Average audience figures for the 2019 Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season have continued to grow, as sports broadcaster ESPN revealed that figures had grown by two per cent since last year.
According to data from sports intelligence firm Nielsen, ESPN was the most popular channel for MLS matches throughout the 2019 season, with a seven per cent increase in viewing figures since 2018 – averaging out at 246,000 viewers.
462,000 viewers tuned in to watch the Seattle Sounders’ 2-1 win over Atlanta United on 14th July, which was also recorded as the largest viewing audience of the season by ESPN.
The 31-game schedule across ESPN and ESPN 2 recorded an average audience of 246,000 viewers, up from 241,000 last year, while MLS social channels recorded a 38 per cent boost in impressions with over 2.2bn generated.
According to Adweek, the rise in social media interactions has largely been attributed to the rise in video across MLS social media. Compared to last year, video viewing figures have jumped by 132 per cent, with over 777m views across all of its channels in the 2019 campaign.
The figures come ahead of the start of the MLS Playoffs, starting with reigning champions Atlanta United’s game against New England Revolution on 19th October.
