It slowly increased to that. I was happy about the significant discount when espn took over. This matches the current annual price for espn+.
That is more than I was expecting but not shockingly so. I'll likely do it (or at least try it for a month). The larger question is will it be a net gain for MLS? This deal is a bump in TV revenue, for sure, but will it ultimately help grow the league? No casual fan will pay to watch MLS games on TV. Hmmm...
While I can certainly afford it, this comes down to the value of each DC United match. Do I want to spend $3 per match to scream at my TV about which color kit our team is wearing and how passing to those kits will help our team, or that marking does not mean seeing the opposition forward in the box and giving him space, or a cross is supposed to be a pass towards one of our players, or standing around seeing what your teammate can do with the ball isn't helping.... While as a total package, if you watch other matches, it is probably a reasonable value, but for someone as narrow-minded as me, it gives me pause. Plus as I have said here before, ESPN+ is an add in free piece to a bundle for me and I would never pay for it separately, so comparing the cost, this one is $15 per month or $99 per season more. This is even more than I pay for my bundle, which gives me access to shit that entertains like The Orville and The Xman Animated series from the 1990s...
For those of us who do not own a smart TV, it would presumably require buying a set-top box or a new TV (which makes it significantly more expensive for me). Or watching on my phone (no fscking way) or my desktop computer (best of my current options, but not exciting).
You can run the AppleTV app on Android, Chromecast, Roku, an iPhone, or an iPad, then cast it to your TV if you need the big screen.
This maybe how technology works in your domicile. However, in mine, the TV has enough challenge communicating with the hard wired cable box and my wifi is great when 37+ other wifi signals aren't disrupting it plus Bluetooth connectivity is mostly functional unless you actually need it...
How do you cast it to a dumb TV? WiFi is not an option for a dumb TV. Presumably one needs a set-top box for that, that turns the signal into a YPbPr+stereo or HDMI or whatever signal. Or I could just pay less money and have less hassle, and watch something else.
A Mini USB or Lightning to HDMI cable will also work and cost <$10. I didn't say any of this was good, because I don't believe it is, but right now it's the reality. Since 2018 the club has had a take it or leave it attitude. I don't see this as any different. And that the league would follow a similar approach isn't all that shocking. I am sure the league was at some level privy to the McKensey report DCU got and if they weren't it wasn't too expensive to get one of their own. At the end of it, the league went out and got themselves the most money they could get. They have to understand their fan's demographics and how to market to them. We just might not be part of their target demographic.
Tons of judgement in your wording. I'd phrase it differently: "Some people really support soccer in the USA." I've supported the growth of American professional soccer since my days as a little kid going to NASL games and hope to continue to do so in this new (not mindlessly or without criticism, however). P.S. - "MLS-level footy" is miles ahead of where it once was. For all of their many missteps they are still here, growing and improving.
"Level" is sorta irrelevant to me. I've watched kids games and been to the Camp Nou. I'll watch any soccer if the experience rubs me the right way. The problem is that for a long time now, DCU and MLS seem to actually be trying to rub me the wrong way. Like they actively don't want me around. Mind, I'm used to that from individuals -- especially girls when I was in high school. But people I'd otherwise spend money on? Blah.
I absolutely will say that I'm not going to subscribe until days before the season when I give in. Hugely disappointing, though. We now are paying much more to get what is sounding like a worse broadcast (national < local). And while I'll occasionally take in a non-DCU game, the cable schedule was enough to satisfy any itch I had.
Can't push back on that. It's been a challenging era to be a DCU supporter, and for reasons that go well beyond performance on the pitch (but the losses certainly add to the misery).
I meant that in the way that several others have expressed - I am a fan of my team, DCU, not the league. I will make an effort to watch DCU games but will only rarely watch the rest of the league. Yes, I pay a hefty premium in the form of season tickets to watch my team but I would not otherwise pay to watch other MLS games (unless maybe it was to watch a beat down of the metroScum/FTRB). Yes, it has improved and increasing player budgets allow it to continue to improve. But my measure of how good it is and how much it has improved is how many of its teams regularly compete on level terms with international teams. By that measure I think improvement may be quite a bit less than it appears.
Yea, the whole "you can watch other MLS teams" is totally irrelevant to me. If I am going to watch some teams that aren't my guys, I'm watching something fun. Seeing two teams I hate (all other MLS teams to a greater or lesser degree) would only be fun if every match ended with 22 red cards, match abandonment, and fines for the referees...
No, MLS is a separate subscription from Apple TV+. You do get a break on the MLS if you're an Apple TV+ subscriber.
What gets lost here is that some of the MLS games will be shown on regular Apple TV (outside the MLS package) and IIRC a few will be completely outside the paywall. In other words, the “casual fan” will be able to sample some MLS games without making the commitment to the MLS package. I’m so ********ing old I can remember when there were but 5 VHF channels in the San Francisco area and one UHF (which I couldn’t watch because our B&W TV only had a VHF tuner). Things have changed for the better regarding choice. Cost is higher, but you can selectively purchase what you want. I feel fortunate that I can watch a soccer match now without a commercial arriving mid-match and the action compressed into a tiny Picture in Picture like the olden days. I can also watch an F1 race without commercials unlike the old NBC Sports telecast that cutaway completely for commercials during the race. I pay more, but I feel I get a better product in the end so it’s worth it.
Will any MLS games be on a not-Apple product in the next few years? Bonus if it's a channel available thru most major cable/stream services (apple is definitely not one of those). I have a shot at maybe watching those games. I feel similarly about apple as I do about Chad Ashton