MLS TV Rights

I met Oliver once, before a World Cup game in Detroit. Forget which one, but I think it was daytime.

 

The article made it seem like the broadcast team would still be in the stadium. Plenty of times I saw the broadcast team in the booth during breaks or whatever. Here's the pertinent section -

Versus how our people were calling every single away match off monitors in the pre-Apple years, yet our radio person could travel with the team? Weird.

 

I'm wondering how you produce the game in Europe. but with the broadcast team here and not get affected by the satellite lag.

 

I'm guessing once the video arrives in the US studio, any sort of lag doesn't matter since they're calling the game off what they see in the US

In theory, the lag could be five minutes, but since both the video and announcers are in the same studio, it doesn't matter.

 

Look I’m no TV producer, but doesn’t the production team make real-time decisions about camera angles to use, replays, when to cut to a sideline reporter, use of on screen graphics. All that stuff, for which you can’t have a multi second lag.

 

I wasn't sure but was dealing with it today. The club broadcast (they do an internet play by play) was about 10-20 s off the ESPN+ broadcast. But due to the cold, the internet's been spotty at time for me anyway (land line issue).

 

Oh the broadcast is usually a couple minutes or so off of real time in stadium.

 

I'm looking forward to getting my Apple TV subscription as part of this years STM package. We should be getting it any day now. I got my notice last year on 2/1/25.

 

The production itself is done in a vehicle the Europeans refer to as the OB Van (Originating Broadcast). It consists of a directed video cut of the game (involving anywhere from 10 to 30+ cameras), and some replays, along with game sound effects audio, and up to 14 other channels of audio. One channel is almost always a Spotter feed, who identifies action, players involved, subs being made, etc. there is also usually a channel of the Director on site, the Red Hat (usually a time-out coordinator, but in soccer, this person usually signals the ref to start the game. This video goes to all “subscribers”, networks around the world who may want to broadcast the game. In the US, that will be one network, but in Mexico, many may choose to broadcast. If they choose to, a network may have announcers on site to voice the game, USA usually has a team on site for USA games. They receive the video feed from the OB Van, but just do the VO live. They do not need the Spotter, they’re watching it happen. Networks can also purchase a spot on the endline to do live hits before the game, but their cameras are forbidden from shooting the action. I traveled with a production team on Gold Cup 2019, as a tech manager.

 

Isn't this change good for him?

 

Looks like we will get our apple subscriptions on Feb 12.

 

Some interesting changes coming with MLB, NBA and NHL streaming. As the company behind Fan Duel Sports, formerly Bally Sports, formerly Fox Sports Ohio is now on it's death bed. The Reds have moved to a streaming service run by MLB, and are in works to try to convince some cable providers to add it to their packages. To be determined how that will look in the coming couple months leading up to opening day in the Nati. It seems the network might not make it through the end of the Cavs and Jackets seasons, so only time will tell what streaming options they move to. Everything except NFL seems to be collapsing from a TV standpoint, which will be interesting how that changes viewership and the cash stream it has been providing.

 

And if anyone thinks it's gonna be less convoluted, they might be mistaken.

Sports Business Journal:
The ninth team, the Braves, are expected to launch their own network, perhaps to air on a national streaming platform such as Amazon or Apple or with a template similar to the Rangers Sports Network -- which has direct-to-distributor deals with cable and satellite providers, a local over-the-air partner and a streaming outlet in Victory+.

The other side is that some teams' channels (Dodgers, Cubs, Pirates, Phillies and a few others on the NBC channels) seem to be doing ok.

As of last I heard, the Reds/MLB will probably start something like what they did for the Guardians, which is basically a dedicated channel that any TV provider can pay for. If your TV provider doesn't have the channel, you can pay MLB something like $20/mo for it.

HOPEFULLY...that same $20 would cover Guardians games. I can't imagine anyone in Columbus paying $40 and getting access to two teams in the local market.

MLS was absolutely right when they said "Do not sign any TV deals past 12/31/2022." Every game is in one place. I'm not sure people who aren't MLS fans know how good this situation is.

The next league that might be able to do something similar might be the NHL or the NBA, but how many of those teams have deals with other RSNs that are doing ok?

As an example, take a Cubs fan who lives in Central Ohio. Most every game is on MLB.tv, except for games against the Reds or Pirates which are divisional opponents, the Guardians or anything on a national partner. Hulu, YTTV, or another streaming provider can sign contracts for those Guardians and Reds channels, just the same as DirecTV or Spectrum can...but this will be the second year of the Guardians channel and Hulu didn't have the Guardians channel last year. (Yes, Hulu has the Cubs RSN, but it's only in the Cubs market. If it ever becomes available nationally, games will be blacked out.)

Honestly, I'm not sure this current situation with no FanDuel is any better.

In 2024 and prior, Guardians games were on a channel that broadcast content 24/7. In 2025, it moved one position, but is dark for most of the day.

It's a mess.

 

I'm not seeing it either. I wouldn't be surprised if they did away with that in favor of their bundle with Peacock.

With that in mind:

It's just a bit above $90 if you go monthly and cancel each month, causing you to have to renew the date of the next game. OTOH, for $9 more for a proper year of AppleTV...that might be worth the money, assuming that option still exists, of course.

But, assuming there is a yearly option that I'm also missing, you forgo the chance of finding an extra code for free service. T-Mobile did away with their "free on us" Apple TV in favor of discounted Apple TV, but there may still be some floating around.

 

If you give away your code and remain a STM for multiple seasons, the person's account you gave the code to will get the free Apple TV membership from then on. You dont get a new code each season

 

Huh.

Since mine seemingly expired with the email mentioning a link coming next week, and I think such was the case previously, I figured each code was only good for a year.

 

With the new deal, theyll just give whoever activated the code access as long as the person who was associated with the code renews.
> "Once season ticket members activate their Apple TV subscription through their Club for the 2026 season, it will reactivate for subsequent seasons as long as they remain season ticket holders. If members share their code, it will renew in future seasons to the Apple Account used to redeem the subscription."

 

The one negative to the Apple TV app:

I bought some movies via the app, yet I can't watch them on my phone. They're only accessible via my TV.

I've got a sneaky feeling this is because "reasons" and it won't be fixed any time soon.

 

Do you have an iPhone?
As long as it’s the same Apple ID, subscriptions and purchases are available across all devices. If you don’t have an iPhone, you can still access purchases in the Apple TV app but usually can’t make purchases. I currently have an iPhone, MacBook, Apple TV boxes, a Google Chromecast, and Fire Stick - everything from my Apple account is available on all of those devices

 

https://awfulannouncing.com/fox/lachlan-murdoch-rebalance-sports-portfolio-nfl-rights-increase.html

Lachlan Murdoch says Fox will ‘rebalance’ sports portfolio if NFL rights increase in price.

Sports like soccer and baseball could be on the chopping block at Fox.


Good depth on what Fox's future sports portfolio might look like.

The new NBA deal is largely getting more in rights fees than the several-years-old NFL rights deal. The NFL is going to change that through extensions soon.


Fox will meet whatever the NFL's new price is.

If FIFA asks too much for its World Cup rights for 2030 and beyond ... Fox may pass on it.

Also ... the MLS package of games could be dropped.

 

You really do come across on here on the most pedantic know-it-all.

Picking apart everyone else's posts.


To explain further ... the risk is, someone in Fox Sports corporate, to promote their career, will pitch:

"If we not renewing the World Cup rights, let's just get out of broadcasting soccer altogether. Dump Lalas, the soccer producer, all of it. MLS isn't moving the needle for us anyway."