As the world of social media and sports come ever-closer together, Facebook has scored a big deal that allows it to stream live Major League Soccer matches on the platform.
As our midweek Chart shows, such a deal could bring clear benefits to both parties. For the MLS, this agreement will be responding to the viewing behaviors of its audience: a significant 3 in 4 MLS Fans already turn to the web to watch sports coverage or highlights. What’s more, with the vast majority of fans visiting/using Facebook each month (87%), the MLS will face a huge potential audience by streaming on this platform.
In turn, Facebook could attract some of the online sports viewers who aren’t currently Facebookers (10% don’t currently visit/use the platform each month), helping it to grow further in a market where it is reaching its saturation point.