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View Full Version : MLS to NBC. HUGE DEAL!



kodiakTFC
08-10-2011, 01:05 PM
MLS signed a three year broadcasting deal with NBC.

The deal takes effect with the '12 MLS season. NBC picked up the package that currently is with Fox Soccer. Deal terms have 45 MLS games and four U.S. men's national soccer team games carried live on NBC and Versus, which will be renamed NBC Sports Network in January. "This is clearly another great moment for the sport of American soccer," MLS Commissioner Don Garber told THE DAILY. "NBC has a larger audience and a greater variety of platforms, with network, cable and digital." The deal runs through '14, which is when the ESPN and Univision media deals with MLS end. At that point, MLS most likely would go to market with two packages -- one English and one Spanish -- rather than three. Deal terms will have NBC broadcast two regular-season MLS games, two playoff games and two U.S. national team appearances. NBC's cable channel will carry 38 regular-season games, three playoff games and the other two national team matches. NBC picks up all digital rights to these games.

NHL RELATIONSHIP INFLUENCED DEAL: Garber said he was attracted by NBC's history of promoting properties, specifically pointing to the network's relationship with the NHL. "I've watched with envy what NBC has done for the NHL," he said. "We hope NBC can do for soccer what they've been able to do for hockey." Garber praised Fox Soccer, saying it has "turned into a much more professionally produced cable network" under Nathanson. But he said he could not pass up the added reach that Versus (76 million homes) has over Fox Soccer (39 million homes).

Important Points:
- ESPN pays 8 million, Univision pays 8 million and FSC pays 6.25 (Now NBC is paying between 10-12 million) a season. All three deals are up after the 2014 season, this is when MLS plans to negotiate bigger deals.

-Coverage has nearly doubled from 39 to 76 million homes.

-NBC Sports/Versus is reknowned for its excellent promotion of its products, ie. its job with the NHL.

-Last year Fox paid 3 million, next year they're gettign 10-12 for the same deal!

-More games televised.

-6 nationally broadcasted games on network, this year theres 0.

Pookie
08-10-2011, 01:10 PM
Who needs NBC when you have GolTV in Standard Definition???

Bigger question, if there is a game involving the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers that runs late, are they going to interrupt coverage to show the MLS Cup?

kodiakTFC
08-10-2011, 01:16 PM
Who needs NBC when you have GolTV in Standard Definition???

Bigger question, if there is a game involving the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers that runs late, are they going to interrupt coverage to show the MLS Cup?

:wink5:

Well NBC Sports doesn't have baseball so impossible! They do however have NHL and Tour De France, so American MLS viewers can expect having early season games bumped for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Ossington Mental Youth
08-10-2011, 01:29 PM
big deal for them, doesnt change shit for us.

kodiakTFC
08-10-2011, 01:33 PM
big deal for them, doesnt change shit for us.

Very wrong. A more prosperous league can only mean good things for us as well. This deal will likely usher in a massive deal in 3 years which will greatly affect the cba that is up for deliberation that year, the salary cap would likely double-triple.

This is a major step in Garber's proposed plan to make MLS a top tier league by 2022.

mastermixer
08-10-2011, 01:39 PM
Interesting... I heard ratings for MLS games in the US were down a lot. Hopefully this gets people watching again.

MartinUtd
08-10-2011, 01:54 PM
big deal for them, doesnt change shit for us.

It could mean a better deal for the players after the next CBA which in turn should raise the average quality on the pitch.

Then again, I've never been a big supporter of tickle down theories.

Ossington Mental Youth
08-10-2011, 02:01 PM
Very wrong. A more prosperous league can only mean good things for us as well. This deal will likely usher in a massive deal in 3 years which will greatly affect the cba that is up for deliberation that year, the salary cap would likely double-triple.

