The 2026 MLS TV Thread

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by SetPeace, Jan 14, 2026.

  1. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I've just realized why this screen keeps coming up at half-time.
    PXL_20260309_001550457.jpg

    It's because Apple finally realized they're not supposed to show US ads internationally.
     
  2. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Philadelphia Union had commercials in picture in picture during their local game broadcasts prior to the new TV deal.
     
  3. FoxBoro 143

    FoxBoro 143 Member+

    Jan 18, 2004
    MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah. What I meant was that it wasn't like Peacock has some exclusive priority placement in the X1 ecosystem, so it's not as if it had some huge advantage over the other apps amongst Xfinity customers.
     
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  4. ThreeApples

    ThreeApples Member+

    Jul 28, 1999
    Smurf Village
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Peacock probably has a broader target audience than Apple because in addition to the back catalog and new made-for-streaming content, people use it as a portal to "regular TV" content. NBC primetime shows and SNL are there the next day, Days of our Lives is there exclusively, etc. For Apple, outside the sports properties, it just has its exclusive streaming shows and movies. Much of it is good, but it mostly appeals to the types who like to binge prestige TV.
     
  5. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Things can change, but it looks as if Netflix wouldn';t be interested in MLS' broadcast rights:

     
  6. eddygee

    eddygee Member+

    DC United
    May 12, 2007
    Moco, Maryland
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ???Netflix has never been mentioned for MLS so not sure why they are being brought up.

    Places MLS has been mentioned linked with viamedia should be worried about ala
    Apple/Comcast/Paramount/FOX.

    If im MLS who's Garber stated goal is to further increase media rights to aquire more talent. I'm opening talks with Comcast/Paramount for 100-150 gms or so basically the amount of games Garber stated they originally wanted on air when they did the Apple Deal. I'd try to pry have of those exclusively from Apple or offer the companies a path to buy some of those exclusively from Apple (but not all).

    Use the 3 seasons left the

    27 sprint season
    27-28 season
    28-29 season

    To establish a partnership next yr moving forward. They have interest surrounding the league so Use that to their advantage. Do network friendly deals that also provide a bump to the Apple money. During that last exclusive Apple Season the 2028-2029 season sell Comcast/Peacock on splitting a exclusive broadcast package of 250 gms. Sell the rest back to Apple for the call it exclusive out of market/exclusive global rights.

    Thats the only obvious play to run up a relatively quickly spread the rise out a bit but not too much. Apple will have solidified the routine habit nature of watching MLS so adding the "MLS return to TV for the general public will be easier without people claiming games are too spread outm. Even though MLS never left TV ppl are dumb and just hear it and therefore stopped looking before the move to base subscription Apple. So the hoopla of going back on TV will draw curious eyeballs as well as the traditional audience. From there hardwork and fandom.
     
  7. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    Raleigh NC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don’t think that’s relevant since you were trying to a post about per capital viewers. Read the post you were replying to and I think you’ll see what I’m getting at.
     
  8. FoxBoro 143

    FoxBoro 143 Member+

    Jan 18, 2004
    MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Taking away a sizeable portion of the package would diminish the purpose for Apple and I just don't see them agreeing to such a deal, unless the package was sold at a premium, which I doubt would happen.
     
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  9. eddygee

    eddygee Member+

    DC United
    May 12, 2007
    Moco, Maryland
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #309 eddygee, Mar 9, 2026
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2026
    I think last deals thinking isn't today's. I'd say maybe you're right if there was still the Season Pass Service but thats no longer the case. MLS is a valuable asset for Apple as long as they still have sports ambition it's the only property they have that has almost year round coverage. The new season structure goes from July to May. The only league available the provides just some of the calendar coverage is NHL and NHL will want a bag from Apple just to have the similar type of regular season inventory MLS would give them for cheaper. Likely a cpl $100m more a yr with about 2-3 months shorter calendar coverage.

    On taken away a sizeable portion we aren't forgetting MLS has over 600 inventory of rights from 2027-2029 taken away 150 or do game's leaves Apple with still 450 game's still larger than the 380 gamea Euro leagues sell to streamers like Paramount/Peacock/ESPN+.

    I don't think that argument holds much water. Also have to keep in mind for this scenario we are really talking from 2029 well into thd 2030s its s given MLS will expand to 32 and likely add regular season game's thus increasing the inventory to 700+ games there are more than enough games to go around.

    MLS on Apple is now a main two part play subscription retainment and ad rate revenue generator vs mainly a subscription play under the old set up. There's more than enough game's this isn't NWSL type of inventory.
     
  10. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004

    World baseball classic seems to be doing quite well. Good to see - soccer got me to love international sports!
     
  11. AZUL GALAXY

    AZUL GALAXY Member+

    Aug 28, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    CDSC Cruz Azul
    Those are the most watched, how about the least watched or average numbers ?
     
  12. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004
    [​IMG]
    5 AM games probably did well compared to whatever would have aired at that time anyway. And the FS2 games did well compared to what's normally on there too.
     
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  13. AZUL GALAXY

    AZUL GALAXY Member+

    Aug 28, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    CDSC Cruz Azul
    You see that’s not so impressive but those are tv ratings from U. S. only, I would like to know how good are the tv ratings in the participating Countries.
     
  14. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004
    That's hard to get because everyone reports differently. We do know that the last final was watched by 44% at 7 AM in Japan. Super Bowl level numbers.
     
  15. AZUL GALAXY

    AZUL GALAXY Member+

    Aug 28, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    CDSC Cruz Azul
    I believe it, that’s why the FIFA president said that the World Cup is like 64 super bowls in one month because the percentage of people watching in their countries is so high.
     
  16. jimmyodonnell

    jimmyodonnell Member+

    May 1, 2003
    Do any of you guys have stuttering playback issues when you watch Season Pass game recaps or replays through an AppleTV device? This has persisted on and off for over two years, mine has now become almost unwatchable and Apple has done shit about it.
     
  17. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Never happened to me and I've used the Apple app on Playstation, Android, Fire Stick and the Sky app in the UK, plus Chrome on Windows and Linux and the native Samsung Internet app.
     
  18. jimmyodonnell

    jimmyodonnell Member+

    May 1, 2003
    Thanks. When I see other viewers commenting on this (Apple support forums), it suggests the issue is tied to the AppleTV device rather than other viewing platforms / tools.
     
  19. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A Season Pass/Apple TV subscription is the only thing I've ever paid Apple for.
     
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  20. RfrancisR

    RfrancisR Member+

    Aug 7, 2006
    New Orleans Diaspora
    Picture-in-picture. Yes. Of course, they were ahead of their time and they were heavily criticized for it.
     
  21. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Alatan is joining Fox Sports World Cup team:

     
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  22. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    Raleigh NC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not seeing a middle ground on this one…it’ll either be spectacular like winning the lottery with a ticket you bought with your new wife who is also your Hall Pass dream girl, or spectacular like a train crashing into a tire fire.
     
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  23. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The waves of contempt directed at Lalas when they're on set together will be visible through your TV...
     
  24. Jeremy Goodwin

    Jeremy Goodwin Member+

    SSC Napoli
    Feb 16, 1999
    Club:
    Montreal Impact
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's dawning on me that I'm unlikely to see much of the world cup unless they have a Tubi channel like they did for Qatar. They didn't have one for the women.

    I'm not going to go subscribe to some ott service that's 100 a month to watch this tournament.
     
  25. ThreeApples

    ThreeApples Member+

    Jul 28, 1999
    Smurf Village
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A majority will be OTA on FOX, and Telemundo will be OTA for everything except the simultaneous matchday 3 games. Also Peacock is $10.99/month.
     
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