ESPN/ESPN2’s Audience for 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs Up 36 Percent Year-Over-Year

MLSSoccer

ESPN/ESPN2’s Audience for 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs Up 36 Percent Year-Over-Year

  • Most-watched MLS Cup Playoffs on ESPN Deportes
  • Most-watched MLS Cup Playoffs on ESPN/ESPN2 Since 2012
  • 2019 MLS Cup Presented by Audi: Seattle Sounders vs. Toronto FC (Sunday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. ET) 

ESPN’s audience for the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs is up 36 percent, ahead of the MLS Cup Final on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC. The four single-elimination playoff matches on ESPN and ESPN2 delivered an average audience of 388,000 viewers, up from 286,000 viewers for seven playoff matches on the same networks in 2018, according to Nielsen. It is ESPN’s most-viewed MLS Cup Playoffs since 2012 (392,000 viewers).

 Tuesday night’s MLS Western Conference Final on ESPN, a 3-1 Seattle Sounders road victory over LAFC, averaged 389,000 viewers (P2+) a seven percent increase year-over-year. In 2018, the second leg of the Sporting Kansas City-Portland Timbers Western Conference Final averaged 363,000 viewers.

On ESPN Deportes, LAFC-Seattle Sounders averaged 272,000 viewers, making it the most-watched MLS Conference Final match and the second most-viewed MLS match on the 24-hour Spanish-language sports network. A week ago, the LAFC-LA Galaxy Western Conference semifinal scored the network’s most-watched MLS match ever.

Game-by-Game Audience for 2019 MLS Playoffs on ESPN English-language Networks:

Date Game Network Viewers (P2+)
Sat., Oct 19 Real Salt Lake vs. Portland Timbers ESPNEWS 80,000
Sun, Oct 20 Minnesota United FC vs. LA Galaxy ESPN 329,000
Thu, Oct 24 Atlanta United vs. Philadelphia Union ESPN2 303,000
  LAFC vs. LA Galaxy ESPN2/ESPN 496,000
Tue, Oct 29 LAFC vs. Seattle Sounders ESPN 389,000

***ESPNEWS did not televise a playoff match in 2018

Five live ESPN Deportes playoff matches in 2019 have averaged 174,000 viewers, a 235 percent increase from 52,000 viewers for six matches in 2018. The 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs is also the most-watched MLS postseason series on a Spanish-language cable network on record.

2019 MLS Playoffs on ESPN Deportes:

Date Game Viewers (P2+)
Sat., Oct 19 Real Salt Lake vs. Portland Timbers 23,000
Sun, Oct 20 Minnesota United FC vs. LA Galaxy 86,000
Thu, Oct 24 Atlanta United vs. Philadelphia Union 86,000
  LAFC vs. LA Galaxy 375,000
Tue, Oct 29 LAFC vs. Seattle Sounders 272,000

2019 MLS Cup Presented by Audi:

ESPN coverage of the MLS Cup Playoffs will conclude with ABC’s broadcast of the 2019 MLS Cup Presented by Audi on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 3 p.m. ET.

Date Time (ET) Event/Commentators Networks
Sun, Nov 10 3 p.m. 2019 MLS Cup Presented by Audi

Jon Champion, Taylor Twellman and Sebastian Salazar

Mauricio Pedroza and Herculez Gomez (ESPN International Networks)

ABC

 

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Mac Nwulu

I joined ESPN in 1998 and since then, it's been a great experience managing PR and communications for a range of ESPN initiatives and properties over the years. I am currently focused on soccer and The Undefeated, ESPN’s site focusing on sports, race and urban culture and how they intersect.
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