OT: MLS closing in on NFL, NBA, MLB in U.S. - Landon Donovan

[cutchemist42]

I think with MLS, it has to remembered that they have had a recent amount of expansions so unless they settle at the NA norm of 30ish teams, that money will dry up.

Also, there's no other NA league that is as ignored in the major markets that are important for revenue generation. By most accounts, the league is an afterthought in NY, Bay area, Chicago, and Houston. I think they have moderate success in LA.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

They're approaching, in the sense that in about a decade they've gone from from 1/10th of the revenue of the NHL to about 1/5th of the revenue.

They're doing very well, and in our lifetimes we will very well be talkin about a "big five" rather than a "big four," but there's still a substantial amount of ground to make up to even the relative minnow of the big four that is the NHL.

And in terms of comparative quality, the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB are the highest-tier leagues in their respective sports globally. As others have repeatedly mentioned, MLS isn't even remotely close lose to that as well. So I doubt that the ceiling in revenue generation is the same with that in mind.

the biggest thing holding them back is their TV viewership is close to zero.

They dont have any major network coverage, and the coverage they do have is spotty at best and gets minimal viewership. So that makes it a very tough sell in trying to get a major network deal with prime time slots and full marketing.

Without that they'll never be seen as anything above AAA baseball or AHL hockey. Without national broadcasting, you dont grow your fanbase, you dont get front and center coverage on sports shows, you dont get front page coverage on sports websites, and you aren't included in any of the sports talk on radio or TV shows such as ESPN

 

[BKIslandersFan]

the biggest thing holding them back is their TV viewership is close to zero.

They dont have any major network coverage, and the coverage they do have is spotty at best and gets minimal viewership. So that makes it a very tough sell in trying to get a major network deal with prime time slots and full marketing.

Without that they'll never be seen as anything above AAA baseball or AHL hockey. Without national broadcasting, you dont grow your fanbase, you dont get front and center coverage on sports shows, you dont get front page coverage on sports websites, and you aren't included in any of the sports talk on radio or TV shows such as ESPN

Are we talking about MLS? Because they do have national TV deals. They are on FS, ESPN and heck, regular Fox.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

I think with MLS, it has to remembered that they have had a recent amount of expansions so unless they settle at the NA norm of 30ish teams, that money will dry up.

Also, there's no other NA league that is as ignored in the major markets that are important for revenue generation. By most accounts, the league is an afterthought in NY, Bay area, Chicago, and Houston. I think they have moderate success in LA.

Here in New England the krafts who people consider one of the best owners in the nfl are considered one of the worst in the mls Levels of MLS, NFL ambition vary for Krafts, Kroenke
The Krafts Are the Worst Owners in Major League Soccer

 

[nnynetpotato]

It's interesting with the NFL owners in MLS.Kraft simply used the Revs as a business expense and way to fill dates.Blank has worked hard to make AUFC the solid success it is,and also recruited Jimmy Haslam to Columbus to rejuvenate the Crew. Kroenke is ,as always ,a dumpster fire.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

It's interesting with the NFL owners in MLS.Kraft simply used the Revs as a business expense and way to fill dates.Blank has worked hard to make AUFC the solid success it is,and also recruited Jimmy Haslam to Columbus to rejuvenate the Crew. Kroenke is ,as always ,a dumpster fire.

Rapids did build a Soccer Specific Stadium under Kroenke. I think.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

It's interesting with the NFL owners in MLS.Kraft simply used the Revs as a business expense and way to fill dates.Blank has worked hard to make AUFC the solid success it is,and also recruited Jimmy Haslam to Columbus to rejuvenate the Crew. Kroenke is ,as always ,a dumpster fire.

The Revs whould be great in Boston, Foxbrough is more like Glendale AZ good for 8 games plus playoffs (when the pats are winning at Least) but for more than that it might be difficult for a team to work there

 

[BKIslandersFan]

The Revs whould be great in Boston, Foxbrough is more like Glendale AZ good for 8 games plus playoffs (when the pats are winning at Least) but for more than that it might be difficult for a team to work there

Considering small amount of games and most of them are played during weekend, I don’t think location is an issue for Revs.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

Considering small amount of games and most of them are played during weekend, I don’t think location is an issue for Revs.

A urban Boston stadium would attract more college students and people who live in the city its would be more in line with the soccer demographic than foxbrough

 

[BKIslandersFan]

A urban Boston stadium would attract more college students and people who live in the city its would be more in line with the soccer demographic than foxbrough

Can’t hurt. But what they really need is MBTA service to the game.

 

[nnynetpotato]

Rapids did build a Soccer Specific Stadium under Kroenke. I think.

And a dire front office to build a crap team to play in that soccer specific stadium.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

And a dire front office to build a crap team to play in that soccer specific stadium.

True true. But he did build SSS so it’s not like he did nothing.

