Footiebusiness

Over the last year or so, we have discussed MLS’ efforts to measure the value of its television exposure through various local and national broadcasts.  Through the website criticalmention.com, MLS tries to alert media  to the “value” of its presence on various television programs.  Since a few weeks have passed since we last checked in on this metric, we thought providing a snapshot of this metric of MLS media exposure. Today, the Critical Mention report suggests that MLS related clips reached just over 202,000 television viewers for an estimated publicity value of approximately $10,000.  The number of viewers is especially low this cycle because the measured time period (September 12-14), was pretty limited with respect to the amount of MLS events.  Many measured time periods reach hundreds of thousands of viewers for hundreds of thousands of dollars in values.

The biggest reach for this period was from a broadcast in Denver as part of the local Fox affiliate’s morning news program.  The clip reached more than 30,000 viewers for a total estimated exposure value of just over $4,000.  The piece focused on Drew Moor’s iron man streak and included a preview of the team’s Champions League Game.  Moor was in studio and the lengthy interview was informative and provided great exposure for the team and the Champions League.   A direct link to the broadcast is here.

One other broadcast of note was the evening news for the NBC affiliate in Portland.  The spot reached more than 70.000 viewers and was estimated to have achieved $3,600 in free exposure for the league and team.  The spot focused on the team’s playoff hunt and emphasized the improbability of the expansion franchise reaching the post season.  A link to the clip can be found here.

The Major League Soccer Players’ Union has released the latest batch of player salary numbers.  The numbers are offered both by team and player and show the wide range of salaries in the league.  This latest release is most interesting because it reveals the wages of some of the league’s most recent signings.  Revs “DP” Milton Caraglio is earning just $45k per season while newest Galaxy DP Robbie Keane is earning $3.4 million.  Vancouver’s disappointing DP is earning more than $400k while Adu is making almost $600k. Toronto’s newest DP signings are earning a combined $2.5 million.  The numbers are always illustrative and revealing.  Fans of the business side of the game can easily get lost in the numbers for a while trying to find the biggest busts and bargains in the league.

The Fox family of networks is aggressively pushing its Champions League broadcasts this year with wall to wall  coverage of all of the matches.  Games will be available both on television and online with the most prominent games broadcast live while the rest of the matches will be shown on delay.  The matches will be available for rebroadcast on demand over the internet.

Finally, we recommend this article from The Sporting News about MLS Expansion.  TSN was long a bastion of old world sports media that paid little attention to soccer.  However, with the recent retention of Brian Strauss, TSN has now really upped its coverage of the sport.

The big business story to hit the web today was the possible sale of a minority stake in SUM.  The Sports Business Daily is reporting that Providence Equity Partners is seeking to purchase 25% of SUM for $125-150 million. The deal would certainly infuse cash into the investors and operators of MLS franchises, but whether the funds would be used to improve the standard of play is an open question.  On a per team basis, an investment of $150 million into SUM is significant, but not a game changer for league owners.  The article suggests that the league might use the money on high end players to attract the elusive soccer fans that don’t follow the league.

From SUM’s website, here is how SUM describes its own role.  “SUM holds the exclusive rights to the most important soccer properties in the region, including: all commercial rights to Major League Soccer; the United States Soccer Federation; promotional and marketing rights to Mexican National Team games played in the United States; and the marketing and promotion of the CONCACAF Gold Cup™. Since 2008 SUM oversees a long-term partnership with La Liga’s historic club FC Barcelona, which includes tours of the legendary Spanish club. SUM also manages promotional and marketing rights in the United States for Mexico’s most popular sports team, Club Deportivo Guadalajara (Chivas).”

From our perspective, this seems like a curious move.  MLS has taken great steps over the last few years aimed at growing the game in the United States, while increasing the television and web presence of the league.  Now the league seems to be considering introduction of a purely for profit entity who may have motivations solely based on profits.  While the current league investors/operators don’t shy away from making money, they have devoted significant resources towards advancing soccer in the United States and a new partner may not share that vision.

Big week and weekend of games in MLS, so we’ll start right in with a look at attendance.  Starting with the Monday game, more than 20k were in KC for the Galaxy and Sporting match.  16k came to PPL Park for the thrilling 4-4 draw with the Revs.  The game was rescheduled from a couple of weeks ago when Hurricane Irene blitzed through the Northeast.  On Friday night, the Home Depot Center hosted more than 20k for the Galaxy weekend.

