Obviously the answer is “money” but if Apple really wanted people to watch their product, they should make it no paywall at all. Just download the app and you can watch all of games for free at any point. They cannot get any people to buy their halftime commercials, it’s always the same five companies with the same 5 commercials and they are all partners of MLS. When they purchased the rights they should have made it free until the World Cup to draw people in
MLS has sole responsibility over broadcasting and for the costs associated. It was 50-70 million (numbers vary a lot and some anti-MLS media heads seem to make up high numbers). To Apple this is a write off (figuratively). I want to know who is responsible for advertising because it is terrible. Probably the biggest problem I have with the arrangement. So the video graphics were done on site, which may have made them terrible. That will be in Connecticut. Edit Clarification: I'm not sure streaming and not being linear is really the problem in the sense that its difficult for people to stream/get to. People know how to stream and hardly channel surf anymore. It is probably more to do with a lack of spending on players and advertising. Here in columbus, we have it good with almost every bar in town paying for the package. I talked with MLS fans in various burbs, and no restaurant/bar carries the game. So casuals who aren't locked in don't really know there is a game. They need maybe a game per week on linear television with heavy ads. If they could get NBC to bite and get EPL as a lead in that would be awesome but not happening. Or they can give the sub away to bars if they play matches to get more eyeballs.
What they NEED to figure the eff out: Radio simulcasts for away teams. Didn't they promise this as happening during the 2023 season?
In the case of TFC, this would require their "radio" crew to CALL road games. Right now, they do an audio feed of their home games exclusively for Season Pass.
Something about Toronto makes this not surprising and comical. "We don't need to field a good team. We have a waitlist for season tickets!" BMO Field: The site where the Crew finally won a road game when trailing at the half. I'd say they've always been a shitshow, but they've also been known for peeing.
The number of people who go to a place like an amusement park, COSI or whatnot and ask "is this free?" is enough to drive anyone up the wall. The proper answer is usually "It's included in your admission." Sure, some things like games, food or special exhibits might be additional fees, but nothing like that is truly "free" as you put it.
You can get by with remote, but it's obviously not as comprehensive as being there. It has to be a cost-cutting measure. Honestly, I don't really care that much if you're doing it for San Jose/New England or DC/Minnesota, which is probably what they're going to do. Pick the crappiest games of the week and they're the ones that have guys in a studio somewhere. I don't understand having issues with camera work. They've had two seasons, and I doubt that the people doing it were just pulled off the street, having never worked soccer broadcasts before. But truthfully, I'm kind of beyond the point where I'm sweating the courting of the "casual fans." MLS has spent the better part of three decades trying to bring in the youth players and the soccer moms and the family dollar. If they want to try treating the dedicated fans like dedicated fans for a while, I'm OK with that.
How many World Cup games have had PbP from the studio going back to 2002? When ESPN/ESPN2 had UEFA CL games, that was all from the studio with maybe the exception of the final. Crew games on the RSNs had away games from the studio in Cleveland which seemed to work fine. Bingo. MLS games have been on regular TV channels since 1996. That's a long-ass time for casual viewers to stumble across games and decide to go to a game. If it hasn't happened in 25+ years, why are we thinking it'd happen beyond year 26? The youth market is part of the picture, but we all know how wrong MLS got it when they focused on selling huge blocks of tickets to youth leagues, only for their parents to complain about supporter groups. "If we get the U-9 teams now, those kids will grow up to take their own kids." Some of those kids from back then are taking their own kids today. Some probably aren't for various reasons. Some who grew up with MLS pre-2005 might be disillusioned with MLS today because they'd rather focus on better leagues on TV. Another thing the league failed to realize back then...those kids spent several hours on Saturday AM playing in youth tournaments. They may be too tired to go out once 5pm rolls around.
MLS has spent the last 2 years catering to the casual fans with Messi Mania in NFL stadiums. We all know most of these kids parading around in pink jerseys and their parents will go back to ignoring the league as soon as he retires. ******** the casual fans imo. For teams like the Crew that invest in quality gameday experience, the casual fans will continue to show up to games which are much likelier to generate continued interest than whatever lazy digital marketing Apple and MLS has tried.
Feel free to respond with the eye roll emoji but this is a big whatever to me. I can watch all MLS games on my TV and phone. It meets my needs and everyone of my friend groups needs. MLS made its bed with Apple so they got to do whatever it is they got to do.
MLS's never-ending saga re: TV deal is what it is, and I stopped paying much attention to it years ago. In any event, I can't whine too much. My son has season tickets and an Apple TV subscription. Meaning via the Apple family sharing set-up I get the MLS package and access to Slow Horses for free. What do I have to complain about? I do think that remote announcers reeks of cheapness. But MLS's biggest issue, regarding TV is that too few people watch. It's always been a big issue - perhaps the biggest one - limiting league profitability.
Just a reminder for all Season Pass subscribers... your $99 will be charged on the first of February, which is this saturday.
Did they move it up for everybody this year? Mine usually renews in late February (anniversary of when I signed up) and I haven't received an email yet stating it's auto-renewing Friday.
Did you sign up Day 1? Because that was February 1, 2023., meaning you would be charges every February 1.
Apparently more people are joining T-Mobile than any other carrier, so that's... something. https://www.androidauthority.com/t-mobile-att-verizon-2024-results-phone-net-adds-3521677/
Short of switching phone providers to T-Mobile, are there any discounted ways to get Season Pass? I've had it each year and I think it's worth the $100 of you don't have season tickets, just looking to spend less if it's possible.
There is an option where you sign up month by month and then hope the first game(s) after your monthly subscription cancels is either a free game or one you'll be at. Unfortunately, that'll only get you through mid-summer before it'd be better to pay the full cost. The other option is to sign up for Apple+, which I think saves $20 off the cost of MLS SP. Can you get AppleTV+ for one month and be eligible for MLS SP? I'm not sure...but it would save a tiny bit and get you all that other stuff. You can try the TV forum or the general MLS forum. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forums/tv-satellite-radio.688/