2022 MLS Season Viewership on ABC and ESPN Networks Up 16 Percent
Best regular season MLS audience on Disney Media Networks since 2007
The 34 Major League Soccer regular season matches televised on ABC and ESPN networks in 2022 delivered an average audience of 343,000 viewers (P2+). According to Nielsen, the league’s 2022 season average across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes is up 16 percent from last year among P2+ (295,000).
The 2022 regular season audience is the best season of MLS on ABC and ESPN networks since 2007, which averaged 357,000 viewers.
MLS on ABC and ESPN networks was also up year-over-year in several young male and female demos, including in M2-11 (34 Percent), M12-17 (23 percent), and F2-11 (22 percent). The increases in young demos combined to place the median age for the 2022 MLS on ABC and ESPN networks audience at 47 – which is comparatively lower than many events on television. The key demos of P18-49 and M18-49 were equally up four percent, respectively.
Top-Five Matches in 2022:
| Date | Match | Viewers (Networks) |
| July 30 | Minnesota United vs. Portland Timbers | 593,000 (ABC, ESPN Deportes) |
| August 6 | Atlanta United vs. Seattle Sounders | 591,000 (ABC, ESPN Deportes) |
| June 18 | Seattle Sounders vs. LAFC | 584,000 (ABC, ESPN Deportes) |
| June 11 | Charlotte FC vs. New York Red Bulls | 568,000 (ABC, ESPN Deportes) |
| June 26 | LAFC vs. New York Red Bulls | 511,000 (ABC, ESPN Deportes) |
ABC and ESPN Present Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs
ESPN’s Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs begins Sunday, Oct. 16, with an ABC-ESPN doubleheader: Austin FC vs. Real Salt Lake at 3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN Deportes, followed by CF Montréal vs. Orlando City SC at 8 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
ABC and ESPN will televise five MLS Cup Playoff games. Two matches will be on ABC, including the Western Conference Final on Sunday, Oct. 30, and three on ESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise all five games in Spanish.
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