Boston, Providence Top Improved TV Ratings for MLS Cup Final 2014

The New England Revolution might have lost in the 2014 MLS Cup to the Los Angeles Galaxy, but the fan support was impressive, both inside the Stub Hub Center and at home.

While the ratings for the MLS Cup this year were up from the dismal 2013 final, the overall rating for the 2014 final was just a 0.6 overnight rating, not surprising going up against the NFL on a Sunday. That said, it was the best viewership the big game has seen since 1997.

But most importantly, New England boasted three of the top ten local markets, including the top two.

Top 10 MLS Cup local viewership markets, 1 to 10: Boston, Providence, L.A., SLC, Birmingham, Tulsa, New Orleans, Houston, Hartford/New Haven

— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) December 9, 2014

Would you look at that, Boston and Providence both had more TV viewers than Los Angeles and even Connecticut sneaked into the top ten with Hartford/New Haven combining for the final spot in the top ten. Other MLS markets Salt Lake City and Houston were mixed in with Brimingham, a usually strong United States international market for television viewers, Tulsa and New Orleans.

The ratings in Boston also peaked at a high number as well:

MLS Cup spiked a 3.17 rating in Boston. Not bad. Not bad at all. #FiveTeamTown

— Dan Dickinson (@GothamistDan) December 10, 2014

Maybe this soccer thing is catching on after all, well done New Englanders.