Ratings update for last week's game vs Columbus on TSN main network is in.
97,000
By comparison, the Whitecaps vs Timbers game on TSN main network on Sunday drew 109,000.
Make your own judgements accordingly.
https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh...193344933.html
And two Canadian MLS games had less viewers than NBA playoffs, MLB (including two american teams playing against each other), Golf and NASCAR. This is bigger concern when there's more Canadians watching two American teams in NBA playoff game than MLS games featuring Canadian teams.Originally Posted by Pookie
Last edited by TFC07; 06-03-2014 at 06:42 PM.
there is still a massive audience for soccer in toronto. the problem is that the vast majority don't believe in the MLS yet - it is that conversion/snobbery that once dented will change the numbers in a big way i think. i have co-workers, friends, acquaintances that pass judgement on MLS quality without ever watching a whole match, let alone attending.
sort of like Canadian/Niagara wine....it used to be crap...started to get better...continues to improve, now gets awards around the globe...but.....
This is true. Problem isn't sport, but the league itself. Quality and presenation is still in minor league level despite having some high profile players in the league.
Don't doubt it for a second. As captivating as this team has been for all of us, MLS is not a bloody big deal… it's considered minor league in the Ontario sports market.
The big question I have about these ratings is whether it will necessitate a change in direction for our club away from the big name signings.
Ontario has 3x the population of BC. TFC spends nearly 3x more than Vancouver. Yet they draw the same to television. Both teams claim sell outs for home games. Similar twitter followers given market sizes (78k for Toronto, 63k for Vancouver). Etc, etc.
If someone brings a calculator to a Board meeting, the return on investment this year is a hard thing to justify.
These signings were more about on-field needs than anything else. If we were to sign to make a big splash in this market, then I highly doubt Gilberto and possibly Bradley would be signed here.
Going to every TFC game this season, there's definitely a lot more people in the stands than last year. So I wouldn't be surprised if TFC is telling the truth regarding attendance. Also, TL claims TFC increased their sponsorship deals by couple of million. So on paper, revenue has increased and I am going assume this year's TV ratings are better than last few years. So TFC is slowly heading right direction, but there's a lot more things they can do to improve their product/brand though.
As for Vancouver, this is only second time they beat us in TV ratings front so I don't think you can give them that much credit. Also their club value isn't that great (based on Forbes) compare to TFC despite being losing team since day one. As an investor, I would rather invest into TFC than Whitecaps despite their "huge" following social media and similar TV numbers.
so we can't beat nascar? oh man…
The issue isn't so much who is winning in the Vancouver vs TFC popularity contest. It's that they have a population base that is less than 3x that of Ontario, spend much less and generate more interest per capita.
That said, we are talking about peanuts vs walnuts in terms of the TV landscape. CFL will draw 6x that number.
Still. If the signings were approved on the backs of increased popularity of the team, the Vancouver model shows that you can draw the same amount of fans to the stadium and to the TV at a spend that is about 1/3 of what it currently is.
I'm actually ok with it. As it would mean that the team would have to develop solid football players to compete vs opening a wallet and would have no excuse to jack up prices. All this "Toronto fans deserve big names" stuff is malarky as far as I'm concerned. Just build a solid organization, that's what we deserve.
Vanocouver having higher ratings on the road vs TFC at home. 22k people attended TFC live, a few hundered drove to Portland. Cascadia Cup is also a way bigger deal then the Trilium Cup. Vancouver doesnt play Portland and Seattle every week. Show me the ratings for a Vancouver home game against Columbus or equivilant (SJ, Dallas ect ect). That wont be close to 100k.
97000 on a warm Saturday still some improvement cann be needed but we are still drawing more viewers thant Sun tv. THATS WHAT THEY GET IF YOU ADD UP THE WHOLE WEEK .
Our style is not that great to watch I attended the last game v Columbus and to be honest for the first 75 minutes the game was pretty ugly, Mind you it picked up after that big time. I still think we are a team in Transition. But I agree with MikeM that 4 4 2 kick and run British style it is garbage Has not won the Brits anything in almost 50 yhears.
At the end of the day it comes down to quality, and when the quality is their so will the numbers... I'll be watching and they will make 3 or 4 pass then someone will pass it directly to the opposing player...I have to get up sometimes and walk around for a second it can be hard to watch at times. I find the Vancouver games more pleasurable to watch... Now I watch no matter what... but the average fan wouldn't. It takes times as long as it's on a steady incline from year to year rather then game to game is the importance in all of this. I bet the home opener next year will be 350 k.
Ratings will come, most people see me in TFC gear and say stuff like 'they're better this year aren't they? "
A couple of playoff runs are needed.
Baseball has over 150 years of professional tradition in NA, hardly a benchmark for an 18 year old league.
Well, Vancouver has only been on TSN main network a couple times this year.
Eg. April 19 v LA they drew 122,000 while TFC drew 101,000 on the same day vs Colorado.
