That these are worldwide rights is also interesting, that almost never happens for sports deals because there's usually more money to be had chopping up broadcast rights and selling them per country.
Apple and MLS to present all MLS matches for 10 years, beginning in 2023
41–50 of 192 posts
Re: Apple and MLS to present all MLS matches for 10 years, beginning in 2023
#42"From early 2023 through 2032, fans can get every live MLS match by subscribing to a new MLS streaming service, available exclusively through the Apple TV app." So the only way to watch MLS games is by subscribing to the MLS streaming service? Am I reading this right? What do I get for my subscription during the off-season? How do you attract new MLS fans?
ESPN had a more in depth article outlining the deal:
Speaking to Sports Illustrated on Tuesday, MLS commissioner Don Garber emphasized that the commitment isn’t a traditional broadcast arrangement, wherein a league exchanges the rights to its games and content for a negotiated rate. Rather, MLS and Apple have entered a partnership where each is incentivized to grow the business. Garber declined to reveal the economics (MLS reportedly was seeking up to $300 million annually), but he said the league will receive a base fee along with a percentage of subscription sales. Sports Business Journal reported that Apple’s guarantee to MLS will be $250 million per year. MLS and Apple will create a production studio, hire presenters and English-, Spanish- and French-speaking announcers, develop shoulder programming and produce a live whip-around show on Saturday nights.
This might answer your question:
Although the days of club-specific, regional broadcasts will end following the 2022 season, linear networks like ESPN, Fox or Univision are still in frame to negotiate a broadcast deal. Those games will be simulcast, however, by Apple. Local blackouts also will become a relic from the past.
More details:
— The dedicated digital platform will allow MLS to schedule matches at more regular and predictable times. Garber said there are 60 different start times across the 2022 season. From next year, MLS will schedule as many games as possible on Saturday nights, with occasional mid-week games on Wednesdays.
— Standard broadcast windows will include a 30-minute pregame show and postgame content. Club radio feeds will be available in addition to league broadcasters.
— MLS full-season ticket holders will receive a complementary subscription, and select games will be available to Apple TV+ subscribers at no additional cost.
— Content will be available on the Apple TV app on all Apple devices; Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sony, TCL, VIZIO, and other smart TVs; Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices; PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles; Chromecast with Google TV; Comcast Xfinity and on tv.apple.com.
— All broadcasts will be in 1080p.
https://www.si.com/soccer/2022/06/14/mls-apple-partner-broad...
Re: Apple and MLS to present all MLS matches for 10 years, beginning in 2023
#43This is probably one of the best decision by any TV provider. MLS is going to blow up in the coming years. There is a lot of talk about US national team being very competitive in 2026 World Cup. MLS has produced stars already, like Alphonso Davies. Once the hype gets higher and more money start being spent on soccer in the US, it will become a power house.
U.S. Soccer is a joke : that goes for international and MLS. Top U.S. club is ranked 122 in the world : https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/glob... U.S. got beat by some central american club and did not qualify for world cup last time. MLS is a rigged league. Purported local "ownership" is a ruse. MLS management decides who wins championship. Real U.S. soccer fans follow top European leagues and UEAFA champions league.
Re: Apple and MLS to present all MLS matches for 10 years, beginning in 2023
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
As I understand it, blackouts primarily exist to ensure local ticket sales for full stadiums. "In most cases, the blackout results when a sports league prohibits an event from being televised locally if the event did not sell out all its tickets." https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/sports-blackouts#:~:tex... .)
So I think we're referring to different blackouts. I believe OP was complaining that streaming services such as NBA league pass never show your local team. If you want to watch your team you need a cable subscription. That's different than your local TV station not showing the game because it didn't sell out.
Correct: I was complaining about the rules that prevent streaming and force you to watch the game on live TV. Has nothing to do with ticket sales.
Re: Apple and MLS to present all MLS matches for 10 years, beginning in 2023
#45Steve Jobs was a visionary product guy but he’s no match for Tim Cook when it comes to being the CEO of a big company. Tim Apple is just built different.
"The same thing can happen in technology companies that get monopolies."
"The people that can make the company more successful are sales and marketing people, and they end up running the companies. And the product people get driven out of the decision making forums, and the companies forget what it means to make great products. The product sensibility and the product genius that brought them to that monopolistic position gets rotted out."
Re: Apple and MLS to present all MLS matches for 10 years, beginning in 2023
#46I hope this is broadcasted in 4K. In the USA at least, there's virtually no 4K sports broadcasts of any kind (including Apple/MLB is only 1080p).
I am 100% sure Apple sees owning these rights and the Apple TV+ content factory in general as, in part, a way to fuel the demand for more sophisticated media consumption and production technologies through their devices.
Unless they decide to can the whole effort, it’s now obvious that the sports experience via Apple TV+ is going to be part of the VR headset story.
Re: Apple and MLS to present all MLS matches for 10 years, beginning in 2023
#47I know people are often sceptical about Apple, but here is yet another example of them doing something that makes me go "hmm yes that's better than everyone else". They're still not back to their Jobs days in terms of uniqueness and innovation, but I am glad that Apple and their race-to-the-top philosophy exists in this market
Unfortunately I fail to see how buying broadcasting rights could be classed as "uniqueness and innovation"... would you care to elaborate?
worldwide broadcasting rights
Re: Apple and MLS to present all MLS matches for 10 years, beginning in 2023
#48This is probably one of the best decision by any TV provider. MLS is going to blow up in the coming years. There is a lot of talk about US national team being very competitive in 2026 World Cup. MLS has produced stars already, like Alphonso Davies. Once the hype gets higher and more money start being spent on soccer in the US, it will become a power house.
U.S. Soccer is a joke : that goes for international and MLS. Top U.S. club is ranked 122 in the world : https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/glob... U.S. got beat by some central american club and did not qualify for world cup last time. MLS is a rigged league. Purported local "ownership" is a ruse. MLS management decides who wins championship. Real U.S. soccer fans follow top European leagues and…
What the heck happened to Man U in those rankings? Did they fall precipitously in the last few years or what
Re: Apple and MLS to present all MLS matches for 10 years, beginning in 2023
#49I know people are often sceptical about Apple, but here is yet another example of them doing something that makes me go "hmm yes that's better than everyone else". They're still not back to their Jobs days in terms of uniqueness and innovation, but I am glad that Apple and their race-to-the-top philosophy exists in this market
Unfortunately I fail to see how buying broadcasting rights could be classed as "uniqueness and innovation"... would you care to elaborate?
It's hard to guess, but based on this press release guessing is all that we can do, so..
The UI for sports is currently terrible, by and large. The best you can do - despite the fact that everyone has a computer attached to and/or in their TV these days - is stream a linear broadcast channel. With this deal, Apple can show you a dashboard of all the games currently playing so you can pick a close and/or intresting one. You could choose a different audio channel - say, crowd noise only or a mic attempting to pick up what a manager is shouting at their players. Picture and picture if a goal is scored in another game. Probably way more than all of this.
From this POV, buying content is merely the price of admission to using technology to completely change and improve the sports viewing experience. Like I said, I'm just guessing at what Apple is thinking, but it stands to reason they have some technology angle on this if they feel like they are the right people to mount an attempt at improving this experience.
Re: Apple and MLS to present all MLS matches for 10 years, beginning in 2023
#50Would be great to put "Major League Soccer" in the headline here. MLS also stands for many things.
Thank you, I was wondering what it was. To me MLS is a real estate thing.