On Saturday, LiveStrong Sporting Park saw its smallest crowd of the year on Saturday night (just under 15k).  Has the saturation point been reached? Another solid crowd in Seattle with just under 36k.  Philly had another solid crowd, with more than 18,500k at PPL Park.  In Columbus, just over 13,500 saw the Crew fall to TFC.  In New England, just under 15,500 saw the rare Revs home win and just under 20k for the Red Bulls home tie against Vancouver.  Chivas USA reported more than 12k at the HDC on Saturday night.  More than 10,500 saw San Jose on Saturday night.

Some other non-attendance related tidbits from the last couple of days.  First kudos, to the multiple MLS local broadcasts that devoted some air time to the life and passing of Bobby Rhine.  Rhine was a figure in American soccer for a long time and it was an outstanding gesture to those teams that offered fans a sense of his accomplishments.  Also, the MatchDay Live feature remains an outstanding offering on MLSSoccer.com.  The opportunity to watch three games, full broadcasts and more in high quality is outstanding and the league deserves credit for making that feature available.

We often discuss Major League Soccer’s various corporate sponsors and the important role they play in funding league operations and cementing the league’s legitimacy in the eyes of the busines community.  We often discuss those sponsors individually, but thought it worthwhile to list all of them here: Adidas, Allstate,  AT&T, American Airlines, Aquafina, Budweiser, Bimbo, Castrol, Continental, Degree, Dick’s, el Jimador, Four Points, Gatorade, Home Depot, Jeld Wen, Makita, Panasonic, Pepsi Max, Red Bull, Visa, VW and X Box 360.

Some of these sponsors function as both jersey sponsors and official league sponsors, while others have a stadium sponsorship and league deal.  Not all jersey sponsors are league sponsors, not all stadium sponsors are league sponsors.  This year, for the first time, MLS teams are free to sell their own local rights in certain sponsorship categories.  SBJ recently reported that a large number of MLS franchises have inked deals with league sponsors Pepsi and Budweiser for local rights, while seven have signed with other brewers and more than a handful have signed deals with Dr. Pepper and Coca-Cola.  According to the article, these deals can run from $75-200k.   In the beer category, it is interesting to note that some teams have looked to local brewers for partnerships and as a way to further promote close ties with local businesses.

After a quiet week in Major League Soccer while the league (mostly) took a break for international qualifiers and friendlies, the league is back with full slate of games for the coming weekend.  As we do every so often, here is a look at some of the promotional efforts of MLS franchises for the coming matches and season ticket sales .  Columbus is promoting its “Ultimate Tailgate Package” for their upcoming matches against TFC and the Galaxy.  The package includes a game ticket and an all-inclusive pre-game buffet with hot dogs, brat, chips, soda and more.  A ticket to the game and pre-game meal goes for $35.

Chivas USA has come up with a creative package to promote 2012 season tickets. The “Can you HIT IT” promotion allows purchasers of 2012 season seats the opportunity to take a single shot (per seat) from the 18 yard line.  If the shot hits the crossbar, the season ticket is free.  The shooter will get the opportunity to take the shot before the team’s Otober 22 game against Seattle.

DC United is continuing its efforts to engage college fans with its ongoing $15 college ticket promotion.  Purchasers of tickets with an .edu e-mail account can take advantage of the deal.  After the match, the college fans can take a free shuttle to a popular bar in the city and receive discounts on food and drink.  Game day purchasers must pay and additional $5 for the package.

This blog covers the soccer media, so we would be remiss if we didn’t note the premature and sad passing of FC Dallas broadcaster Bobby Rhine.  Only 35 years old, Rhine spent more than 10 years with the Dallas organization, as a player, front office memeber and broadcaster.  From the team website:  “It is an extremely sad day in the history of FC Dallas,” said Doug Quinn, President and CEO of FC Dallas. “Bobby was the voice and face of our club and always a very popular figure with our fans. Everyone connected with FC Dallas has been affected by this tragic news and we wish to send our heartfelt condolences to Bobby’s family. We want to take this opportunity to thank Bobby for his tireless work for our club and acknowledge everything he has done to help grow the game of soccer in our community. He will be greatly missed.”

This news is extremely sad and we add our condolences to those offered by the rest of the soccer community.

