MLS has too much TV competition

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber certainly stokes the fire when it comes to controversial statements about the American top flight. However, one thing Garber nailed was that MLS faces stiff competition when trying to lure TV viewership to the United States. The litany of European leagues have considerable followings in the United States, and that saps potential audiences from watching MLS Season Pass.

Take this upcoming weekend as an example. It is matchday seven in Major League Soccer. That brings several major fixtures that fans can look forward to. El Trafico between LA Galaxy and LAFC highlights the next two days of matches. Also, FC Cincinnati faces New York Red Bulls in a game involving two teams on fine form to start the season.

While those games will pique the interest of some, MLS still faces an uphill challenge in rivaling the popularity of foreign leagues. The Premier League remains the most popular soccer league for viewers in the United States. This weekend, those MLS games will have to go up against a game between Manchester United and Liverpool, two of the most popular clubs in the world. Also this weekend, fans can watch the Old Firm in Scotland, the Copa del Rey Final, and the Derby de Lisboa between Sporting CP and Benfica.

The one saving grace is that all of the MLS games at the weekend are in the evening. Thirteen out of this weekend’s 14 games are on Saturday between 7:30 p.m. ET and 10:30 p.m. ET. They do not directly overlap with games in Europe thanks to the time differences. Yet, by that time, many of the soccer fans may be ‘soccer-ed out,’ as it were. They may feel that, after watching so many games in the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, or other leagues, it is time to take a break from TV. Or, to watch something else.

Can MLS stand out against other TV competition?

The main issue centers around two things. On one hand, soccer fans have deep fandoms that center around one or two clubs. For…

Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/garber-gets-one-thing-right-mls-has-too-much-tv-competition

Author : Kyle Fansler

Publish date : 2024-04-05 18:39:11

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