How Would You Market the MLS?

Posted by Andy Boyer in Big Businesses, Entrepreneurism, Marketing, Personal, Sports

mls_logo.gifOk, marketers: Here’s your project.

  • A sport with huge appeal to a small niche audience
  • One brand name that is more powerful than the league itself
  • A product that is sub-par in quality in comparisons to similar products in other countries
  • In other countries, history and tradition are built on rivalry and proximity, which your league does not have
  • Established round-the-calendar competition from 5 mega-sports (MLB, NFL, NBA, NCAA FF, NCAA BB) and 5 to 8 mini-sports (NHL, WNBA, Arena, UFC, Golf, Tennis, Boxing, Lacrosse)

Now you see what the MLS is up against.  It’s the equivalent of a European-wide Basketball League trying to compete against soccer in England.

But here’s the thing – For the first time in the 10 or 15 years the MLS has been around, I am actually aware that this is opening weekend.  I actually am somewhat interested in catching a few games.  I am going to be in LA and actually looked to see in the Galaxy or Chivas would be in town.  Why?  Several potential reasons.  Let me know if you can think of others.

  1. jozy.jpgSince Seattle is getting a team next year, i want to learn about the league.
  2. I’m growing tired of the other sports(?)
  3. I’m watching enough English League Soccer, that I recognize more players on more teams, some of whom who played in the MLS.
  4. I’m following the US National team enough, that I want to see them play a few times on their MLS teams.
  5. Fifa 08 for Xbox has consumed enough of my leisure time, that I want to see who these guys really are.

Anyway, the point is that I am fully aware that this sport has HUGE marketing and logistical issues in front of it, but I am slowly coming around.  And really, I’m the sweet spot for their marketing.   A small % of the country would come watch them play in a high school stadium.  And you have a huge percentage of the country that wouldn’t watch if they served free beer and pizza all game long.  But people like me, who spend too much money on the Mariners, who irrationally go to a bar to watch a college basketball game, and don’t think it’s weird to take a charcoal grill out of a pickup truck when there is a restaurant right across the street, we’re the guys the MLS needs.  Sports fans – people who are there for the experience more than the result.  And I’m coming around, even though I know the product will not be as good as one I could see on channel 401.

Anyway, MLS starts up this week.  Take a peek if you get a chance.  And if that doesn’t grab you, start with some EPL and Champions League Games on TV, or even better, at the George and Dragon.