MLS teams in the country's top three markets are providing an as good or better game-day experience than competing teams from the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA, according to the inaugural Fan Experience Study from J.D. Power. The study measures customer satisfaction of major pro sports teams in several of the country’s biggest markets. In June, J.D. Power asked more than 5,700 fans who had attended an NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA and/or MLS game in the past 12 months to rate their game-day experience. A fan was defined as season-ticket holders, single-game ticket buyers, secondary-market ticket buyers and friends as well as relatives who did not buy a ticket but attended with someone who did. These are the seven factors measured, ranked in order of what fans said was most important to them -- seating area and game experience; security and ushers; leaving the game; arriving at the game; food and beverage; ticket purchase; and souvenirs and merchandise. Satisfaction was measured on a 1,000-point scale.
: The Red Bulls sit atop the N.Y. media market rankings, scoring the highest in the market for security and ushers, seating area and game experience, ticket purchase, food and beverage and leaving the game. In the L.A. market, the Ducks rank highest, topping other area clubs in souvenirs and merchandise, seating area and game experience, security and ushers and arrival at the game. The Fire are the highest-ranking Windy City franchise, netting top results in the souvenirs and merch category, security and ushers, ticket purchase, food and beverage and departing the stadium.
NOTE: NYC FC and the Rams will be part of the rankings in the '17 study.
