ESPN2 earned more viewers for a Pacific Northwest MLS showdown than a star-studded, big-market matchup one week earlier.
The May 14 Sounders/Timbers MLS match earned a 0.2 U.S. rating and 328,000 viewers on ESPN2, up 138% from the match in the comparable week last year, which aired on a Thursday night (HOU/RSL: 138K).
The match drew more viewers than the star-studded battle between New York and Los Angeles one week earlier.
The May 7 Red Bulls/Galaxy match drew a 0.2 and 320,000 viewers on ESPN2, up 160% from the match in the comparable week last year, which aired on a Wednesday night (KC/DC: 123K).
The match not only featured the nation’s top two television markets, but also two of the biggest stars in MLS, David Beckham and Thierry Henry.
