This is the reason that people expecting a prime location for a stadium are deluded
Nycfc/ocsc Sets New Mls Ratings Record On Espn2
- Thread starter NYCFCFan10
- Start date
I know. I'm actually shocked that many people watch bowling on TV.
NYCFCFan10
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I'm not. A lot of people bowl. A LOT. There's no politics around bowling either, it requires very little commitment, and everyone understands it.
I've stopped and watched it sometimes. When people are really good at something, its usually compelling to watch regardless what it is really.
Ryan_Kost12
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NBC has great coverage of PL games,I don't care at all getting up early on a Saturday just to watch a BPL game.
I was about to make a sarcastic comment, but then I looked up the UK viewing figures for the most recent Darts World Championship. 1.7 million viewers.
We're no better than you
Darts hahahaha! Why's wrong with people??
rangersnycfc
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I wonder how much viewership nfl has overseas lol? Some people just love bringing up the nfl in every conversation, not everything has to be like the nfl to be good. Let alone MLS is one of the youngest sporting leagues on the planet.
Ahab_Flanders
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Sick! Means its not just us season ticket psychos
NYCFCFan10
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If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball...
citysoccer83
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People will watch soccer in the US, but i think it needs to be a big game or there needs to be advertisement hyping the game in order to get eyes on the television. Its great that ESPN2 has a designated time to watch games now on Sunday nights but i feel like the SG's around the league should/could be doing more to "grow the game". In my eyes if nobody is going to sell you, its time to sell yourself. I think the SG's around the league do a good job at creating local pride in the teams in MLS and making it a priority to watch the games locally, but i think what is needed now is all the SG's around the league to make it a point to push the sunday night game (im just picking the sunday game bc its ESPN, but could use Friday night unimas or sunday FS1). Im not sure how this would be recieved by the TR or by any of the other supporter groups around the league/other leagues/American Outlaws/Sams Army, but i think there needs to be a concerted effort. A rising tide lifts all ships and if people are really interested in growing the game of soccer in the US and are sick of waiting for it to happen i think there are things we can do to help. The reason bowling does better ratings isnt that bowling is more popular, its that everyone in the US that likes bowling watched it on ESPN. If everyone that liked soccer and wanted to grow the game in the US watched the MLS Sunday night game, we'd have spectacular ratings, higher TV contract, increased salary cap, and a better product on the field. There needs to be a sense of "im not watching RSL vs LAG because I support the teams but because i want to watch/grow the game" #grassroots #growthegame #keepyourenemiescloser .....something like that. And im not talking about getting 15 mill wathcing the sunday night game, but i do think its possible to get ~1 mill per game every Sunday night.
MLS/ESPN/FOX/UniMas need to turn the Sunday game of the week into Monday Night Football. Getting a million viewers every Sunday would change soccer in this country. It has start by turning local supporters into MLS supporters. Once you get the diehards, you go for the casuals.
Americans love events... that's why they will watch the Miami vs Jets or the Oscars even though they know it'll suck. Can we get Shakira to sing "Are you ready for some soccer?"
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citysoccer83
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I agree, but we cant just sit around waiting for it to happen i dont think. I think the heads of the SG's need to reach out to the other heads of the SG's and put an organized grassroots plan in place. Somebody send word to the head of the TR that this needs to be done 
I agree. I'm pretty sure that was one of the main points when MLS set up the new TV deal. Having a national game televised at set time on a set day on a set network is key to building viewership; whereas the old contract had games televised seemingly at random.
jerseyhotspur
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Anyone know how the opening night game ratings were (LA vs Chi) that aired on unimas?
Averaged 341k viewers which is huge for UniMas (averaged 223k in 2014). Also the most non-Spanish speaking viewers ever for the channel.
My two ideas to increase viewers is improved fantasy sports (look what it has done to the NFL - makes every game must-see) and look into legalized gambling (NBA commish is way ahead on this in order to open up another revenue stream).
Nice article in the NYP on the ratings.
http://nypost.com/2015/03/11/nycfc-debut-a-smash-by-two-different-measures/
http://nypost.com/2015/03/11/nycfc-debut-a-smash-by-two-different-measures/
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