take advantage of the assets they have and their league website is one of the best around. But when it comes to moving the national needle, and even the local needle in certain places, the teams will need to be around for longer and make inroads gradually, as will the league. And since MLS is not the gold standard of soccer around the world, and American soccer fans and sports fans in general have very easy access to that product, there is a segment of fans that won’t watch MLS simply because it isn’t the best soccer around.
When MLS can challenge Liga MX in terms of quality, ratings will improve. When MLS can challenge above and beyond even that in terms of quality, ratings will improve. Soccer is booming in this country and its growth is unparalleled right now in this country, and the popularity of MLS will grow with it. But that process is a slow, steady and gradual one that will take time and can’t be immediately fixed with cameras in the locker room or Jesse Marschscreaming at Mike Grella to track back.
Gaining popularity is a slog of a process with many growing pains, and MLS is still growing as a league and has more growing to do. As the league’s quality improves, so will its TV ratings. But patience is the key, not more microphones or media car washes.