This is a major step in Garber's proposed plan to make MLS a top tier league by 2022.

im talking about tv coverage wise

nobodybeatsthewiz
08-10-2011, 02:03 PM
This is a major step in Garber's proposed plan to make MLS a top tier league by 2022.


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/154/432920431_d0a2af4e6b.jpg

RPB_RED_NATION_RPB
08-10-2011, 02:12 PM
Ok... Garber...Now Raise the CAP!!!!!....

Yohan
08-10-2011, 02:23 PM
Ok... Garber...Now Raise the CAP!!!!!....
unlikely...

TOBOR !
08-10-2011, 02:37 PM
I've watched with envy what NBC has done for the NHL

eh ?

canadian_bhoy
08-10-2011, 02:38 PM
So....basically MLS will be on Gol TV, ESPN 8 (the ocho) and VS (NBC).

I remember when MLS was on ABC on Saturday mornings. Wasn't really a big deal.

(cynic......)

pffft. Wiz, no more Chernobyl.

TFC07
08-10-2011, 02:45 PM
Congrats MLS! :flare:

TFC USA
08-10-2011, 02:46 PM
BREAKING NEWS: MLS on NBC to air at 12:35 AM ET on delay, after Leno.

kodiakTFC
08-10-2011, 02:55 PM
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/154/432920431_d0a2af4e6b.jpg

Awesome reference and I agree with the underlying point to but everybody needs a goal!

nfitz
08-10-2011, 02:55 PM
BREAKING NEWS: MLS on NBC to air at 12:35 AM ET on delay, after Leno.What ... and pre-empt Late Night? 1:35 AM please ...

Alixir
08-10-2011, 03:09 PM
Very wrong. A more prosperous league can only mean good things for us as well. exactly now even more people can watch our team embarrass themselves on national TV....but then again NBC is American so the chances of them televising a TFC match are probably pretty low....I would say very low.

__wowza
08-10-2011, 03:11 PM
What ... and pre-empt Late Night? 1:35 AM please ...

and pre-empt last call with carson daly?

TFC Via Buffalo
08-10-2011, 03:21 PM
Then again, I've never been a big supporter of tickle down theories.

I, on the other hand, am all for tickling down regardless if theory or fact. :)

__wowza
08-10-2011, 04:01 PM
It could mean a better deal for the players after the next CBA which in turn should raise the average quality on the pitch.

Then again, I've never been a big supporter of tickle down theories.

i wholeheartedly have to agree. the leagues salary expansion suggests that the wages are adjusted well above inflation. with a new deal in place for television coverage, it might just put pressure on the league to continue expanding in order to increase the quality of play.

TFC USA
08-10-2011, 04:11 PM
It could mean a better deal for the players after the next CBA which in turn should raise the average quality on the pitch.

Then again, I've never been a big supporter of tickle down theories.

I tried the tickle down theory once. She broke up with me after that.

prizby
08-10-2011, 05:47 PM
so with the increase in money, we will see an increase in salary cap right...nearly $30 mil in TV rev is = $1.5 mil salary cap per team

Detroit_TFC
08-10-2011, 06:15 PM
so with the increase in money, we will see an increase in salary cap right...nearly $30 mil in TV rev is = $1.5 mil salary cap per team

Over 3 yrs.

prizby
08-10-2011, 06:22 PM
Over 3 yrs.

i was talking about 30 mil a year between univision, espn, nbc (and tsn and other local stations)

Yohan
08-10-2011, 06:39 PM
didn't the new CBA say the cap is going up like 150k per year or something already? I don't know if the MLS FO wants to up the cap too much...

Shakes McQueen
08-10-2011, 06:41 PM
This is a huge deal for MLS as a whole, though it won't immediately impact our own television situation.

- Scott

TFCRegina
08-10-2011, 07:16 PM
didn't the new CBA say the cap is going up like 150k per year or something already? I don't know if the MLS FO wants to up the cap too much...

By 2014, it's supposed to be somewhere around 5 million US.

