Record-Setting Postseason Caps off 2014 MLS Campaign

December 10, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release

NEW YORK (December 10, 2014) - Major League Soccer set new records for postseason television viewership, attendance, digital audience and social media engagement as the League concluded its 19th season on Sunday, Dec. 7 with the LA Galaxy defeating the New England Revolution 2-1 at MLS Cup 2014.

With fans tuning in from home and across digital platforms, 2 million viewers in the United States watched MLS Cup, an increase of 93 percent over MLS Cup 2013, according to Nielsen research. An audience of 964,000 watched the league's 19th championship match on ESPN, while 678,000 viewed on UniMás and 245,000 tuned in to Univision Deportes Network (UDN). In addition, 89,000 unique viewers watched MLS Cup on WatchESPN, accumulating 4.3 million live minutes viewed. MLS Cup 2014 set an all-time record for Spanish-language viewers, as 923,000 soccer fans watched the game on UniMás and on UDN.

MLS CUP 2014 TV VIEWERSHIP

Network Viewers Note

ESPN 964,000 Increase of 91% over MLS Cup 2013

UniMás 678,000 Increase of 31% over MLS Cup 2013

UDN 245,000 Most viewed MLS match in UDN history

WatchESPN 89,000 Increase of 83% over MLS Cup 2013

Soccer fans in Los Angeles and Boston tuned into MLS Cup in significant numbers, as the match generated a 3.17 household rating in Boston and a 1.66 household rating in Los Angeles. In addition, 172 countries, an all-time record, viewed MLS Cup on ESPN International and other networks throughout the world. MLS Cup also was broadcast live on SiriusXM and ESPN Deportes Radio.

ATTENDANCE RECORDS SET

In addition to strong television viewership, soccer fans supported their clubs during the 2014 postseason in record numbers, as an all-time high of 23,633 fans per game attended the MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup. The 2014 MLS regular season also set a new attendance record, averaging 19,147 fans per game during the League's 19th season.

ALL-TIME HIGH: MLS POSTSEASON DIGITAL AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

The 2014 MLS postseason also featured record digital metrics, building upon a digital audience from the regular season that had doubled over the previous year. During the MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup, the League's website, MLSsoccer.com, set a record for digital audience, up 25 percent over 2013, and video consumption, up 100 percent over last year's postseason. The postseason also saw a record of more than 226 million social media impressions across the League's content on Twitter, Facebook, Vine, Snapchat and Instagram.

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Major League Soccer Stories from December 10, 2014

• Bobby Burling Joins Colorado Rapids Via MLS Waiver Draft - Colorado Rapids
• Earthquakes Select Leandro Barrera in Waiver Draft - San Jose Earthquakes
• Mansaray Called into U-18 U.S. National Team Camp in Spain - Seattle Sounders FC
• Chicago Fire Acquire Right of First Refusal for Defender Eric Gehrig - Chicago Fire FC
• Timbers Academy Midfielder Adrian Villegas Named to U.S. Under-15 National Team Training Camp Roster - Portland Timbers
• Orlando City Trades Eric Gehrig to Chicago Fire for 2016 MLS SuperDraft Pick - Orlando City SC
• Real Salt Lake Brings Jamison Olave Back from the New York Red Bulls - Real Salt Lake
• Orlando City Sc Selects Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts No. 1 Overall - Portland Timbers
• New York Red Bulls Trade Defender Jamison Olave to Real Salt Lake - New York Red Bulls
• Lovitz Re-Acquired from New York City FC - Toronto FC
• Houston Dynamo Forward Mark Sherrod Selected by Orlando City SC in MLS Expansion Draft - Houston Dynamo FC
• Record-Setting Postseason Caps off 2014 MLS Campaign - MLS
• Swanson Called-Up for U.S. U-18 MNT Camp in Spain - Columbus Crew SC
• Impact Selects Nigel Reo-Coker in MLS Waiver Draft - Club de Foot Montreal
• Revolution Lose Two Players in MLS Expansion Draft - New England Revolution
• Chicago Fire Academy Players Named to United States Under-18 Men's National Team Training Camp Roste - Chicago Fire FC
• Two Crew SC Players Selected by Orlando City SC in the 2015 MLS Expansion Draft - Columbus Crew SC
• MLS Veterans and Promising Talents Make up the 20 Players Chosen in the 2014 Expansion Draft - MLS
• Michael Harrington 'Excited About the Fresh Start' with Colorado Rapids - Colorado Rapids
• Cascio and Mwanga Head to Orlando City SC - Colorado Rapids
• The 'Who, What, Where and How?' of the Various MLS Drafts - Colorado Rapids
• Pedro Ribeiro Selected by Orlando City SC in Expansion Draft - Philadelphia Union
• StubHub Center to Host U.S. Men's National Team match against Panama February 8 - LA Galaxy
• MLS Cup 2014 delivers second-highest viewership for league championship in MLS history - New England Revolution
• Orlando City Strengthens Roster Through MLS Expansion Draft - Orlando City SC
• Forward Rob Friend Retires from Professional Soccer - LA Galaxy
• LA Galaxy Begin Postseason Tour in Peru and Ecuador - LA Galaxy
• Béland-Goyette, Gagnon-Laparé and Joly Invited to Canada U20 Camp - Club de Foot Montreal
• Revolution Academy Teams Update: December 10, 2014 - New England Revolution
• Earthquakes Sign GK David Bingham to New Contract - San Jose Earthquakes
• Follow the 2015 Expansion Draft Live from 12pm MT - Colorado Rapids

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