2014 TFC TV ratings

[Initial B]

I didn't say purposefully, I said absolutely. As in they absolutely did everything wrong from day one, were told they were doing it wrong, ignored the advice and have lost millions of dollars as a consequence.

So they're the TFC of NASL then.

Still, I'm not sold on your previous point that a $5 million Salary Cap is enough. The casual fan in North America knows that MLS is top-flight soccer here, and your own admission that fans only want to see the best soccer. If it's not MLS, the perception will be that it's not the best no matter how much money they throw at it and they'll stay away. The risks to investors are simply too great to go all out like that. I think it would be better for the CSA to hitch their wagon to the NASL and build teams at that salary level that is sustainable.

Besides, I thought this was supposed to be a development league for Canadian talent and none of it is worth enough to stock an entire team and pay them at $100K a pop. There are better players from South America that would fill up all those spots at that price point and the whole exercise will be meaningless.

[jloome]

So they're the TFC of NASL then.

Still, I'm not sold on your previous point that a $5 million Salary Cap is enough. The casual fan in North America knows that MLS is top-flight soccer here, and your own admission that fans only want to see the best soccer. If it's not MLS, the perception will be that it's not the best...

It would be quite public that the league was outspending MLS, and double the current MLS cap, while eminently affordable compared to most pro sports, would look a heck of a lot better on both the field and television. I don't think MLS would win that argument for long. I think, if anything, any Canadian teams left in MLS would be battling to compete for eyes.

We're a patriotic country, but people won't take second best. Put a better Canadian league out there... and MLS would be second-best.

[jloome]

"Just." Has any Canadian industry ever shown that kind of foresight and invested a shitload of money? Only if 1) the government actually puts up most of the money and 2) the entire Canadian market is protected for them from foreign competition.

But I do agree with you, if some investors actually put a Canadian league together I also think it could really work. I think MLS is vulnerable to competition - no one outside the supporters of the Canadian teams watch it on TV and no one watches games between two American teams at all. This market is really under served.

And maybe someday the Canadian league could merge with MLS (the way every other US league now is the result of a merger) and there would be enough teams for the promotion/relegation people want for some anachronistic reason.

LOL, not anachronistic, John, exciting. At a top tier level, it's the only thing a Norwich, or QPR, or Wolves fan will ever worry about, whether they go down.

Imagine having parity AND meaningful late season games for teams at the bottom of the table. Suddenly, there are reasons for everyone to watch. That helps when your late season is the start of several other pro sports' seasons.

[Heepster]

No World Cup bump for MLS.

That would be a little like expecting archery or luge to get a TV ratings bump after the Olympics.

[brad]

It would be quite public that the league was outspending MLS, and double the current MLS cap, while eminently affordable compared to most pro sports, would look a heck of a lot better on both the field and television. I don't think MLS would win that argument for long. I think, if anything, any Canadian teams left in MLS would be battling to compete for eyes.

We're a patriotic country, but people won't take second best. Put a better Canadian league out there... and MLS would be second-best.

One problem here. The MLS currently has the market cornered on football at this level in North America. The NASL is not a threat to their demographic. As such, they can set the cap to whatever they want. If an upstart comes in and upstages them and provides a risk, they may just one up them by bumping the cap even higher.

No idea if they would have the means or desire to do so, but certainly seems plausible.

[brad]

I do think there is a lot of potential to increase viewership and attendances without becoming a top league. There will always be Eurosnobs that will scoff anything that is not at Barca or Real Madrid levels, but there is also suspect there is a large untapped market of people that would tune in to a better quality product. I've long said that brining up the low end of the talent pool is more important that bringing up the top for the overall quality of the game. I know a lot of folks that have been turned off the MLS as a result. It's not because they aren't watching world class superstars, it's because they are often watching something that is a fundamentally bad product.

[Heepster]

TV ratings are great -- for estimating numbers of viewers who are over 50 years old.
I assume it's probably a similar situation in Canada, perhaps explaining the alleged popularity of certain sports.

Washington Post - "TV is increasingly for old people"

... Audiences for the major broadcast network shows are much older and aging even faster, with a median age of 53.9 years old ...
CBS has the oldest audience with a median viewer of 58.7 years old.

[Pookie]

^ if you follow demographics that's not surprising. Baby boomers are in their 50s now and there is a lot more of them.

Boom, bust and echo generations... Pretty straightforward.

[Heepster]

^ if you follow demographics that's not surprising. Baby boomers are in their 50s now and there is a lot more of them...

Maybe, but TV advertisers like younger viewers, who are increasing not watching the traditional TV channels.
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