This is another step forward for the league, but is similar to the way European soccer leagues do business. What also makes the deal intriguing for Apple is that MLS has the youngest and most diverse audience compared to the other four major professional North American sports leagues.īesides all regular-season and postseason matches, the package includes all Leagues Cup matches - the competition between MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX - as well as select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches.Īpple will also partner with MLS on presentation of the matches as the league takes over production. The league said it has found in various studies that 83% of MLS fans watch sports on streaming devices or recorded TV in a typical week, much higher than the general average of 52% for all TV viewers. Streaming is already built into soccer fans’ DNA.
Garber is hoping the league can reach a deal with a broadcast partner.Įven with the Apple deal, MLS does have the opportunity to simulcast some games nationally. ESPN has carried games since the league began in 1996 and Fox since 2014. The league’s deals with Fox Sports and ESPN expire at the end of the year. “We can use this deal as rocket fuel as we build towards the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico in 2026 and thinking about what the sport of soccer, what Major League Soccer could look like, in the years beyond.”Ĭurrently, most MLS out-of-market games are streamed on ESPN+, but there are blackout restrictions due to some local rights agreements. “We really couldn’t have found a better partner to embark on this new journey together to capitalize on the momentum that exists in MLS today,” Garber said. Some MLS and Leagues Cup matches will be available at no additional cost to Apple TV+ subscribers, with a limited number of matches also available for free.
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