And that's the thing right? You knew you could find a game on one of those days but it was at different times. And it was maddening. How many times have you looked at ESPN at 5pm on a Saturday and said to yourself, I wouldn't have watched that Timbers game if I knew it was at 2pm. Or tuned in at 4pm on a Saturday and realized it was 4pm on Sunday. It always varied based on what the network wanted. And the network wanted what its biggest customer wanted. Back in 2007 when the league was days away from folding and owned mostly by NFL owners, they didn't mind MLS. It was a way to fill up unused stadiums and excess broadcasting inventory. One NFL owner even attempted to merger his NFL team with his MLS team so he could take the MLS losses off his NFL earned taxes. Things are different now that those guys have sold multi billion dollar shares in the league to non NFL guys.
You know that the NFL will always be on Sundays at noon, 3pm and 7:20, Mondays at 7pm and some Thursdays at 7:20.
MLS wanted the same thing. They see that as a key to growth. Destination viewing for all those kids you are talking about.
But to do that, you have to directly compete with the NFL part of the year. And the networks are unwilling to allow that for what ever reason. And the revolving door of network execs, league officials, soccer marketing people, and the NFL allows the NFL to stay on top and call the shots.
Im not worried about your concern that kids wont be watching it on Apple TV. There's more soccer on TV than anywhere else in the world. Kids will find it. Kids not watching soccer isn't what is holding the sport back in America today. Its that nearly none of them play it as a way to escape poverty.