Apple Signs 10 Year Exclusive Deal For All MLS Games On Apple TV+

Summary

Apple has secured a 10-year exclusive deal to stream all Major League Soccer (MLS) games, including Leagues Cup and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches, on Apple TV+ starting from early 2023.

Abstract

Apple Inc. has expanded its sports streaming portfolio by signing a decade-long partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS), allowing fans to access every MLS match globally without regional blackouts through Apple TV+. This comprehensive agreement, set to commence in early 2023, also covers the Leagues Cup and select games from MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT. The service will feature a weekly live match highlights show and original programming, offering an in-depth look at players and clubs. While some matches will be available for free to Apple TV+ subscribers, others will require an additional subscription specifically for MLS content. The financial details of the deal, reportedly worth $2.5 billion, suggest a strategic move by Apple to capitalize on the growing popularity of soccer in the U.S., particularly in view of the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Opinions

The move by Apple to secure exclusive streaming rights for MLS is seen as a significant step to enhance its sports content offerings and compete with traditional TV sports bundles.
The deal reflects Apple's commitment to providing a diverse range of content on its streaming platform, catering to a global audience without geographic restrictions, which is a novel approach in sports streaming.
The inclusion of multilingual commentary (English, Spanish, and French) indicates an effort to cater to a diverse fanbase and enhance the viewing experience for non-English speakers.
The integration of enhanced coverage within the Apple News app, with a dedicated sports section, suggests a cross-platform strategy to engage fans beyond the Apple TV+ interface.
The timing of the deal, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is perceived as strategic, aiming to leverage the anticipated surge in interest in soccer to boost Apple TV+ subscriptions.
The lack of clarity on the pricing structure for the MLS add-on subscription has left some fans curious about the cost implications of accessing all MLS games exclusively through Apple TV+.

Apple Signs 10 Year Exclusive Deal For All MLS Games On Apple TV+

Apple & MLS

After the launch of Friday Night Baseball which got off to a rocky start and rumours of a streaming rights deal for the NFL Sunday Ticket, Apple have announced their latest expansion into sports with the MLS.

Apple and Major League Soccer (MLS) have recently announced from early 2023 through ten years to 2032, that football fans can stream every MLS match, as well as Leagues Cup, and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches exclusively on Apple TV+. This will work without any local broadcast blackouts or the need to pay for traditional TV sports bundles. This means you can watch MLS on Apple TV+ on any device that has the Apple TV app wherever you are in the world, with no geographic restrictions, a first for sports streaming.

Also, as part of the service, there will be a new weekly live match highlights and commentary show featuring game replays, highlights, analysis and other original programming. Apple have also commented in a press release that this will show behind the scenes of players and clubs that fans have grown to love.

A selection of games including popular matchups will be available to stream for free on Apple TV+ at no additional cost to subscribers, but the service will require an add on subscription for the MLS. It is not currently clear what the pricing structure will be like. The MLS streaming service will be included as part of MLS full-season ticket packages.

When the service launches, all MLS and League cup matches will have announcers in English and Spanish. Any match that features a Canadian team will have commentary in French as well. There will be an enhanced coverage for fans in the Apple News app, something recently announced at WWDC as an upgrade to the News app which will now have a dedicated sports section.

As the US, Canada, and Mexico prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this new addition to Apple’s streaming service may prove to be a lucrative plan to bolster subscriber numbers to their streaming service as the sport and league continues to grow in the USA. According to multiple people familiar with the agreement, the deal is reportedly worth $2.5 billion.