MLS FINAL SEASON '99 RATINGS COMPARED TO '98 FIGURES

          THE DAILY lists the final season Nielsen TV ratings for
     MLS on its three broadcast partners: ABC, ESPN and ESPN2: 

     NET       YEAR        # OF GAMES   RAT/SHR(HHs)        %+/-  
     ABC       '98           11         0.9/2
               '99            4         0.9/3               Even 

     ESPN      '98           10         0.45/(383,300)      
               '99           11         0.34/(261,400)      -24%
          

     ESPN2     '98           24         0.22/(126,400)
               '99           22         0.27/(174,100)      +23%
          
          HIGHEST RATED GAMES: The highest rated MLS telecast on
     ABC was the July 31 Galaxy-Fire match which earned a 1.0/3. 
     The highest rated MLS telecast on ESPN was the April 25
     Mutiny-MetroStars match which earned a 0.62/(467,000 HHs). 
     The highest rated MLS telecast on ESPN2 was the July 17 MLS
     All-Star Game, which was bumped from ABC due to news
     coverage of the plane crash of John F. Kennedy Jr.  The game
     earned a 0.42/(271,350 HHs) (THE DAILY)....For broadcast
     numbers, one ratings point = 1,008,000 homes.  
          
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