Tech giant Apple on Wednesday officially launched its Major League Soccer subscription service, called MLS Season Pass.
The new service will be used in 100 countries at the beginning. It will be the exclusive home for MLS games until 2033, a 10-year deal worth an estimated $250 million a year.
Apple’s MLS deal in the past (most notably Friday night Major League Baseball games last season) is at a different level, with exclusive worldwide rights to hundreds of games.
With the NBA looking for a digital partner for upcoming rights talks and the NFL closely monitoring the evolution of its position, the MLS service is being seen as a bellwether for its ambitions in the field.
For MLS, the deal provides core real estate and promotional capabilities from one of the most powerful companies in the world.
“For Apple to come in and literally open the book and say, ‘OK, how do we improve the consumer experience?’ “Right away, they looked at the schedule and said, ‘OK, let’s fix that,'” said former New England Revolution star Taylor Twellman, a match analyst for MLS Season Pass. The Hollywood Reporter.
With all games in one place, Apple and MLS have changed the schedule to ensure consistency throughout the season with every game streamed on Saturday nights (and some Wednesday nights).
“It’s hard to quantify because the league has never had it. “In 27 years, we’ve never seen this happen in the United States, where a league can now be treated the way literally every other league is treated,” Twellman added. “When you put it all together, I think Rome wasn’t built in one day, but I believe this year, with the rate of evolution, you’re starting to see some of that progress, and I think people are really excited.” I think new fans will come because the league is finally being treated differently.
And that balance is represented in Apple’s user experience with the TV app and other apps like Apple News, Apple Music, and Apple Maps. The company is aiming for a “seamless” experience for its soccer product, according to a person familiar with the plans.
Live MLS games and content will be front and center in the Apple TV app, with an easy one-click signup for premium service. The sports dashboard in Apple News allows users to follow their favorite teams, including MLS teams. A single click in the News app can take users directly to a live game. Even Apple Maps adds details on MLS stadiums across the country, making them more visible in the larger map, and integrating more information about the teams.
Apple offers 6 free games every week to Apple TV+ users, each game (including games) is included in the premium service, which lives in the Apple TV app and costs $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year ($12.99 and $79.99 for existing Apple TV+ subscribers).
In addition, all weekend games are free. Games will also be broadcast domestically on Fox TV channels, but Apple will have unlimited access to every game.
The service will be closely watched by those in the sports space, both on the technical side (Can Apple offer multiple simultaneous high-quality streams and quality UX?) and on the production side (studios and game broadcasters, who can deliver? Be there this season, others (Do the national leagues offer the same quality product?)
And if it works, don’t be surprised if Apple and other leagues pursue similar projects in the future.