Soccer Stadium in Minneapolis (cancelled)
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
"Barely surviving"? MLS is growing rapidly. The $100 million thing was just typical owner-speak during CBA. Every league says they're losing money (except maybe the NFL).
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
The Mls television ratings are comparable to the wnba and their new "big buck" television contract is puny compared to league payroll. The nfl brings in over $6 billion in television and their payroll is under $4.5 billion. Under the new television deal The MLS will bring in 90 million with a payroll approaching $200 million.
Ticket sale revenue is also pretty lousy. Many lower level level tickets for tomorrow's dc United home opener can be had for less than $25 on stubhub.
Ticket sale revenue is also pretty lousy. Many lower level level tickets for tomorrow's dc United home opener can be had for less than $25 on stubhub.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
You're really comparing apples and oranges here. How was the NFL doing in its 20th year of existence?The Mls television ratings are comparable to the wnba and their new "big buck" television contract is puny compared to league payroll. The nfl brings in over $6 billion in television and their payroll is under $4.5 billion. Under the new television deal The MLS will bring in 90 million with a payroll approaching $200 million.
Ticket sale revenue is also pretty lousy. Many lower level level tickets for tomorrow's dc United home opener can be had for less than $25 on stubhub.
And way to establish that "ticket sale revenue is lousy" by pointing to the lowest priced second-hand ticket available at pretty much the only game of MLS opening weekend that wasn't a sellout. That's some solid analysis.
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
Cable television either didn't exist or was in its infancy when the nfl was in its 20th year. The MLS which, as you noted, has been around for a long time gets horrible television rating. I don't want public money going to a soccer stadium when there is a perfectly good palace being built right now. The prospect of The MLS not existing at some point, which it won't if revenues don't increase substantially, makes me even more skeptical of a soccer stadium.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
There is literally no chance of MLS not being around at some point.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
I’m not sure if I’d say “literally no chance.”
I’m old enough to have attended Kicks games at Met Stadium. At that time we were convinced that major league level soccer had finally arrived. In 1980 the original NASL drew over 5.5 million fans. That’s close to what MLS drew in 2014. But by 1982 the Kicks folded, and by 1984 the whole league folded.
I’m old enough to have attended Kicks games at Met Stadium. At that time we were convinced that major league level soccer had finally arrived. In 1980 the original NASL drew over 5.5 million fans. That’s close to what MLS drew in 2014. But by 1982 the Kicks folded, and by 1984 the whole league folded.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
The NASL demise was generally caused by wealthy teams driving up roster budgets. The teams with weaker financial backing eventually caved when they couldn't keep up. The single entity operator-investor structure allows the league to control expenditures across the league as the revenues improve. MLS investors also operate SUM (Soccer United Marketing) who manages television rights for MLS as well as the national teams. As long as the structure of the league is not fundamentally changed it were persist for the long term.I’m not sure if I’d say “literally no chance.”
I’m old enough to have attended Kicks games at Met Stadium. At that time we were convinced that major league level soccer had finally arrived. In 1980 the original NASL drew over 5.5 million fans. That’s close to what MLS drew in 2014. But by 1982 the Kicks folded, and by 1984 the whole league folded.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
Besides both being soccer leagues, the operations really aren't comparable.
MLS is a hyper-conservative league that has tightly managed finances and a growing stable of ultra-rich owners who have literally "bought in" to the system. Over two decades, this system has produced a league that has real equity. While the TV ratings are concerning, MLS attendance is way up, franchise fees are $70+ million, and billions of dollars have been spent on public-private soccer infrastructure. Further, ESPN, Fox and Univision have signed a contract to pay MLS $720 million to show its games from 2015 to 2022. And this is to say nothing of the league's marketing arm, called SUM, which profits from just about every big game or tournament that takes place in North America.
So even if not all of the teams are technically "profitable," only some catastrophic event could wipe out the league any time soon.
Edit - What Huskygrad said.