One business story today, according to the Sports Business Journal, Major League Soccer’s preeminent corporate benefactor is continued to increase its contribution to the league and growing soccer in the United States.  Just a year after increasing their MLS deal by $25 million per year over 8 years, the merchandise giant is now cozying up to MLS’ youth academies.  SBJ reports that Adidas is now outfitting all teams under the MLS development umbrella, sponsoring the Generation U-17 tournament and investing significant resources in the highest levels of American youth soccer.

The arrangement makes sense for Adidas as it will establish relationships with the top youth players at an even earlier age. These players will grow with Adidas products hopefully (from the company’s perspective), becoming stars the are wed to the brand. From the league’s perspective, the Adidas relationship continues to grow and ensures that a dynamic and prominent corporate entity remains a partner with the league for the long term.

Been a few weeks since our last look at stadium building, addition and renovation around Major League Soccer.  We’ll start in Vancouver, where renovations continue at BC Place, with an expected Fall 2011 re-opening.  Until then, the Whitecaps will continue to play their games at Empire Field, a 20k seat venue. The new BC Place will have a retractable roof that can open and close in 20 minutes minutes.  The stadium will also feature movable loge boxes that will bring fans of the Whitecaps directly down to the field level.   The stadium will also have a four sided HD television that will be visible from every seat. Vancouver webcams are here.  The first BC Place game will be Canadian Football and the soccer opener will be versus Portland.

Speaking of Portland, the Timbers have announced that they will add an additional series of seats for their last two home games in 2011.  The new configuration will add 1,200 seats in the Timbers army and additional seats in certain reserved sections.  The additional capacity will allow the team to seat 20,323 for matches against Houston and New England. With more than 3,000 fans on the season ticket waiting list, and a string of sellouts, the new capacity will allow some of the fans who have yet to experience a game at the stadium the opportunity to test drive the live experience.

Finally, Houston continues to march towards a projected stadium opening in 2012.  For a great status on the construction process, click here. For the always popular virtual venue, click here.  The stadium is expected to seat 21k.

Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend and the traditional end of Summer.

Quiet weekend in Major League Soccer with only RSL and Philly meeting in Utah.  A solid crowd of 18,700 attended the 2-1 RSL victory.  Most American fans turned their televisions to the Home Depot Center on Friday night, where the USMNT hosted Costa Rica for an international friendly.  The game was televised on ESPN2, but actually drew about 3,000 less in person than the RSL/ Philly match the following night.  The late night start in Carson (11:20 Eastern), probably cost the broadcast a fair amount of viewers on the East Coast, as the game ran well past 1:00 a.m.

Other news from the end of last week also centers on the the United States Men.  The Nats are close to finalizin a pair of Fall friendlies that will include Honduras in Miami.  Multiple reports had placed a second match (against Ecudaor) in East Hartford (Rentschler Field, home of the UCONN Huskies is an AEG facility), but that game appears destined for a different East Coast location.

One final note as you all have an enjoyable Labor Day holiday.  The Sports Business Journal reported last week that seven MLS venues have bended together to form the Soccer Stadium Alliance in an effort to attract premium entertainers to their venues.  According to SBJ, the venues are: Crew Stadium in Columbus; PPL Park in Chester, Pa.; Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo.; Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City; Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas; Jeld-Wen Field in Portland and BC Place in Vancouver. the teams joined together to hire a promotions firm/booking agent and will count on economies of scale to save money while securing prime attractions to their venues.

The charitable efforts of professional sports leagues and teams are typically overlooked by their fans, yet they are an important component of the community outreach programs in which almost all leagues are involved.  In addition to providing a way to give back to the community, local charitable efforts often provide teams with an outstanding opportunity to connect with fans and potential fans.  The League’s charitable arm partners with a number of recognizable names such as Nothing but Nets and UNICEF and raises money and awareness via a number of fundraising and outreach programs.

MLS W.O.R.K.S. has just announced a new charitable effort called Soccer Kicks Cancer.  According to the official press release, the three-month campaign will highlight efforts being conducted throughout the League by our clubs, players, fans and corporate partners, while promoting the tremendous work of our charitable partners affiliated with the cause. As part of Soccer Kicks Cancer, and during childhood cancer awareness month in September, MLS W.O.R.K.S. and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^® will promote Goals for St. Jude, a program created to introduce MLS fans to the mission of St. Jude, invite them to join the team and encourage the soccer community to support the hospital as they strive to find cures and save children from cancer and other deadly diseases.

Enjoy the long weekend.  It will be a quiet time for MLS with the National team taking center stage on Friday night.