It will have surpassed the CFL in cap terms by that point and there's fewer players on MLS rosters - should indicate that player wages are going to improve significantly.

Pookie
08-10-2011, 07:44 PM
The "cap" is more of a guidance.

It appears that only the base salary counts and there are any number of ways to circumvent it beyond the established DP rule.

It's why some players make $450k in comp but only $335k counts without a DP tag. Teams with the means can spend. You think LA is really living under the rule of a hard cap?

babone
08-10-2011, 08:25 PM
Since our networks kinda follow the US lead, wonder what this mean for the the right to footy in Canada

LittleOzzy
08-10-2011, 08:26 PM
The cross promotion on NBC will help more then anything. Just imagine MLS commercials during the Olympics in the States.

boban
08-10-2011, 10:32 PM
Very wrong. A more prosperous league can only mean good things for us as well. This deal will likely usher in a massive deal in 3 years which will greatly affect the cba that is up for deliberation that year, the salary cap would likely double-triple.

This is a major step in Garber's proposed plan to make MLS a top tier league by 2022.
The TV deal will not at most double (very unlikely). It still leaves ticket revenue and sponsorship at even (add some % for yearly increases if you wish).
That doesn't mean all of it goes to Cap increase. The owners want to keep some of that pie. The cap increase would be 50% at most.

Oldtimer
08-11-2011, 06:43 AM
The TV deal will not at most double (very unlikely). It still leaves ticket revenue and sponsorship at even (add some % for yearly increases if you wish).
That doesn't mean all of it goes to Cap increase. The owners want to keep some of that pie. The cap increase would be 50% at most.

A 50% increase in the cap would do huge things to improve the quality of play. I wouldn't discount it, at all. Look how much the increases to the cap and the influx of DPs has already improved play since 2007 (if in doubt, look at any old game tape from 2007. You'll be shocked at the difference in play in just 4 years).

Don't forget too, that with increased exposure, more advertisers and sponsors will come on board. The financial impact is much bigger than the dollars and cents from this deal alone.

boban
08-11-2011, 07:32 AM
A 50% increase in the cap would do huge things to improve the quality of play. I wouldn't discount it, at all. Look how much the increases to the cap and the influx of DPs has already improved play since 2007 (if in doubt, look at any old game tape from 2007. You'll be shocked at the difference in play in just 4 years).

Don't forget too, that with increased exposure, more advertisers and sponsors will come on board. The financial impact is much bigger than the dollars and cents from this deal alone.
50% is huge, but it's not double. But come to think of it, going through the numbers, the cap increase would be about 35% in reality.

scooter
08-11-2011, 09:04 AM
big deal for them, doesnt change shit for us.

oh but yes its a big deal
bigger market, more teams,better chance for canadian players to play and develop

kodiakTFC
08-11-2011, 09:20 AM
Should mention to that the 28-30 million USD that MLS gets is only for national TV broadcast rights. Once you add in Canada, regional and yes even international TV deals that your looking closer to 40 million USD. Which is a massive pick up from what some estimate was 15 million only 2 years ago.

**There will be many more games on TSN next season with the inclusion of Montreal. Same amount of TFC games + the one for Montreal though.

menefreghista
08-11-2011, 09:35 AM
I don't think there is very much money being made by the Canadian broadcast deal. Including the local deals. The ratings aren't that great.

Cas87
08-11-2011, 09:57 AM
BREAKING NEWS: MLS on NBC to air at 12:35 AM ET on delay, after Leno.


What ... and pre-empt Late Night? 1:35 AM please ...


and pre-empt last call with carson daly?

And pre-empt Poker After Dark ... after that please #sarcasm

Or, I can see it now "Thank you for watching Saturday Night Live and now stay tuned for MLS soccer, except on the west coast!"

Cas87
08-11-2011, 09:58 AM
**There will be many more games on TSN next season with the inclusion of Montreal. Same amount of TFC games + the one for Montreal though.

