https://www.mlssoccer.com/apple/ 10-year deal, beginning in 2023. No blackouts Season Ticket Holder Benefit: Access to the new MLS streaming service will be included as part of MLS full-season ticket packages. Fans can get every live MLS match by subscribing to a new MLS streaming service, available exclusively through the Apple TV app. Sounds like it will be separate from standard AppleTV+ subscription.
Does this mean that there won’t be anything on local TV at all or that this is in addition to local TV? In a semi-rant, I’m actually getting sick of having to buy yet another service for every league and competition. I can’t possibly get it right but: 1. Premier League - Peacock? 2. Champion’s League - Paramount? 3. Bundesliga - ESPN+ 4. UEFA Nations League - Fubo TV 5. Ligue 1 - BeIN 6. La Liga - ESPN+? 7. MLS - Apple (Seperate Service?) And on and on. Cord cutting is MUCH more expensive than buying from the old Cable monopolies. Please let there be local TV.
Is the MLS stream on apple free to STM or is membership to Apple+ free? Sounds to me like the MLS stream will be on Apple but also cost extra beyond the Apple+ fee.
From what I am reading, all local TV deals will be gone. Brad and Charlie will still get to do local radio broadcast, and Apple will have an option to choose that for your audio (not sure that is a good thing). I've liked having the games on TV38, but as long as I can get the MLS Channel (or whatever they end up calling it) on my Roku, I'll be fine (depending on the price). Apple TV (free consolidation service, much like Roku) is different from AppleTV+ (subscription service). So there will be 3 levels. Apple TV - a few games AppleTV+ - one or 2 games a week MLS Channel (AppleTV+ not required) - all games
If they do continue to do radio, I hope that they realize at some point that they're doing radio! Stop with the "watch this!"
MLS Stream will be free to STH, subscription for others. A free AppleTV account will be required. A subscription to Apple+ will not be required.
Deal is reportedly for $2.5B - I don't know what they currently get, but I assume this is a big increase. - this is for all MLS teams/levels - including MLS Next and MLS Next Pro, so Revs II and Revs Academy games should be included. I wonder what it means for USOC and other competitions. - also, what about the spanish-language broadcasts? Are they still going to happen independently, being replaced or dropped altogether? - as a season-ticketholder, I appreciate the added value to my package - though I hope they don't use it to justify a price increase. - in terms of exposing MLS to potential fans, this really seems like a step backwards. This seems like something for current MLS fans, not a plan to bring in more/convert fans of other sports/leagues. - I really, really hope this means we'll have professional broadcast teams covering the [Revs!] games.
The more I read about this deal, the more I hate it. This looks and smells like a short-sighted money grab. No local TV broadcasts?!?! People who live in New England and watch the Revs regularly on local TV now have to pay to watch them? How many fans will the Revs now lose because of this? How does this grow the league's fan base? ESPN+ including MLS is a fantastic deal at $6.99/month. I may not wat to pay for ESPN+ anymore without MLS, and I may not want to pay for an MLS-only subscription. I might choose only one, and I may choose neither.
Well, there were similar concerns when NESN and Sportschannel (now NBC Sports NE?) arrived. But, we always got Sox, Bruins and Celtics on broadcast channels for free! The media is evolving and I think MLS is just part of the wave - and are leaning into the leading edge of it, rather than being the last to move. The NFL and other leagues are already sticking the toes in the water of the streaming world. The USNT is doing the same now. Yeah, that's the big question - it's like the MLS game will be happening in a virtual gated-community. Although, I did see something that suggested that there still could be some national telecasts too. Hopefully it helps boost season-ticket sales, by adding more value to the package and by making the games less available w/o a package or subscription.
Yes, the Nat teams announced that the games will be on Paramount+. The first game was exclusively on Paramount+. I watched it on the Spanish channel. For the second game, they included the CBS Sports channel. My speculation is that they didn't get this massive increase of viewers signing up for the channel. This fall will be interesting with the NFL going to Amazon Prime, I'm not buying it. It might boost ticket sales locally, but I live 3+ hours away from Foxborough. So put me down as the casual fan, because I'm not driving 3+ hours to watch a game and then 3+ hours back. I will do it once a year, but that's enough.[/QUOTE]
I think this is the key. 32% of all programming consumed in the US during May was watched via streaming, a new high. That number is only going to go up. My son is 21, he hasn't watched OTA or Cable TV in years. MLS said they purposely made sure all teams didn't have local broadcast deals beyond 2022. However, I haven't seen anything that said they can't negotiate new ones. MLS teams will get less, because (for example) TV-38 won't be able to blackout the games on Apple like they do now on ESPN+. But if FOX and ESPN are in negotiations now for OTA national broadcasts, I don't see any reason local broadcasts can't do the same.
