The MLS Playoffs: Business Blogging the ESPN Broadcast

With the first game of the MLS playoffs upon us, we thought we would follow the ESPN2 broadcast of the Seattle/Houston playoff opener.  The game is up against the World Series, NBA Basketball and various NHL games.  Despite the ratings for MLS during the regular season, the playoff game faces series competition. Before we discuss [...]

Soccer Business Bits: MLS TV Ratings Climbing

TV contracts are the financial life blood of professional sports leagues, and MLS is no different.  While the League relies on multiple sources of revenue, the ultimate goal is to generate substantial rights fees from television partners. The amount MLS can earn from those rights fees are largely determined by ratings (and the packaging of [...]

Soccer Business Bits: Stadium News in DC, Playoff Broadcasts and Revs Make a Change

Some quick hits from around American soccer, starting with DC United, where efforts are ongoing to find a permanent home for the team.  We have previously written about efforts to build in various parts of Virginia, DC proper or Maryland.  Now, Steve Goff is reporting that DCU is now in talks with another Virginia municipality [...]

Bringing the Fans to MLS: The Hardcore Fan

The MLS playoffs are upon us.  Traditionally, this has been a time of disappointing attendance in MLS when only the most hard core supporters still come out to support the team.  Because of a lack of group sales, lead time and cold weather, attendance frequently suffers (although this year may prove the exception).  Because of [...]

The Monday After: Attendance Numbers and How The Playoff Clinchers Were Not What MLS Wanted.

The MLS regular season came to a conclusion on Sunday after a weekend of exciting games, miserable weather and varied attendance.  The final “weekend” got started on Thursday night in Chicago where an announced crwod of 17k plus braved monsoon like conditions to see the home team clinch a playoff birth.  Similar weather conditions greeted [...]

Soccer Business Bits: Video Games and MLS Attendance: Fifa ’10 Hits the Shelves

With a relatively quiet day in the world of American Soccer Business and with the much heralded (and promoted) Fifa ’10 hitting stores this week, we thought we would revisit the correlation between video games and soccer attendance. This is something we discussed over the Summer and thought it worth revisiting today as reports are [...]

Promotions! Promotions! Promotions!

As we do every few weeks, we like to take a look around MLS to see what teams are doing to create buzz and increase attendance for the upcoming weekend of games.  With the last regular season matches upon us, now is a good time to take a last look at promotions for 2009. In [...]

Covering the Coverage: The Internet

As part of our ongoing series looking at media coverage of soccer in the United States, we have explored the various mediums covering the game.  In Part I, we took a look at the mainstream media.  To read that article, click  here.  Thereafter, we took a look at sports radio. Subsequently, we took a look [...]

Red Bull Arena: Will it Matter?

We have repeatedly posted about the excitement surrounding Red Bull Arena and all that it could mean for the franchise and MLS.  The stadium is beautiful, is intended to help revitalize Harrison, NJ and will be a showpiece for soccer in the United States.  However, the questions remains; will the new stadium impact Red Bull [...]

The Monday After: Great Attendance and Mass Confusion

An enormous weekend of games in MLS with playoff spots, Champions League entry and the Supporters Shield all up for grabs.  Every game was frought with tension and meaning as teams scrambled for points on the pennultimate weekend of the regular season.  The weekend got started in Toronto where a sell out crowd of more [...]

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