Plus TSN gets rights through RDS (if they beat Radio-Canada of course)

I can see maybe sportsnet trying to put in large bids for regional rights in Vancouver and Montreal too

TFC07
08-11-2011, 10:13 AM
I don't think there is very much money being made by the Canadian broadcast deal. Including the local deals. The ratings aren't that great.

Can't the same be said about America as well? Also, doesn't Canada have better ratings (percentage wise) than USA?

TFC07
08-11-2011, 10:14 AM
Plus TSN gets rights through RDS (if they beat Radio-Canada of course)

I can see maybe sportsnet trying to put in large bids for regional rights in Vancouver and Montreal too

Don't forget CBC is going to try to get some games next year as well. CBC and it's french channel will try to get some Montreal games and Toronto games (early afternoon games at least).

Sportsnet/Rogers will try to get TFC games next year which will make sense since Rogers is one of the bigger sponsors of TFC.

menefreghista
08-11-2011, 10:19 AM
Can't the same be said about America as well? Also, doesn't Canada have better ratings (percentage wise) than USA?

I don't know how they managed to get so much money in the US, considering how bad the ratings are. Most likely a content battle.

Even if the percentages are better (which I'm not sure they are), I doubt a Canadian broadcaster would pay the per capita equivalent of what the US broadcasters are paying.

If anything the Canadian deal is similar to the deal the NHL use to have with NBC.

Waggy
08-11-2011, 10:25 AM
I don't know how they managed to get so much money in the US, considering how bad the ratings are. Most likely a content battle.

Even if the percentages are better (which I'm not sure they are), I doubt a Canadian broadcaster would pay the per capita equivalent of what the US broadcasters are paying.

If anything the Canadian deal is similar to the deal the NHL use to have with NBC.

National TFC games from what I know have similar numbers to national Raptors games. I don't know if that's an amazing thing for TFC or an indictment of the Raptors (probably a bit of both). But either way in Canada getting 100k+ to watch a sporting event isn't bad at all. And clearly TSN and Sportsnet knew what the aprox audience was before bidding on the rights. They're banking on interest growing, and advertisers continuing to be interested in backing the sport (the biggest thing). As long as there's still corporate interest in soccer then the MLS will have a good national TV deal here. And the corporate interest doesn't seem to be going anywhere. If anything it seems to be growing. Also where's Carts? Shouldn't he be chiming in on all this?

jaahuuu
08-11-2011, 10:26 AM
exactly now even more people can watch our team embarrass themselves on national TV....but then again NBC is American so the chances of them televising a TFC match are probably pretty low....I would say very low.
I bet you're right.

The 7 largest TV markets in the US all have MLS teams (NY, LA, Chicago, Philly, Dallas/FW, SF/Oak/SJ, Boston). NBC will do everything possible to make sure those teams are featured on the main network.

Detroit_TFC
08-11-2011, 10:31 AM
While MLS ratings have been meh, ratings for world football in general, incl US & Mexican nats, Euro leagues, WC, UCL, etc have been through the roof in the US in terms of % growth. I think that NBC figures it's a fair bet that MLS ratings will improve with the sport's growing popularity.

menefreghista
08-11-2011, 10:31 AM
I bet you're right.

The 7 largest TV markets in the US all have MLS teams (NY, LA, Chicago, Philly, Dallas/FW, SF/Oak/SJ, Boston). NBC will do everything possible to make sure those teams are featured on the main network.

Take a look at the NHL deal with NBC. They show about 5-6 teams exclusively.

Stugatzo
08-11-2011, 10:32 AM
big deal for them, doesnt change shit for us.

Not so.
Previous comments about a more prosperous league and (hopefully) higher profile for the sport can only mean good things.

Also, in the same way a switch from CBC to TSN/GOL resulted in a change in kickoff times, this switch will do likewise for home and away games.
It could mean that in order to fill a broadcast void, some of our games will have different start times.
Not a huge deal, but...

drexel10
08-11-2011, 10:35 AM
I bet you're right.