 

[nnynetpotato]

Classic Kronk-thinks all he needs is a new stadium.Or a new city if he doesn't get a new stadium.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

An MLS expansion franchise costs $300m? Wow, good luck ever recouping that investment.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

And a dire front office to build a crap team to play in that soccer specific stadium.

and where in Boston are you building a SSS, nnynet? Gillette isn't in Boston, either, last I checked, not that the Commonwealth recognizes Foxboro, on its signage, but will mention Worcester and Providence, RI

 

[Burke the Legend]

An MLS expansion franchise costs $300m? Wow, good luck ever recouping that investment.

$300 million?? wow I was thinking it was spicy at $150 million. That makes Bettman's $600 million ask look like a bargain. If Joey Saputo can get $300 million for the Montreal Impact I gotta imagine he's close to throwing in the towel.

 

[LeHab]

An MLS expansion franchise costs $300m? Wow, good luck ever recouping that investment.

Not expansion, 300m is the estimated top franchise value. Expansion fee was 150m$ for each of two teams starting this (or next?) season.

 

[eddygee]

MLS is not growing in attendance or viewership overall the past few years. Soccer has declined by number of players in the US (roughly 15% in a few years).

Ya, sure Landon. Just like women marathon runners are closing in on the men if we project their improvement infinitely.

the biggest thing holding them back is their TV viewership is close to zero.

They dont have any major network coverage, and the coverage they do have is spotty at best and gets minimal viewership. So that makes it a very tough sell in trying to get a major network deal with prime time slots and full marketing.

Without that they'll never be seen as anything above AAA baseball or AHL hockey. Without national broadcasting, you dont grow your fanbase, you dont get front and center coverage on sports shows, you dont get front page coverage on sports websites, and you aren't included in any of the sports talk on radio or TV shows such as ESPN

That's simply not true the TV ratings have grown each yr since 2013 its went from 185k to 276k in that time frame. They will most likely get 3-4x more in their next TV deal they're doing ok viable on TV. I'm not sure why that is still a thing maybe old assumptions idk.

 

[eddygee]

Not expansion, 300m is the estimated top franchise value. Expansion fee was 150m$ for each of two teams starting this (or next?) season.

Next expansion team will be $200 mil MLS is a 24 teams now with 27 announced league is going to 32 teams. By the time team 31-32 come on board the expansion fee could be $500-600 mil. Teams 29-32 will have to pay more because the team valuations and thus expansion fee will shoot up after the new TV deal in 2022.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Why people hate MLS so much?

Fact is :
1. soccer/football is the most watched sport in the world.
2. MLS is the largest soccer/football league in North America
3. Some teams like Atlanta are raising the bar and MLS is turning into a very competitive league with better development and not a retiree home like it used to be.
4. The league popularity is growing and football/soccer interest is also getting bigger in North America every year.
5. The world cup 2026 will be in North America and it's going to be another stepping stone to develop football/soccer interest in North America.

I don't get the hate. MLS have a good platform and there is definately untapped potential with it in North America

 

[LeHab]

Next expansion team will be $200 mil MLS is a 24 teams now with 27 announced league is going to 32 teams. By the time team 31-32 come on board the expansion fee could be $500-600 mil. Teams 29-32 will have to pay more because the team valuations and thus expansion fee will shoot up after the new TV deal in 2022.

As revenues increase so will franchise fees.

If we look at estimated MLS revenues (900m/24) = 37.5 per team and NHL (4700m/31) = 151 per team we get around 4 times more revenues per team for NHL. $650m Seattle fee with some rough rounding is about 4 times of MLS $150m. Very simplified way of looking at valuation as there are other factors but provides some rational behind recent expansion fees.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

MLS is not growing in attendance or viewership overall the past few years. Soccer has declined by number of players in the US (roughly 15% in a few years).

Factors in that:

1. The USMNT has not been "great" since 2002. Yeah, they won their group in '10 but then crashed and burned vs. Ghana, then looked decent in '14 until they went up against Germany and Belgium. [I won't bring up the disaster that was the '18 Hex.] That impact on kids and even adults interest cannot be understated.

2. Even more critically: soccer should be a cheap sport to run. Literally, you need a ball and a goal and a pair of shoes. The U.S., in true American fashion, has made playing soccer much more expensive than it should be and at the youth levels prioritized winning above player development. That means millions of kids can't afford to play in anything organized where they might get noticed, and kids who aren't stars by say U10-U12 are kicked to the side and totally disregarded.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Not expansion, 300m is the estimated top franchise value. Expansion fee was 150m$ for each of two teams starting this (or next?) season.

My mistake, I thought he was talking about expansion fee, still too much.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

That's simply not true the TV ratings have grown each yr since 2013 its went from 185k to 276k in that time frame. They will most likely get 3-4x more in their next TV deal they're doing ok viable on TV. I'm not sure why that is still a thing maybe old assumptions idk.

View attachment 188727

the WNBA averages 250,000 viewers per game this year.

at its peak on ESPN, the WNBA averaged 419,000 viewers per game.

so yeah, the MLS ratings are still brutal

 

[LeHab]

My mistake, I thought he was talking about expansion fee, still too much.

Yeah based on how the article is written, easy to be mislead.