ESPN Dumps "MLS Thursday"

[Nuvinho]

ESPN Dumps "MLS Thursday"

From SportsBusiness Journal (http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/61231).....

"After two years of anemic ratings that started low and finished lower, ESPN executives decided to cancel the league's regular Thursday night telecast on ESPN2 this season. In its place, ESPN2 will carry an MLS game of the week, which will air on four different nights during the season. The weekly matches will occur on Thursdays (10 times), Saturdays (eight times), Wednesdays (six times) and Fridays (three times)."

This could help Toronto FC, as we don't have to sit out in the freezing cold on those early May nights. It probably means more weekend games for us.

[canadian_bhoy]

I loved the Thursday night matches. The one against NYRB last year was amazing.

[Pigfynn]

More week night matches I say. Night games are awesome.

[canadian_bhoy]

More week night matches I say. Night games are awesome.

Except the next day at work. Ouch - Headaches are bad

[Wagner]

I kind of liked having a showcase game.
and under the lights can be fun.
but nothing beats a saturday afternoon game, with tailgate, etc...

also, i wonder if this revelation has anything to do with the delay in getting the schedule out.

[Hitcho]

I loved the Thursday night matches. The one against NYRB last year was amazing.

Agreed. Big fan of the mid week games, love 'em.

On top of that, how is a major network dropping coverage of the sport good in any way, shape or form?! :noidea:

[Keyman]

Major League Soccer is on the rise!:rolleyes:

[RPB_RED_NATION_RPB]

More week night matches I say. Night games are awesome.


the majority of MLS teams play there games at night..even on weekends....why not us!!!?

Im sure the players love playing in those +30 mid afternoon sorchers!

[Lucky Strike]

So...basically they're just saying that the one game per week they broadcast won't necessarily be on Thursdays? Alright.

[flatpicker]

...how is a major network dropping coverage of the sport good in any way, shape or form?! :noidea:


“(The change) works well for all parties,” said MLS spokesman Dan Courtemanche. “It provides better matchups for ESPN and provides flexibility for our clubs to put these games on nights that have more people in attendance.”

“We feel (that with more flexibility) we can provide a much larger crowd and a much more festive atmosphere for the viewer,” Courtemanche said. “That should translate to better ratings.”

[Detroit_TFC]

It was not just that the ratings were low, they started low and then went lower. Some people tuned in, said "feh" and switched off. I'd say that HDnet did a better job of promoting their games than ESPN did, now there will be even less as ESPN will promote specific chosen "hot" games rather than a promote a MLS time slot.

[Carts]

This is not bad news, and as the article says its better for the league...

The MLS is not strong enough to carry its own night (like Monday Night Football). The schedule will allow for the best matchup at the time to be broadcast, and to schedule lead-in programmig that will help the audience, not hurt it...

Carts...

[Hitcho]

Didn't realise they were just abandoning a fixed night for coverage, I thought they were dropping their coverage and televised games completely (that's what you get for reading in a rush at work).

In that case yeah, a bit more flexibility won't hurt and like someone said MLS is not big enough to claim its own day of the week (yet).

I just hope they show some of the TFC away games that would otherwise be on Bold or some other channel I don't get!

[C.Ronaldo]

MORE WEEKNIGHT MATCHES..........the atmosphere

[Jay P]

i agree with more night/weekday matches

games under the lights are fantastic

and that would mean i would never miss a game :D

[rocker]

i think moving the games around is probably a good thing for attracting fans because you have a greater chance of being noticed. I mean, not everyone is gonna sit down and watch MLS every thursday. Ya, "Monday night football" (the shitty football) is an institution because it was branded as a single day, but the NFL could have branded "Wednesday Night Football" or "Tuesday Night Football" and it would have succeeded cuz Americans just love the sport already. So the strategy to emulate that is kinda stretching a bit. It's not being on 1 night in the schedule that attracts audiences all by itself.

The fans who really give a crap about MLS will seek out the schedules and watch it whenever it's on. The newbies now will have 4 different nights of the week on that channel when they might come into contact with MLS.

[Beach_Red]

Ya, "Monday night football" (the shitty football) is an institution because it was branded as a single day, but the NFL could have branded "Wednesday Night Football" or "Tuesday Night Football" and it would have succeeded. So the strategy to emulate that is kinda stretching a bit.