I've read in a few spots that local broadcasts aren't expressly prohibited by the new deal, just that blackouts won't be allowed. Which means anyone who opts in to the apple plan will get 100% of MLS games regardless of where they live. This fact makes the attractiveness of a local contract significantly lower, reduces the value of said contract, and makes it less likely for a network to go try and pick the rights up
Very curious what WBZ/TV-38 will do here...they must have had some idea this was coming when they signed on in 2021 (correct?), knowing that the deal was expiring at the end of the 2022 season. And they've invested a pretty decent amount of time and money to build the interest so...we'll see. I'd love it if they stayed so I could keep getting it free OTA
I'm 100% on board with the Apple plan. I gave up cable a year or two ago, and while I can get a lot of the MLS games online, it's been a pain when the blackouts cut off the ESPN+ access. I'm very pleased with this result. I expect, over time, there will be more folks in my boat.
With the local broadcasts it's kind of a double edged sword isn't it? Yes, anyone can in theory watch the games on local TV but how many of the target demo needed to grow the game actually watch local TV? Hopefully Apple is on board with promotion of the package and hopefully the teams have some new strategies for getting folks to the stadiums.
Things may have changed, but it used to be that the local broadcasts were 'Revs-driven' - they produced the broadcasts and looked for local outlets to run them. Maybe it's changed, but I'm not so sure. I think the org has always seen it as a way to advertise their brand/generate more ticket-buyers and that may not change.
I read recent report that only 4-5 MLS teams made a profit of their local TV deal. The Revs were not one of them. If MLS will now be picking up the production costs, that could offset the lower price from losing the blackout.
Reports circulated recently about many of the game being called from a remote location in Florida. Today's report, published on The Athletic, debunks that myth: MLS debuts on Apple TV in ~4 months.So how is the deal coming together?✔️League has interviewed 200+ personalities✔️Big names like Twellman, Gomez✔️Announcers will be on-site for all games✔️~40% of games will be avail. for freeA massive update:https://t.co/kE1ekaQbF0— Pablo Iglesias Maurer (@MLSist) October 27, 2022 For those whom Twitter is blocked: League has interviewed 200+ personalities Big names like Twellman, Gomez Announcers will be on-site for all games ~40% of games will be available for free
The are going to need a LOT of broadcasters. I expect a lot of the local folks will get hired to fill out the numbers, at least for year #1 (I just personally hope our local team is not among them - though I would not be surprised at all if Charlie gets a spot, he' s got the ex-USNT player badge). And, if the games are going to be called on-site, how many games can the 'big names' really do? Really just a fraction of games each week. Not to mention, but a lot of what is considered the top-tier of US Soccer broadcasting is really crap anyway. I can hardly think of any that are must-have. I'd go for competence/restraint/insight over 'names'. When Fox Sports and BeIN started off doing the sport, some of the broadcast crews were really amateurish - hopefully Apple won't have the same experience.
Agree on needing multiple announcer/analyst pairings. it appears the plan is to start the lions share of matches at 7:30 pm on Saturday evenings (local time). They plan wrap around coverage. You’ve made your opinion of Charlie well known, but I would add that he acquitted himself pretty well as a studio analyst for Paramount+ during the Qatar qualifying. He still needs to work on his homerism a bit Too many MLS cubs seem to regard a “UK” accent as the sole qualification for broadcasting their matches. I hope MLS/Apple can do better.
If he's separated from Feldman and has a more independent role than 'Revs' broadcaster', I think he could be a lot better. More than MLS - we seem to have a US issue - the NT broadcasts often have a seat filled with a British accent and not much more.
Pricing If you are already an Apple TV+ subscriber: $12.99/month or $79/season If you are not an Apple TV+ subscriber: $14.99/month or $99/season A selection of MLS and Leagues Cup matches, including some of the biggest playoff matchups, will also be available at no additional cost to Apple TV+ subscribers, with a limited number of matches available for free on the Apple TV app. I figured I would have to subscribe to Apple TV, but I wasn't expected to then purchase a season pass. You guys will have to let me know how the Revs are doing!
Looks like they are calling it: MLS Season Pass Every match. Every screen. No blackouts. MLS Season Pass only on the Apple TV app. Coming February 1, 2023.Get ready: https://t.co/wXJD7g47aA pic.twitter.com/xyxCvScQeT— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) November 16, 2022