MLS Season Pass is back, but the league is adding to it in Year 3
Major League Soccer's 10-year, $2.5 billion broadcasting deal with Apple has been a success in the bank. But changes are in store.
By the most important metrics — read: follow the money — MLS has had a strong first couple of years with its new broadcast partner in Apple TV.
Major League Soccer's 10-year, $2.5 billion broadcasting deal with Apple has been a success in the bank. But changes are in store for the first league to pivot to a mostly streaming model among North America’s major sports.
No hassles. No blackouts. Every match in the same place.
That was the pitch used by Apple to usher in a new decade of MLS, with prices starting at $14.99 per month or $99 per season (Apple TV+ subscribers receive $2 off a monthly sub, or $20 less for the year).
But that doesn’t mean the deal has been perfect — and the league wants to fix some of the issues by offering more bang for fans’ buck.
Here are a few of the new additions:
New ways to watch
It may say “MLS Season Pass on Apple TV,” but plenty of soccer fans in North America own an Android phone or use the operating system. So what then?
In Year 3 of the deal, Apple released the Apple TV app on Android, allowing fans to watch via their dedicated Google Play-sanctioned app rather than simply relying on the web view. Apple TV+ is also available on the new app.
The league has also added MLS Season pass to a handful of set top boxes — most notably Comcast Xfinity and DirecTV platforms — that allow fans direct access to the service on their cable/satellite bundles (Xfinity is also offering a free preview through March 2, with access to the league’s weekly whip-around show all year with new subscription required).
And for T-Mobile customers, MLS Season Pass for all T-Life users after a one-year hiatus, allowing a free one-year subscription to the service with a promo code in the app.
But what about TV?
There will still be ways to watch over-the-air and on cable television, as well.
The league’s simultaneous broadcast agreement with FOX and FS1 is back for Year 3, beginning Saturday at 2:30 p.m. MT with LAFC and Minnesota United.
Wait, what time?
Yes, after two years of kicking off every game at 7:30 p.m. local time — an attempt at consistency from market-to-market — Apple and MLS are modifying the scenario.
Most games will still kick off at 7:30 p.m. local. But there will be some slight variation week-to-week, depending on a number of factors (including linear television), that could change start times.
For example, Real Salt Lake’s home opener March 1 will kick off at 2:30 p.m. MT against the Seattle Sounders. That could place a few more eyeballs on Diego Luna, Justen Glad, Diogo Gonçalves and Pablo Mastroeni’s side against that one team from the Pacific Northwest.
Speaking of new ways to watch …
MLS is invading Sunday nights
With MLS kicking off after the Super Bowl, the league always tried to fill the gaping hole of NFL fans on the North American sporting calendar. That intention is more clear with the advent of Sunday Night Soccer, the weekly standalone match that opens Sunday between the reigning MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy and expansion side San Diego FC.
Yes, the club’s 30th team will kick off the league’s 30th season all by itself against the Cup champions who happen to share partial geography — or at least, a free way system — in the first-ever Sunday Night Soccer match (5 p.m. MT, Apple TV).
Among the changes already confirmed: popular MLS personality and former MLS studio analyst Andrew Wiebe has already moved from the studio couch to the sidelines, where he will provide traveling coverage every Sunday night throughout the season.
We just hope to see the same fashionable ankles from Andrew! #IYKYK
Sunday night games will also be available in front of the MLS Season Pass paywall, available to every Apple TV+ subscriber who is more Severance than soccer, more Mythic Quest than match day, or more Gorge than Gabriel Pec.
Again, it’s all part of growing the game — and Apple TV/MLS Season Pass’ subscriber count.
So with Real Salt Lake kicking off Season No. 21 at San Jose on Saturday night (8:30 p.m. MT, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), sit back, pull up a chair — and maybe take a break from watching another episode of the 97%-rated drama on Rotten Tomatoes starring Adam Scott.
