2013: A LOOK BACK IN SPORTS - PART 4 - SOCCER

Continuing last week's coverage, I take a look this week at Nielsen's data on sports fans in 2013 focusing on the latest findings on soccer.  You can read the full summarized report here: http://bit.ly/1fT9KVa.  I've read through it and here are some of the most interesting facts from the past year:

http://bit.ly/1dQ8CxA

Soccer will take center stage this year when all eyes turn to Brazil for the World Cup in June.  There was a lot of attention and excitement paid to the soccer world in 2013 as a number of big qualifying matches took place.  In the U.S. the most-watched soccer match was the qualifier between the U.S. and Mexico in March, raking in nearly 7 million viewers between the English and Spanish broadcasts. 

Despite the retirement of fan favorite David Beckham, Major League Soccer (MLS) still retained a strong viewership during its playoffs, with a 9% increase over 2012.  The regular MLS season brings in the most Hispanic (34%) viewers, with almost 3 times as many as the next most popular sport (Major League Baseball) among the demographic.  Here’s the latest and greatest on soccer thru a look back on 2013.

http://bit.ly/1gKH7HV

·      MLS viewers are younger and more tech savvy, with their phones as their main source of connectivity

o   52% of MLS fans who have expressed strong interest in attending events or viewing games on TV are under the age of 35, the highest percentage of any pro league

o   76% of MLS fans own a smartphone vs. 66% of U.S. population

o   42% of MLS fans have used mobile video in the last 30 days compared to 21% nationally

·      Top MLS advertiser: Continental Tires

·      Avid MLS fans are 13% more likely than the average U.S. adult to engage in social networking, and 28% are more likely to spend 3 hours or more PER DAY on social networking sites

·      The average MLS viewer is a white male aged 35-54 who makes $40,000-$75,000 annually.  MLS demographics have the most spread out viewership income distribution than any other sport with every income category falling between 17%-24% of the entire audience.

·      The top MLS local fan base, determined by percentage of fans that have attended, watched, or listened to the team in the past 12 months, belongs to the Seattle Sounders with 21% of the population supporting the team.