Actually, when the NFL started Monday Night Football it was a long way from the success it is now. The league itself bought the air time from the crappiest network, ABC, and ran it at a loss until it started to catch on. It was sort of an infomercial of its day.

But things are very different now, and you're right, it just wouldn't work for MLS. I can see the idea of trying to have a night known as "the soccer night," and it might happen someday but not now.

Though, why not Monday Night Soccer through the summer when there's no NFL? There's also the theory that MNF really caught on because of the number of people in football pools tuning in to see if they won.

We need an MLS pool on here.

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

This could help Toronto FC, as we don't have to sit out in the freezing cold on those early May nights. It probably means more weekend games for us.


more weekend day matches would be great...get rid of the nighttime games.:drinking:

[AL-MO]

more weekend day matches would be great...get rid of the nighttime games.:drinking:

Because that is what everyone wants! More games in the summer during the hottest part of the day!

:rolleyes:

[rocker]

as long as the games are after 3:30pm I'm happy. After 3:30 I get shade at my seats on the lower west side as the sun falls behind the west stand :)

[twistedchinaman]

More later afternoon weekend games! I don't want have to freakin' get up at the crack of dawn out West to watch the bloody games -- besides, the TV is usually taken until at least 11 by the resident Man U supporter in my house. :)

[MUFC_Niagara]

Major League Soccer is on the rise!:rolleyes:

LOL...so true.

[Toronto_Bhoy]

Night games have a certain magic to them…

[FluSH]

This is not bad news, and as the article says its better for the league...

The MLS is not strong enough to carry its own night (like Monday Night Football). The schedule will allow for the best matchup at the time to be broadcast, and to schedule lead-in programmig that will help the audience, not hurt it...

Carts...


I hope you're right... I can't see how losing a prime night on TV... not matter how bad of a game play it would be, can benefit the MLS.

[MUFC_Niagara]

It's amazing that with all the people who tune into watch other leagues, people won't watch MLS. It's like don't like the league. I mean the championship on Setanta gets better ratings than the MLS and they are apparently on the same level. It's like MLS is having trouble appealling to actual fans of football.

[ilikemusic]

This could help Toronto FC, as we don't have to sit out in the freezing cold on those early May nights. It probably means more weekend games for us.

You take that back!

Thursday night games in the cold and rain are THE BEST!!!!

[twistedchinaman]

You take that back!

Thursday night games in the cold and rain are THE BEST!!!!


I sure as hell hope you're kidding. :D

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

since espn is not on Canadian tv...it wont matter here....but MLS need to look at a better broadcast partner, maybe a MLS channel , that would host league, superliga,Concacaf champions league, MLS intl friendlies etc.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

i never knew this show existed

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

Because that is what everyone wants! More games in the summer during the hottest part of the day!

:rolleyes:


thats the point....a nice warm day out....and im sure BMO would sell more beverages....are you watchjing this TFC!!!

[nfitz]

Night games have a certain magic to them…In August perhaps - though hopefully we'll have a season full of Champions League games on weeknights next season.

[twistedchinaman]

since espn is not on Canadian tv...it wont matter here....but MLS need to look at a better broadcast partner, maybe a MLS channel , that would host league, superliga,Concacaf champions league, MLS intl friendlies etc.

I think this is evidence enough that ESPN has clearly lost it.

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Bring on someone else -- or its own network. Seriously.

And YES it would be hilarious watching this dork shotgun a Carlsberg when our boys take Phil north of the border.

[Oldtimer]

I can't see how, no matter what the spin, how this can be anything but bad (except for those of us in the stands).

[s2cazz]

It's amazing that with all the people who tune into watch other leagues, people won't watch MLS. It's like don't like the league. I mean the championship on Setanta gets better ratings than the MLS and they are apparently on the same level. It's like MLS is having trouble appealling to actual fans of football.
It's because it's american... lets face it... no one likes the americans lol

[s2cazz]

I think this is evidence enough that ESPN has clearly lost it.



And YES it would be hilarious watching this dork shotgun a Carlsberg when our boys take Phil north of the border.
He's a Knob Goblin...I can't stand him...