Joparo
Reserve Player
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2025
- Replies
- 51

Brilliant post, fantastic analysis of their situation and if there's a football competition around the world that has resonance with the A-League then it's probably the MLS.I’ve got an idea.
It comes from the MLS so let’s boo boo boooooooooooooooooo it straight away.
However, the MLS have always relied on crowd revenue over broadcast revenue, and to date it’s working quite well.
Two seasons ago the MLS decided along with their new streaming service partner Apple to have most of their games on Saturday night, making Saturday nights essentially a football night. For catch up games they were all played on Wednesday nights.
The logic was the broadcaster was interested in subscriber numbers not rating per game, and did not need to show over multiple nights. The belief was by having all games on the same night people would be watching often many things at the same time.
To date Apple in particular and the MLS are over the moon with its success.
Consider the Mariners over the last two seasons. The coast is a commuter area with a large proportion of families bringing young kids. Saturday night and NYE are our best slots.
Last season (as champions) we had:
1 NYE game
2 Saturday night games
2 Saturday afternoon games
5 Sunday afternoon games
3 weeknight games
23% of our games were at favourable slots
15% of our games were at ok spots (assuming not blazing sunshine for the eastern stand)
38% of our games were at poor spots
23% of our games were in abysmal slots
This season as treble winners
1 NYE game
1 Saturday night game
3 Saturday afternoon games
3 Sunday afternoon games
1 Sunday night game
4 weeknight games
15% of our games are in favourable slots
23% of our games are in ok spots (assuming not blazing sunshine for the eastern stand)
30% of our games are in poor spots
30% of our games are in abysmal slots.
I fully understand the good time slots need to be shared, meaning a number of teams face this dilemma. Further with the need for 10 to rate, and the old issue with Sydney, Victory and WSW get a disproportionate number of the Saturday night games.
Moving everyone to Saturday night would still allow 10 to broadcast on Saturday nights.
Funny thing is an old school friend of mine emigrated to Canada from the UK about 20 years ago and has been working as a chef in Vancouver. When they got their MLS licence my mate sneered at the competition. He loves Canada and he loves football but wouldn't go near the Whitecaps. Typical Eurosnob! Then after about 5 years someone dragged him along to a game.
All of a sudden he loves the MLS, never misses a 'Caps game and even gets to the odd away game. No mean feat in the MLS!
It can be done!!!
