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MLS signs 10 year streaming deal with Apple

Posted on 6/14/22 at 11:33 am
Posted by Girth Donor
Member since Apr 2011
3721 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 11:33 am
MLS Deal

quote:

Apple and Major League Soccer (MLS) today announced that the Apple TV app will be the exclusive destination to watch every single live MLS match beginning in 2023. This partnership is a historic first for a major professional sports league, and will allow fans around the world to watch all MLS, Leagues Cup,1 and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches in one place — without any local broadcast blackouts or the need for a traditional pay TV bundle.


ETA:

Paul Tenorio
@PaulTenorio
·
6m
Details on MLS' 10-year, $2.5 billion deal w/ Apple with
@samstejskal
:

??Apple will show every match
??Deals still likely w/ ESPN, Univision
??No more local broadcasts
??Don't need Apple TV+ to watch
??Apple, ESPN may rotate MLS Cup

This post was edited on 6/14/22 at 5:32 pm
Posted by StraightCashHomey21
Aberdeen,NC
Member since Jul 2009
125388 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 11:37 am to
What a let down

Apple TV is extremely meh

ESPN+ was the move
Posted by etm512
Mandeville, LA
Member since Aug 2005
20740 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 11:38 am to
So the entire league is now behind a paywall? frick that
Posted by StraightCashHomey21
Aberdeen,NC
Member since Jul 2009
125388 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 11:40 am to
No they are apparently working deals with Fox and others

But a majority of matches are on Apple TV now
Posted by PhillyTiger90
Member since Dec 2015
10666 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 11:49 am to
quote:

every single live MLS match beginning in 2023


Just in time for Messi to make his MLS debut in Miami
Posted by lionward2014
New Orleans
Member since Jul 2015
11700 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 11:56 am to
This is such an utterly stupid move that it makes complete sense MLS is doing it. Why leave ESPN+?

Apple TV has about 25m subscribers in the US and ESPN+ has 22.3m. The big difference is that the 22.3m people with ESPN+ care about sports enough to pay extra for it, that is not the reason someone subscribes to Apple TV.

Just completely going to frick up any growth they have seen.
Posted by StraightCashHomey21
Aberdeen,NC
Member since Jul 2009
125388 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 12:04 pm to
They probably tried to strong arm the major providers thinking the product was worth more than it actually was and got laughed at off the table

This move reeks of desperation. Apple TV does a couple mlb games a week and it’s a disaster
Posted by BCLA
Bossier City
Member since Mar 2005
8055 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 12:11 pm to
It's worth 250 million a year. I doubt it was hard for MLS to say no. And they're still gonna get new deals for linear TV too.

For the record, I hate this as ESPN+ was a better destination as previous mentioned, but theyre gonna get paid when all is said and done.
Posted by j1897
Member since Nov 2011
3558 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 12:32 pm to
quote:

ESPN+ was the move



Blackouts, it's really not the move, it's shite.
Posted by StraightCashHomey21
Aberdeen,NC
Member since Jul 2009
125388 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 12:35 pm to
quote:

It's worth 250 million a year.


All i saw was some dude from SI saying it could potentially earn that

Where have you seen that as a firm number

quote:

but theyre gonna get paid when all is said and done.


Long term effects if no one is watching will be big

It already struggles for viewers

But MLS is desperate for cash
This post was edited on 6/14/22 at 12:37 pm
Posted by rtiger
NWLA
Member since Oct 2005
389 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 12:39 pm to
And with ESPN+ I got several other soccer leagues included. I'm not going to pay for Apple+ just for MLS. ESPN+ has it's issues but putting a sport that is finally getting some growth on a random platform that has no sports is just stupid but typical of MLS.
Posted by Mr Personality
Bangkok
Member since Mar 2014
27364 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 12:43 pm to
Katie Nolan to call MLS games
Posted by WinnPtiger
Fort Worth
Member since Mar 2011
23862 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 12:54 pm to
I'm not paying for more shite. adios MLS


quote:

Katie Nolan to call MLS games



ok I'm back in
This post was edited on 6/14/22 at 12:55 pm
Posted by lionward2014
New Orleans
Member since Jul 2015
11700 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 1:09 pm to
quote:

And with ESPN+ I got several other soccer leagues included. I'm not going to pay for Apple+ just for MLS. ESPN+ has it's issues but putting a sport that is finally getting some growth on a random platform that has no sports is just stupid but typical of MLS.



Exactly. I use ESPN+ for many other things so not unsubscribing, but will just find streams of MLS games now in lieu of paying for Apple TV.

The ESPN+ blackout issue doesn't really matter to me, as living in NOLA no games are blacked out.
Posted by StraightCashHomey21
Aberdeen,NC
Member since Jul 2009
125388 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 1:15 pm to
I had Apple TV when I got it free for two years

Nothing on there was really worth watching

So I’m not going to subscribe to just watch DC United
Posted by BCLA
Bossier City
Member since Mar 2005
8055 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 2:51 pm to
quote:

All i saw was some dude from SI saying it could potentially earn that

Where have you seen that as a firm number


Pretty much every news article about it says it's a minimum (not potentially) of 250 a year. But we knew you'd shite all over it anyway because you previously said no one was going to pay for MLS rights this year
Posted by pjk481
Member since Sep 2011
535 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 2:53 pm to
Per Sports Business Journal, it is a a MINIMUM GUARANTEE of 250 million per year, with upside potential. Meaning, MLS will get a percentage of all subs world wide as well that will/could take it over 250 million per year.

They can also sell the linear rights to ESPN/Fox/Univision for the US and even to other countries. It would just not be exclusive, meaning Apple would get to simulcast those games on its streaming service with no blackouts.

Also means no blackouts AT ALL anywhere. If you subscribe, you get every single game no matter if its only on Apple or if its simulcast on ESPN/Fox/Univision.

Also, interesting wrinkle, all season ticket holders will get the subscription to Apple TV free


SBJ
This post was edited on 6/14/22 at 2:56 pm
Posted by StraightCashHomey21
Aberdeen,NC
Member since Jul 2009
125388 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 3:10 pm to
It’s a risky move with an unproven platform to go all in

The big boys were not gonna pay that but you can’t blame MLS for taking it bc they need the money desperately

But if no one watches they still got their injection of cash still isn’t enough of a tv deal that was needed to get the league operating in the black.

Even the NFL took a slow roll approach with Amazon prime before going in big time with them. The EPL sat back before letting Amazon show matches.

Apple TV hasn’t proven it can provide sports so it’s going to be interesting
This post was edited on 6/14/22 at 3:15 pm
Posted by oauron
Birmingham, AL
Member since Sep 2011
14509 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 3:22 pm to
quote:

It’s a risky move with an unproven platform to go all in


While I understand your sentiment, this is a far better outcome than what I was expecting. I imagine it's part of their big push for soccer content with Ted Lasso S3 and World Cup later this year.

I already pay for Apple TV, so this is a big W for me.
Posted by StraightCashHomey21
Aberdeen,NC
Member since Jul 2009
125388 posts
Posted on 6/14/22 at 3:28 pm to
quote:

While I understand your sentiment, this is a far better outcome than what I was expecting. I imagine it's part of their big push for soccer content with Ted Lasso S3 and World Cup later this year.


What did you expect

MLS already had a really good thing with ESPN+
quote:

I already pay for Apple TV, so this is a big W for me


Tons of people don’t and probably won’t subscribe just to watch MLS
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