On Tuesday afternoon, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber will be giving his annual State of the League Address, streaming live on MLSsoccer.com. This year’s address will likely focus on the same topics as addresses in recent years: the successes of the past season, future league expansion, and ideas such as conference realignment and a fall-to-spring schedule. But in one of the big events leading up to the 2013 MLS Cup in Kansas City, there is one big issue that soccer fans across North America are hoping gets brought forward: the league’s television contract situation.
MLS’ current U.S. TV contracts with EPSN and NBC are set to expire at the end of the 2014 season. Their Canadian contract with TSN is not due up until 2016. Despite the more important of those two contracts still in effect for another year, the events of the past week may serve as a motivator for the league to get a new deal done quickly.
Anybody who watched the Canadian Football League’s 101st Grey Cup last Sunday should be well-versed on the CFL’s new contract with TSN, which takes effect in 2014. The deal will bring the league over $30 million per season for five years, more than twice the amount their previous contract brought in.
This past Tuesday, the National Hockey League announced that they had come to a 12-year, $5 billion deal with Rogers. The deal smashed the league old record contract, the 10-year, $2 billion contract they signed with NBC back in 2011.
With their respective television deals, the CFL and the NHL now have unprecedented amounts of money at their disposal. MLS needs to make a similar move as soon as possible so that it can afford the same luxury.
MLS was a very different league back in 2007, the year in which the first of its current U.S. television contracts took effect. At that time, MLS was a 13-team league with attendance averages in the mid-16,000’s. David Beckham was entering his first season as a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy. Today, MLS is 19 teams strong, with attendances now averaging in the mid-18,000’s. The Designated Player (aka Beckham) Rule has brought many high-profile talents to North America. The league also has two new teams coming in 2015 in New York City and Orlando, and if recent reports are correct, Beckham and NBA superstar Lebron James will be bringing a third to Miami.
The current American TV deals bring in approximately $38 million for the league. If the CFL (and potentially the NHL as well) was able to double their TV revenue with their new contract, why can’t MLS do the same? Why can’t we shoot for even more?
A new, more lucrative deal will be able to help MLS finance league projects such as new facilities or community outreach initiatives. In addition to this, the salary cap could shoot up, which would improve the on-field product and attract more high-profile talent. Not only this, but everyday players could live more comfortable rather than live off their current low wages. Couple all of this with increased coverage, at better viewing hours and on mainstream networks, and MLS fan base (and other source of income) grows like never before.
All of this might sound overly optimistic. And it might just be. But with the way things around MLS have been looking lately, this optimism seems fitting.
In 2015, Major League Soccer will celebrate its 20th season. I speak for all North American soccer fans when I say that a new TV contract would be a pretty nice early birthday gift.
Thanks for reading! You can follow me on twitter – @MichaelNorton95. Give the site a follow while you’re at it – @LastWordOnSport. Don’t forget to take a quick moment and like our Facebook Page!
Feel free to discuss this and other footy related articles with thousands of fans at r/football.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? Find more info at our “Write for Us” page.