Last edited by Pookie; 06-04-2014 at 07:57 AM.
MLS does not do well with ratings in general. In the defence of people who don't watch: if I hadn't gone to BMO field, I'd have little interest in this team too. There just isn't the depth of coverage / quality of play needed to draw interest. It's getting better on all fronts, but certainly not there yet.
We need to add these numbers to compare to CFL, NBA playoffs, NASCAR, because they are local broadcasts for TFC and Vancouver. So a steady 200,000 - 225,000 or so, plus whatever montreal would get, seems to be the base for MLS viewing in Canada right now.
Why would it? I would be very, very surprised if they assumed that numbers would turn around overnight on the back of two signings. I would also be surprised if an organization like MLSE (which, for all their faults on the field are well run off it) would justify such a massive outlay without a longer term projection. And TV numbers are also only part of the financial picture. There are sponsorships, merchandise sales, off season friendlies (part of TL's MO), cell phone contracts to drive, ect, ect.
IMHO - the DP signings where done to triage a team on life support. TFC at the end of last season was in serious trouble IMHO. If they had gone through the off-season without making much of a splash, do you think we would have seen strong season ticket sales? Do you think we would have see close to packed stadiums? I certainly don't. After several years of BMO being a depressing, dull place, there is a buzz back around that hasn't been there in years.
And on the field - we are in 5th, in a playoff spot, with the 5th best PPG in the league. The other, seriously added benefit so far is that the team seems to finally have belief in itself. For years this team has been beaten before it walked on the pitch. With the way things are going so far, that psychological turnaround is a massive, massive thing.
Yes, the DP's are pretty much carrying us (without Defoe scoring we would be basement dwellers), but to that, on all accounts I would have to say - short term objectives with the DP signings accomplished.
Now, where we go from here is the question. DP's only carry the team for so long, and need a solid team behind them. TFC of the past would keep hoping that the DP's would be enough. I see signs of hope today that this is not longer the case (like Bez stockpiling draft picks).
The real payoff is if and when the manage to put the other pieces in place and turn this team into a competitive team.
Another point about comparing ratings of stuff like Nascar to TFC. TFC's audience is by and large a younger demographic. This demographic is turning away from cable in record numbers and moving to online.
While it is impossible to get numbers, I would be curious what TFC's total viewership is on those games - factoring in those that stream the games. I bet those numbers are a lot higher.
Game times are part of the problem.
I wonder if they took the Saturday night hockey slot - 7:30pm start time - if ratings would improve.
More people would be home at that time. Families are finished dinner and are settling in for the evening. Other people are starting to get ready to go out and could have it on as they motor around the house getting ready.
TFC still is a developing tv product, it will take time to truly get traction on an ongoing basis.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
good point on the streaming
Still think all MLS should be streamed free to build up demand
I've thought about that as well; a "Soccer Night In Canada" type of broadcast whereby viewers would always know when to tune in. It could become a tradition in many homes.
The current format with a varying afternoon broadcast schedule combined with the beautiful weather does not lend itself to strong television ratings under the best of circumstances.
So does the team that is owned by the networks set the schedule or do the networks?
Keep in mind that if TFC played evening games in March-April-May and into June they would be going right up against the end of the NHL season and into the NHL playoffs.
Last edited by Pookie; 06-04-2014 at 01:55 PM.
It's an interesting marketing question. Does TFC in fact attract a younger demographic?
If social media is a barometer consider the Jays have over 6x the number of twitter followers.
I think the Saturday evening time slot would work well from May to September.
Good question. In the past what I have heard from numerous sources is that the main demo for TFC is males aged 20-35. Can't remember sources though.
That said, it would not surprise me if the jays were 6x more popular than TFC
MLS types are steeped in the NFL/MLB model, where content is always paid for.
Rogers and Bell are even more adamant about this principle.
I wonder if we will see this shift though - since a shift to streaming simply drives revenue from one avenue to another. I think we will. The whole world (not just sports) is moving online, they control the backbone - so they can monetize it there.
Rogers in particular has been driven by content as an asset since the 70's. Its the backbone of every CRTC discussion they have and decision they make in terms of broadcasting. (Negative option billing for example).
To change this would require a corporate mentality pivot I'm not sure they are capable of.
Forget weather / online streaming / broadcast schedules. There is no consistent track record of canadian MLS games at the 200k+ ratings level.
We've drawn well on one off novelty games and otherwise have always been a ratings doormat. Most MLS teams are in exactly the same boat.
It's all about how to get people to pay attention at this point. IMO that means better / more consistent coverage / more predictable game times ( eg. nfl) . They also need to work on the quality of play and officiating.
Separately, they'll have to start marketing their athletes more and get their faces into the public eye. Dempsey and the other USMNT guys are a huge step in that direction. But a lot of this stuff is a product of a league that has a very strong memory of the leans years and wants to reinvent the wheel in terms of getting A+ prices for C+ product.
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