Friday, November 27, 2020

Tuesday MLS Viewership Hitting Highs

Two MLS Playoff matches on Tuesday, November 24th hit post-pandemic highs for the league. Both games were on ESPN, back to back. The quasi lead-in on FS1 also did... okay.

At 8:00 PM EST Supporters' Shield winner Philadelphia lost to Bruce Arena's New England as 478k watched (a post-pandemic high). Then at 10:30 PM EST Seattle topped LAFC, pulling 457k, good enough for 3rd highest MLS rating since June.

The FS1 match between Toronto and Nashville saw the underdogs pull off a 0-1 win at 6:00 PM drew 240k. It's possible that this somewhat surprising result stirred the MLS faithful and curious onlookers for the ESPN games later in the night.

The strong performance of both put two more MLS events in the top 20 most viewed since things got restarted after COVID shut everything down in March.

US Cable Soccer programs, TOP 30 Since June Restart
Viewers (000)Event/GameNetworkDate
675UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: PSG / BAYERNTUDNAug 23, 20
668PREMIER LEAGUE L: ARSENAL/TOTTENHAMNBCSNJul 12, 20
663LIGA MX SAT 2: AMERICA / GUADALAJARATUDNSep 19, 20
596PREMIER LEAGUE: TOTTENHAM/MAN UNITEDNBCSNOct 4, 20
557PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEICESTER/TOTTENHAMNBCSNJul 19, 20
555PREMIER LEAGUE L: BURNLEY/LIVERPOOLNBCSNJul 11, 20
554PREMIER LEAGUE L: SOUTHAMPTON/CHELSEANBCSNOct 17, 20
550PREMIER LEAGUE L: CHELSEA/LIVERPOOLNBCSNJul 22, 20
543LIGA MX L: REPETCHAJE: TIGRES / TOLUCATUDNNov 22, 20
494PREMIER LEAGUE L: WEST HAM/ARSENALNBCSNSep 19, 20
487LIGA MX SAT 2: AMERICA / UNAMTUDNOct 3, 20
478MLS REGULAR SEASON: PHIL/NEW ENGLANDESPNNov 24, 20
477PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEEDS/ARSENALNBCSNNov 22, 20
466LIGA MX L: LEON / AMERICATUDNOct 19, 20
464MLS REGULAR SEASON L: ORLANDO/MIAMIESPNJul 8, 20
458LIGA MX SAT 2: AMERICA / TOLUCATUDNSep 12, 20
457MLS REGULAR SEASON      L: SEATTLE/LAFCESPNNov 24, 20
456PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEICESTER/MANCITYNBCSNSep 27, 20
454LIGA MX PT SUN: CRUZ AZUL / AMERICATUDNSep 27, 20
453LIGA MX PLAYOFFS: WC:SANTOS VS PACHUCAFOX DEPNov 21, 20
428PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEICESTER/BOURNEMOUTHNBCSNJul 12, 20
420LIGA MX FRI: FC JUAREZ / AMERICATUDNNov 6, 20
416PREMIER LEAGUE L: NEWCASTLE/TOTTENHAMNBCSNSep 27, 20
414PREMIER LEAGUE L: EVERTON/CRYSTAL PALACENBCSNSep 26, 20
410PREMIER LEAGUE L: LIVERPOOL/EVERTONNBCSNOct 17, 20
404PREMIER LEAGUE L: CHELSEA/BURNLEYNBCSNOct 31, 20
403PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIONBCSNJul 12, 20
402PREMIER LEAGUE L: LIVERPOOL/ASTON VILLANBCSNOct 4, 20
402UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: MAN CITY/LYONNAISTUDNAug 15, 20
401PREMIER LEAGUE L: EVERTON/NEWCASTLENBCSNNov 1, 20

The Premier League (EPL) leads the way with 17 of the top 30 events/shows in the top 30 since the NWSL restarted team sports in late June. This is USA cable viewership only. The source is Showbuzz Daily.

17 : EPL
8 : Liga MX
3 : MLS 
2 : Champions League
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Wednesday, November 25, 2020

US Soccer Cable Ratings, Nov 19-23

The popular leagues for US viewers were back in action last weekend and it's TUDN's Liga MX match Tigres v Toluca taking the top spot.

The MLS playoffs kicked off. This marks the long-awaited return to regular-ish national TV coverage for the league. Because of the format, the matchups were likely not what the league wanted. Minnesota United v Colorado pulled the best viewership 242k on ESPN for 9th best soccer show of the weekend.

Overall, the playoff game between Minnesota United and the Colorado Rapids is ranked 8th among all MLS games since the restart of sports in back in June. Behind that is Portland and Dallas at 16th best. Not a whole lot to write home about for the 2020 version of the MLS Playoffs.

Not on my list - Columbus Crew v NY Red Bulls and Orlando v NYCFC. Both were on UniMas and TUDN but were not rated in the top 150 cable shows the day they aired. World Soccer Talk has them at 216k and 184k (combined on UniMas and TUDN) respectively. I don't combine ratings and I only have access to the top 150 each day.

