The most eagerly awaited Major League Soccer (MLS) game of the 2024 season Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami, despite featuring some of the biggest stars in soccer, failed to generate impressive television ratings.
The October 2nd match-up was a clash between two teams vying for the Supporters’ Shield. The game boasted the presence of top-tier coaches Wilfried Nancy and Tata Martino, as well as league superstars Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Cucho Hernandez. Despite an exciting on-field performance that ended in a 3-2 victory for Inter Miami, viewership numbers were far from impressive.
On FS1 only 76,000 people tuned in while FOX Deportes averaged an audience of 81,000. Combined total viewership was just 157,000 according to TV Media Blog.
Comparatively low ratings amidst other games
In stark contrast to these figures are those from recent games involving English clubs. The September 29th match of Ipswich Town vs Aston Villa averaged a whopping 381,000 viewers while Brighton's clash with Nottingham Forest on September 22nd attracted an average audience of around 370,000. Premier League games have been performing particularly well this season on USA Network with an average viewership of about 426k per game - a significant increase by approximately twenty percent compared to figures from as recently as three years ago in 2021.
While these numbers do not include views via MLS Season Pass - Apple TV’s streaming service - there is little clarity regarding subscription numbers for this platform since December last year when it reported having two million subscribers.
Since then however there has been no mention or update regarding subscription statistics even after dropping their free subscription offer through T-Mobile. This lack of transparency is concerning, especially considering the league's move to put all games behind a paywall except for a select few shown on FOX.
The financial implications
The MLS Season Pass agreement with Apple TV includes a minimum guarantee clause which, if met, could significantly increase the media rights revenue generated by the league. As it stands, Apple pays MLS $250 million annually for global rights - approximately $8 million per team.
However, until this minimum guarantee is reached, MLS remains locked in a 10-year deal that runs through 2032 and earns less than what even the bottom two relegated teams from Premier League make in TV revenue.
The disappointing ratings of such an anticipated game featuring world-renowned players like Messi raises questions about what it will take to attract more viewers and meet their subscription goals. With Messi set to remain in the league until late 2025 at least, there are concerns about how these poor ratings might impact future games and overall interest in MLS.