The 7 largest TV markets in the US all have MLS teams (NY, LA, Chicago, Philly, Dallas/FW, SF/Oak/SJ, Boston). NBC will do everything possible to make sure those teams are featured on the main network.

When they are playing in Seattle, LA or Portland :)

Ossington Mental Youth
08-11-2011, 10:42 AM
oh but yes its a big deal
bigger market, more teams,better chance for canadian players to play and develop


Not so.
Previous comments about a more prosperous league and (hopefully) higher profile for the sport can only mean good things.

Also, in the same way a switch from CBC to TSN/GOL resulted in a change in kickoff times, this switch will do likewise for home and away games.
It could mean that in order to fill a broadcast void, some of our games will have different start times.
Not a huge deal, but...


im talking about tv coverage wise

I think you guys missed this

Carts
08-11-2011, 10:50 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ossington Mental Youth http://redpatchboys.ca/forums/redbar/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://redpatchboys.ca/forums/showthread.php?p=1360383#post1360383)
im talking about tv coverage wise


But we will get more TV coverage...!

We'll see 6 NBC Network, over-the-air, scott-free, matches...

NBC Sports and TSN are partners - you most likely see plenty of the NBC Sports matches picked up and simulcast on TSN2...

Add to those the national MLS games on TSN (TFC, Vancouver), the current Vancouver SportsNet Regional broadcasts that we can see here on digital cable/satelite, the TFC regional on GOL, and the Impact matches that will be added - you will see more matches in this area b/c of this...

TFCRegina
08-11-2011, 10:53 AM
In MLS Terms this is a huge deal. It's great for the league, gives it mainstream exposure, but more importantly puts money in the pockets of the owners. Undoubtedly, the players will be demanding that cold hard cash and undoubtedly, they'll get part of their share.

That means the pay is going up, the economic opportunity in becoming a soccer player in North America is increasing and the game becomes a little more professional in Canada.

Yay.

jaahuuu
08-11-2011, 10:59 AM
Take a look at the NHL deal with NBC. They show about 5-6 teams exclusively.
Yep, and it seemed like Pittsburgh was always one of the teams involved.

Fort York Redcoat
08-11-2011, 11:22 AM
^I'm pretty sure they'll concern themselves with L.A., NY, and possibly Portland for atmo.

Ossington Mental Youth
08-11-2011, 11:23 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ossington Mental Youth http://redpatchboys.ca/forums/redbar/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://redpatchboys.ca/forums/showthread.php?p=1360383#post1360383)
im talking about tv coverage wise


But we will get more TV coverage...!

We'll see 6 NBC Network, over-the-air, scott-free, matches...

NBC Sports and TSN are partners - you most likely see plenty of the NBC Sports matches picked up and simulcast on TSN2...

Add to those the national MLS games on TSN (TFC, Vancouver), the current Vancouver SportsNet Regional broadcasts that we can see here on digital cable/satelite, the TFC regional on GOL, and the Impact matches that will be added - you will see more matches in this area b/c of this...

6 more games is good but not great.
As for the other ones they will be on NBC versus which we dont have in Canada. Potentially they will be picked up by TSN or RSN or Gol or whoever but thats not definite right now. Its a great feat for the US and the league but for Canadian viewers nothing special.

kodiakTFC
08-11-2011, 11:43 AM
Plus TSN gets rights through RDS (if they beat Radio-Canada of course)

I can see maybe sportsnet trying to put in large bids for regional rights in Vancouver and Montreal too

Montreal's regional rights have been purchased by Videotrons new sports station.

Suds
08-22-2011, 12:46 PM
NBC is starting to promote MLS for 2012.

http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?2150-Why-NBC

HZf6Crc78Zo

QSIM
08-22-2011, 01:03 PM
TFC's two clips... a reckless foul committed and a goal surrendered...