MLS Cup Final Wraps Up League's Previous Media Agreements

Yesterday’s MLS Cup marked the last televised event for the league under terms of its expiring media deals. Its new deals, signed in May, take effect next year. Per the terms of those new contracts, Fox and ESPN will alternate rights on a year-by-year basis for MLS Cup and the MLS All-Star Game. In the first year of the deal, ESPN will carry MLS Cup, while Fox will get the All-Star Game. Univision will provide Spanish-language coverage of both games. Dates for the events have not been finalized.

Meanwhile, this year’s MLS Cup final had a modest improvement in its average rating despite its move to Sunday, putting it up against the NFL. The game scored a 0.6 rating compared to a 0.5 mark for last year’s final, which was held on a Saturday.