MLS is a hyper-conservative league that has tightly managed finances and a growing stable of ultra-rich owners who have literally "bought in" to the system. Over two decades, this system has produced a league that has real equity. While the TV ratings are concerning, MLS attendance is way up, franchise fees are $70+ million, and billions of dollars have been spent on public-private soccer infrastructure. Further, ESPN, Fox and Univision have signed a contract to pay MLS $720 million to show its games from 2015 to 2022. And this is to say nothing of the league's marketing arm, called SUM, which profits from just about every big game or tournament that takes place in North America.
So even if not all of the teams are technically "profitable," only some catastrophic event could wipe out the league any time soon.
Edit - What Huskygrad said.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
Sound like they’ve decided to survive by treading water rather than drown while attempting to swim. But I guess if that keeps them relevant I’m for it. I do hope you guys are right and MLS does continue to grow. We’ve been on the cusp of a soccer revolution for 40 years. The cusp is getting old.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
Soccer has been a major sport in this country for years now. The only metric that is subpar is MLS TV ratings, but even still the league has a TV deal with three major networks.
It's really not been a question of "when" for several years now.
It's really not been a question of "when" for several years now.
- mister.shoes
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Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
Maybe the TV ratings aren't so good because the people who are really interested in the games can *gasp* afford to go? Unlike the NFL/NBA/NHL/MLB situation, where going costs a fortune. Seems like a stretch, but...maybe?
The problem with being an introvert online is that no one knows you're just hanging out and listening.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
Maybe. But aren’t ratings somewhat connected with quality of play? When you tune into an NFL, MLB, NHL or NBA game, you’ll see those sports played at the highest possible level with the best athletes on earth at their respective crafts. Not so with MLS.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
One issue with TV ratings has been the lack of a consistent time slot. This has been rectified this year with a double header on Sundays with a game on ESPN and a game on Fox Sports 1. Also, they also now have a time slot on Unimas on Fridays that offers both commentary in Spanish and English. As a result opening weekend resulted in television ratings better than any game last year on ESPN except for the MLS All-star game.Maybe. But aren’t ratings somewhat connected with quality of play? When you tune into an NFL, MLB, NHL or NBA game, you’ll see those sports played at the highest possible level with the best athletes on earth at their respective crafts. Not so with MLS.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
Some of it might be cost, but an MLB game (especially the Twins) can be cheap...I went last year and someone from Target Field game my entire group free tickets.Maybe the TV ratings aren't so good because the people who are really interested in the games can *gasp* afford to go? Unlike the NFL/NBA/NHL/MLB situation, where going costs a fortune. Seems like a stretch, but...maybe?
I imagine no small part of it is (at least from what I can tell) the region nature of soccer at the moment. Unlike an NFL team, where fans might be concentrated in a certain area, but sprinkled throughout the country, I'm guessing most of the fans of MLS are currently heavily concentrated in their team's metro and most of them are fairly die-hard. So why tune in when you can go sit outside on a lovely day and watch the game in person? The price is icing on the cake.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
What is the implication here, though? Having mediocre TV ratings doesn't indicate that the league is on the verge of collapse. Again, all indications are that the league is healthy and growing.Maybe. But aren’t ratings somewhat connected with quality of play? When you tune into an NFL, MLB, NHL or NBA game, you’ll see those sports played at the highest possible level with the best athletes on earth at their respective crafts. Not so with MLS.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
I wasn’t implying anything. I was just replying to mister shoes.
Re: Major League Soccer in Minnesota
Sorry if I've been lumping you into VAStationDude's take.
Ultimately, there's really no question that MLS is a stable and growing league, which VAStationDude was trying to refute.
Of course, the league is a fraction as popular or profitable as the NFL, but being smaller than the NFL (or even the NBA or MLB) doesn't indicate that the league is an unhealthy investment.
Ultimately, there's really no question that MLS is a stable and growing league, which VAStationDude was trying to refute.
Of course, the league is a fraction as popular or profitable as the NFL, but being smaller than the NFL (or even the NBA or MLB) doesn't indicate that the league is an unhealthy investment.
Re: Farmers Market Soccer Stadium
According to this article, land purchase options have been secured. http://northernpitch.com/_/minnesota-so ... um-bid-r51
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Re: Farmers Market Soccer Stadium
Very exciting! I wonder which buildings would need to be torn down if this did become a reality.
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