MLS touts significant viewership growth in Year 3 with Apple

"In Year 3 of its 10-year pact with Apple, MLS has finally begun to release little morsels of viewership data. Earlier this year, MLS commissioner Don Garber revealed during a press conference at the league's All-Star Game that MLS matches on Apple TV were averaging 120,000 viewers. Of course, as with any viewership figure released based off of internal metrics rather than an accredited audience measurement firm like Nielsen, that number came with its fair share of ambiguity."

"That 3.7 million figure represents the "global aggregate viewers for a full slate of weekend games." In other words, across all platforms, the average combined audience for a weekend slate of MLS games (typically 12-15 matches), is 3.7 million viewers. The league says this represents a 29% year-over-year increase. Of course, it is impossible to compare this type of viewership figure with those released from other leagues."

"Of course, it is impossible to compare this type of viewership figure with those released from other leagues. For one, it's a global number that includes linear viewership in international markets. Second, the league is (at least in-part) using internal data that isn't audited by a third-party. And third, this figure is also likely to include non-traditional platforms like those watching through EA FC Mobile in-game simulcasts."

MLS provided viewership figures in Year 3 of its 10-year Apple pact, revealing Apple TV averages of 120,000 viewers and citing a 50% year-over-year increase. The league reported an average of 3.7 million gross live match viewers per week across streaming and linear platforms, describing that as the global aggregate audience for a full slate of weekend games (typically 12–15 matches) and citing a 29% year-over-year increase. The figures combine global linear and streaming audiences, rely in part on internal, non–third-party-audited data, and likely include non‑traditional viewing such as EA FC Mobile in-game simulcasts. Comparisons with other leagues are therefore problematic.

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