I think the USL number is a great number, and don't read as much into the MLS number. I'm a cord cutter, and have several streaming services, which happens to work out great for soccer. My primary focus is Bham Legion, USL in general, Bundesliga (Stuttgart mostly, but not only), and Everton. In that setup, ESPN+ is great. I get the vast majority of my soccer that way.
Legion also has always had a linear deal with the local CW affiliate, which I get on antenna. Sometimes that signal isn't awesome, and I'll back to ESPN+. But we go to most home games, so that's mostly a factor for away games. We do get live network channels thru Hulu+, so we'll take that route for Legion and USL games that are on CBS. And so far, I've found it more convenient to get to Galazo via Pluto than it is using Paramount+.
All of that being said, it's very encouraging to see people tuning in for the CBS game. The difference here, vs MLS, is that people watching USL have to go to CBS to watch that game. It was a great match-up, which brings people out of ESPN+ to watch (because it's not on both). For MLS, would that game be on Fox and Apple season pass both? I ask because I don't have season pass, and won't. But if I did, and the game was offered both ways, I probably wouldn't see a reason to watch on linear. I only do that with Legion games because the linear away games use the Legion broadcast team, and the ESPN+ feed uses the feed from the home team (the other guys).
The takeaway from reading your comments that "choice is good"! Have a range of perspectives and streams to choose from will help boost the popularity and access to USL soccer. The greed and intransigence of the MLS opened up this opportunity for the Legion and all other comparable non-MLS teams.
Not sure what to make of this, it is good that the USL has a good number of viewers. Since most MLS viewers watch games via Apple TV the comparison is fairly meaningless.
I am sure those that are not fans of the MLS will use the numbers to hit the MLS.
It would be best to see the USL numbers as positive.
Apple TV as a walled garden. And which leads to greater divides, e.g. leading to greater inequities. As Kartik describes, Apple TV excludes local communities and harms local programming. Small town USA is so neglected, that USL very beneficially fills in that void.
I think the USL number is a great number, and don't read as much into the MLS number. I'm a cord cutter, and have several streaming services, which happens to work out great for soccer. My primary focus is Bham Legion, USL in general, Bundesliga (Stuttgart mostly, but not only), and Everton. In that setup, ESPN+ is great. I get the vast majority of my soccer that way.
Legion also has always had a linear deal with the local CW affiliate, which I get on antenna. Sometimes that signal isn't awesome, and I'll back to ESPN+. But we go to most home games, so that's mostly a factor for away games. We do get live network channels thru Hulu+, so we'll take that route for Legion and USL games that are on CBS. And so far, I've found it more convenient to get to Galazo via Pluto than it is using Paramount+.
All of that being said, it's very encouraging to see people tuning in for the CBS game. The difference here, vs MLS, is that people watching USL have to go to CBS to watch that game. It was a great match-up, which brings people out of ESPN+ to watch (because it's not on both). For MLS, would that game be on Fox and Apple season pass both? I ask because I don't have season pass, and won't. But if I did, and the game was offered both ways, I probably wouldn't see a reason to watch on linear. I only do that with Legion games because the linear away games use the Legion broadcast team, and the ESPN+ feed uses the feed from the home team (the other guys).
The takeaway from reading your comments that "choice is good"! Have a range of perspectives and streams to choose from will help boost the popularity and access to USL soccer. The greed and intransigence of the MLS opened up this opportunity for the Legion and all other comparable non-MLS teams.
Not sure what to make of this, it is good that the USL has a good number of viewers. Since most MLS viewers watch games via Apple TV the comparison is fairly meaningless.
I am sure those that are not fans of the MLS will use the numbers to hit the MLS.
It would be best to see the USL numbers as positive.
Apple TV as a walled garden. And which leads to greater divides, e.g. leading to greater inequities. As Kartik describes, Apple TV excludes local communities and harms local programming. Small town USA is so neglected, that USL very beneficially fills in that void.