It's been a record-smashing season for league champions Atlanta United in every sense, and that includes television ratings.
According to Nielsen media research, Saturday's MLS Cup broadcast by FOX drew a 1.2 metered market rating, the highest number for the game since 1998. Atlanta defeated the Portland Timbers 2-0, hoisting their first Philip F. Anschutz trophy in only their second season.
The game drew approximately 1.56 million viewers on FOX, making it the most-watched MLS Cup since 1997. Viewership peaked at around 2.07 million.
MLS Cup ratings this year were up impressively from a year ago, rising 71 percent from Toronto FC's win over the Seattle Sounders at BMO Field in the 2017 MLS Cup final.
Naturally, Atlanta (11.5) and Portland (7.3) were the top two markets watching the 2018 edition of the game, followed by Milwaukee (2.2), West Palm Beach (1.9) and Austin (1.5).
