David Beckham’s Debut – Most-viewed MLS Telecast on ESPN and ESPN2

The final Nielsen ratings are in for David Beckham's MLS debut on ESPN. The game, broadcast on Saturday July 21 at 9 p.m. ET, was seen in an average of 947,000 television homes by almost 1.5 million viewers. According to Nielsen Media Research, the game was the most-viewed Major League Soccer telecast ever on ESPN or ESPN2. It was also the most-viewed and highest-rated program of the night on ad-supported cable networks among Men 18-49 and 25-54.

According to an ESPN press release:

The match beat the previous most-viewed telecast – DC United vs. San Jose Clash on April, 4, 1996 – seen in 681,000 homes (1.092 million, P2+), based on a 1.0 rating. The DC United vs. San Jose Clash was the first match in the League’s 12-year history.

David Beckham’s MLS debut also beat the most-viewed U.S. Soccer National Team match (excluding FIFA World Cup tournament) on ESPN or ESPN2. Previously, the most-viewed U.S. National Team telecast was seen in 680,000 homes (915,000, P2+) and 0.9 rating for the Oct. 3, 1997, World Cup qualifying match between Jamaica and the U.S. on ESPN.

Overnight Sports Nielsen TV Ratings: 07/16/2007 - 07/22/2007

Overnight Nielsen ratings for selected sporting events. One rating point equals 1% of the USA's 77 million overnight TV homes in Nielsen Media Research's 56 selected major markets. Cable rating converted to broadcast equivalent.

1. 4.1/12 ABC SUN British Open Final round
2. 2.7/8 ABC SAT British Open Third round
3. 2.5/6 FOX SAT MLB Regional action
4. 1.9/5 ABC SUN IRL Honda 200
5. 1.2 ESPN SAT MLS David Beckham Debut
6. 1.1/3 ABC SUN British Open Highlights
7. 1.0/3 ABC SAT British Open Highlights
8. 0.9/2 NBC SAT AVP Bud Light Long Beach Open Women's Final
9. 0.9 NBC SUN AVP Bud Light Long Beach Open Men's Final
10. 0.8/2 NBC SUN AST Dew Tour Right Guard Open
11. 0.8/2 FOX SUN MotoGP Red Bull Grand Prix
12. 0.8/2 CBS SAT NTRA Grand Slam of Grass Virginia Derby
13. 0.7/2 CBS SAT LPGA Tour HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship Third Round
14. 0.7/2 CBS SUN LPGA Tour HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship Final Round
15. 0.6/2 CBS SUN Tour de France Highlights
16. 0.6/2 NBC SAT AST Dew Tour Right Guard Open
17. 0.5/1 CBS SUN American Le Mans Series Acura Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio
    

Despite all of the hype surrounding David Beckham's MLS debut on ESPN, it's interesting to note that it was not the highest rated sporting event of the week. It's not surprising that it was beat by the British Open. However it was also surpassed in the ratings by both a regular season MLB game on FOX, and the IRL Honda 200 on ABC. Yes, those two events were both shown on broadcast networks, rather than cable TV. But the MLS game was heavily hyped, and shown in prime time on the popular ESPN.

Beckham's Overnight Nielsen Ratings on ESPN

David Beckham's MLS debut for the Los Angeles Galaxy earned a 1.2 overnight Nielsen rating on ESPN. The game was broadcast live on Saturday night, July 21. Beckham's first game was the highest rated MLS telecast ever on ESPN.

The Star of David Beckham

When the Los Angeles Galaxy signed David Beckham to a contract reportedly worth $250 million, they did so with the ultimate goal of increasing revenue and establishing a worldwide brand. In a matter of months, the Galaxy are on their way to achieving that goal.

To establish a worldwide brand, the first order of business was to create a new logo that would be instantly recognizable throughout the world, much like the interlocking NY of the New York Yankees. Done.

To increase revenue, the Galaxy has done everything from the obvious (increasing ticket prices) to the creative (signing new sponsors to a series of exhibition games). A big piece of the financial puzzle was selling sponsorship on the front of the team's jersey. Herbalife outbid other potential sponsors, including Citibank, with a $20 five year deal -- better than some MLS stadium-naming-rights. The deal also gave the Galaxy a chance to sell more than 75,000 jerseys to Herbalife product distributors and included a commitment to back other AEG Sports.

It will be very interesting to see if the Galaxy can recoup their investment. The Beckham publicity machine is in full motion, but hype can only get you so far. In two years, when the hype has died down, the Galaxy and MLS may find themselves back in the obscurity from which they started.

from Tripp Mickle of Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal

Alexi Lalas’ family vacation disintegrated last January. What was supposed to be a quiet week away from work in Palm Beach, Fla., turned into a week of nonstop, international phone calls and e-mails

Is it done? Lalas, president of the Los Angeles Galaxy, would ask every few hours.

We’re close, AEG Sports President Shawn Hunter would say. Still no signature.

But late on the night of Jan. 10 that all changed when Lalas got word that David Beckham had signed to play for the Galaxy. He immediately got on his computer to e-mail his staff the good news. After labeling the subject, “The Star of David,” Lalas wrote:

It’s a go. Let’s have some fun.

He hit send and felt a mix of pride and excitement as he thought about the historic significance of the signing. But those feelings quickly faded under the weight of his new responsibility.

The team had just signed the world’s most iconic soccer player to an unprecedented contract reportedly worth $250 million. It was a deal he would have to help make work not just for the Galaxy but also for all of Major League Soccer.

read more...

Odds & Ends: Beckham's Debut

David Beckham's home MLS debut for the Los Angeles Galaxy has generated some interesting betting odds. Intertops.com is currently offering the following odds on Beckham's home opener:

Option: Odds
Tom Cruise to be in the audience: 1.10
To score: 2.20
To be substituted: 2.75
To be booked: 3.50
To score by freekick: 4.00
To score by penalty: 6.00
To be sent off: 15.00
To score a hattrick: 31.00

What are the odds that by January, anyone in the U.S. is going to care?

Odds & Ends: MLB Punishes ESPN and Beckham's First MLS Match

• MLB is punishing ESPN for reporting this year's All Star team selections while TBS was broadcasting their own selection show, for which TBS had acquired the exclsuive rights.
  
  
• David Beckham's first Major League Soccer match will be broadcast on ESPN Saturday, July 21. According to ESPN, the planned coverage of Beckham’s arrival represents ESPN’s most expansive initiative ever for a single U.S. domestic soccer event.