On traditional broadcast TV, the Premier League matchup of Manchester City and Tottenham pulled 875k viewers on NBC (Saturday).


US Cable Soccer programs Nov 19-23
Viewers (000)Event/GameNetworkDate
543LIGA MX L: REPETCHAJE: TIGRES / TOLUCATUDNNov 22, 20
477PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEEDS/ARSENALNBCSNNov 22, 20
453LIGA MX PLAYOFFS: WC:SANTOS VS PACHUCAFOX DEPNov 21, 20
388PREMIER LEAGUE L: LEICESTER/LIVERPOOLNBCSNNov 22, 20
386PREMIER LEAGUE L: BRIGHTON/ASTON VILLANBCSNNov 21, 20
361LIGA MX PLAYOFFS: WC:MONTERREY VS PUEBLAFOX DEPNov 22, 20
292PREMIER LEAGUE L: SOUTHAMPTON/WOLVESNBCSNNov 23, 20
291PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIONBCSNNov 21, 20
242MLS PLAYOFFS: MINNESOTA/ RAPIDSESPNNov 22, 20
231PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIONBCSNNov 22, 20
223MLS PLAYOFFS: PORTLAND TIMBERS/FC DALLASESPNNov 22, 20
215PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIONBCSNNov 23, 20
203PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIONBCSNNov 22, 20
183PREMIER LEAGUE L: CRYSTAL PALACE/BURNLEYNBCSNNov 23, 20
164MLS PLAYOFFS:  KANSAS CITY/SAN JOSEFS1Nov 22, 20
160PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONENBCSNNov 23, 20
129MLS PLAYOFFS: NASHVILLE/MIAMIESPN2Nov 20, 20
116LIGA PREMIER: TOTTENHAM VS MAN CITYUNIVERSONov 21, 20
108MLS PLAYOFFS: NEW ENGLAND/MONTREALFS1Nov 20, 20
107PREMIER LG LIVE STUDIONBCSNNov 21, 20
98PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL ZONENBCSNNov 22, 20


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Friday, November 20, 2020

US Cable Soccer Ratings Nov 12-18

A light week last week due to the FIFA international break. USMNT v Panama lead the way, but with only 222k viewers. 

MLS restarts with their playoff tournament tonight. Over in the Premier League, there are a number of interesting matchups... Tottenham v Man City (NBC) tomorrow at noon then Sunday at 11:30 AM EST has Leeds v Arsenal and Liverpool v Leicester following that, both on NBCSN.

US Cable Soccer programs Nov 12-18
Viewers (000)Event/GameNetworkDate
222INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY L: USA/PANAMAFS1Nov 16, 20
215UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE   L: BELGIUM/ENGLANDESPNNov 15, 20
205INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY L: WALES/USAFS1Nov 12, 20
159UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE: BELGICA / INGLATERRATUDNNov 15, 20
144MNT R: MEXICO VS KOREA DEL SURTUDNNov 17, 20
133UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE   L: CROATIA/PORTUGALESPN2Nov 17, 20
127UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE L: GALES / IRELANDATUDNNov 15, 20
97UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE: POLAND/NETHERLANDSESPN2Nov 18, 20
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Wednesday, November 18, 2020

'20 MLS Helltown Beer Player of the Year

It's Kacper Przybyłko. This is my tenth player of the year award. I haven't changed my methodology since 2011.

2020: Kacper Przyblko
2019: Carlos Vela
2018: Josef Martinez
2017: Nemanja Nikolić
2016: Bradley Wright-Phillips
2015: Bradley Wright-Phillips
2014: Robbie Keane
2013: Darlington Nagbe
2012: Chris Wondolowski
2011: Todd Dunivant















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Helltown Beer MLS Players of the Year

The MLS regular season is over, so here is my team of the year based on my player performance/rating system. I've been using it for a decade. The full list is HERE.










Here are my top 25.


Player ScorePlayer Name(TEAM)
10.00Kacper PrzybyłkoPHI
9.45Alejandro PozueloTFC
9.34Jordan MorrisSEA
9.26Brenden AaronsonPHI
9.09Jamiro MonteiroPHI
8.99Mark McKenziePHI
8.94Nicolás LodeiroSEA
8.87Cristian RoldanSEA
8.86Gyasi ZardesCLB
8.76Pedro SantosCLB
8.64Alejandro BedoyaPHI
8.63Anton TinnerholmNYC
8.61Alexander RingNYC
8.54Stefan FreiSEA
8.48Diego RossiLAF
8.41Andre BlakePHI
8.32Jonathan MensahCLB
8.15Raúl RuidíazSEA
8.12Sean JohnsonNYC
8.11Sam VinesCOL
8.07Robin JanssonORL
8.05Tim MeliaSKC
8.04Johnny RussellSKC
7.97Christopher MuellerORL
7.94Robin LodMIN
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