Apple Discounts MLS Season Pass

[MacRumors]

Apple today dropped the price of the MLS Season Pass to $29 for the rest of the season, allowing soccer fans to get access at a discount.

As noted by TechCrunch, MLS is $14.99 per month or $29 for the remainder of the 2023 season. Apple TV+ subscribers can get the MLS Pass for $13 per month, or $25 for the rest of the season. When the season began in February, access was priced at $79 for Apple TV+ subscribers or $99 for those without a subscription.

The 2023 Major League Soccer season will run through October 21, and the MLS Season Pass will also include live coverage of the playoffs that are set to take place from October 25 to December 9.

Article Link: Apple Discounts MLS Season Pass

 

[Baritone_Guy]

If you have T-Mobile make sure to check on their site for this. I got it as a Magenta subscriber. Hopefully we get it again next year.

 

[CostaMoses]

If you have T-Mobile make sure to check on their site for this. I got it as a Magenta subscriber. Hopefully we get it again next year.

Same! I've really enjoyed watching Messi dominate. It's like he activated a cheat code.

 

[HiVolt]

Same! I've really enjoyed watching Messi dominate. It's like he activated a cheat code.

He is the cheat code, for north american soccer. lol.

 

[dannyyankou]

If you have T-Mobile make sure to check on their site for this. I got it as a Magenta subscriber. Hopefully we get it again next year.

I have the cheapest plan they have and I got it too. You can even get it with Metro by T-Mobile.

 

[ThatOnePaulGuy]

ok fr though I almost thought this said "Apple Discontinues MLS Season Pass" and I was like "This early?!" but no

Nice to get a discount though!

 

[ghostface147]

Same! I've really enjoyed watching Messi dominate. It's like he activated a cheat code.

It’s not even fair. Even at his age, which is considered the tail end of a career, he is destroying his opponents. MLS defenders are poor. He made an insane pass last week to his teammate and no one marked him. They just stood around and left him alone. A pass back to him and goal.

I’d love to see what Mbappe would do here. Or even Harry Kane.

 

[poseidondev]

I think the problem here is that the MLS is a product without a solid target audience.

Most hardcore football fans won’t care much for the MLS because of the skill ceiling (see Messi v. the rest of MLS) and would much rather prefer access to European football, and the ones that don’t care for European football also won’t care much for MLS.

This leaves a sliver of a demographic for whom football is more of a curiosity in between other sports, and I don’t think that demographic is broad enough to sustain the MLS product.

Which is probably why they’re throwing around discounts and deals in an effort to attract people.

I think the only way forward is to try and secure more rights so that the MLS package can be broadened into a general football package that includes juggernauts such as UEFA, Premier League and Bundesliga.

 

[pamon]

MLB.TV is only $30 for rest of the season too. Seasons only have a month or so left.

 

[nezr]

Messi needs the subs!

 

[iFishishh]

I’m guessing Apple didn’t hit the projected subscribers that were hoping for around this quarter. Sucks that in order to watch Messi play now, you need an Apple subscription. They should just sell off their MLS streaming rights to the next highest bidder. Make soccer available to all in our country to watch for free and watch the USA become a force to be reckoned with. It pains me to see how terrible we do compared to other countries

 

[robgreene]

I think the problem here is that the MLS is a product without a solid target audience.

Most hardcore football fans won’t care much for the MLS because of the skill ceiling (see Messi v. the rest of MLS) and would much rather prefer access to European football, and the ones that don’t care for European football also won’t care much for MLS.

This leaves a sliver of a demographic for whom football is more of a curiosity in between other sports, and I don’t think that demographic is broad enough to sustain the MLS product.

Which is probably why they’re throwing around discounts and deals in an effort to attract people.

I think the only way forward is to try and secure more rights so that the MLS package can be broadened into a general football package that includes juggernauts such as UEFA, Premier League and Bundesliga.

The reason for the discount is not because the product is failing. In fact, subscriptions have doubled in the past month since Messi's arrival. The reason for the discount is because there are 7 games left (plus playoffs) in a 34-game regular season. It doesn't make sense to charge the original $79/99 price when 80% of the regular season matches have already been played.

Look around at other sports leagues. You'll find similar promotions mid-season.

 

[poseidondev]

The reason for the discount is now because the product is failing. In fact, subscriptions have doubled in the past month since Messi's arrival. The reason for the discount is because there are 7 games left (plus playoffs) in a 34-game regular season. It doesn't make sense to charge the original $79/99 price when 80% of the regular season matches have already been played.

Look around at other sports leagues. You'll find similar promotions mid-season.

You make a good point, I don't know about the subscriber numbers (don't even know if Apple makes them public), but it does make sense to provide a discount towards the end of the season.

Additionally I also forgot to mention a specific demographic, namely the die-hard Messi fans.

That said, I maintain that the plan would be more attractive if Apple manages to secure more rights.

 

[Eradik]

Which is probably why they’re throwing around discounts and deals in an effort to attract people.

It's discounted because the season is winding down. No other reason, all sports packages do this. You're reading into something that isn't there.

 

[Eradik]

I’m guessing Apple didn’t hit the projected subscribers that were hoping for around this quarter. Sucks that in order to watch Messi play now, you need an Apple subscription. They should just sell off their MLS streaming rights to the next highest bidder. Make soccer available to all in our country to watch for free and watch the USA become a force to be reckoned with. It pains me to see how terrible we do compared to other countries

It hit record numbers. All sports packages are discounted as the season winds down. No other reason.

 

[mattoruu]

I’m guessing Apple didn’t hit the projected subscribers that were hoping for around this quarter. Sucks that in order to watch Messi play now, you need an Apple subscription. They should just sell off their MLS streaming rights to the next highest bidder. Make soccer available to all in our country to watch for free and watch the USA become a force to be reckoned with. It pains me to see how terrible we do compared to other countries

USA already is a force to be reckoned with. We do very well most years. It was a heartbreaking loss on penalty kicks at this World Cup though. I thought for sure that Naeher had made the save (immediately after she had made her own penalty kick), but it JUST rolled over the line. Just an inch (maybe less than an inch) decided the game. A shame, but still a great game.

 

[syklee26]

Come on Apple, bring EPL to Aple TV!

 

[Creek0512]

He is the cheat code, for north american soccer. lol.

And every other continent. Do people forget that he just won the World Cup?

 

[TechnoMonk]

I’m guessing Apple didn’t hit the projected subscribers that were hoping for around this quarter. Sucks that in order to watch Messi play now, you need an Apple subscription. They should just sell off their MLS streaming rights to the next highest bidder. Make soccer available to all in our country to watch for free and watch the USA become a force to be reckoned with. It pains me to see how terrible we do compared to other countries

Pretty much NFL, MLB and other major sport passes get discounted heavily with 20% season left.

 

[svish]

Good discount to have

 

[Velli]

I’m guessing Apple didn’t hit the projected subscribers that were hoping for around this quarter. Sucks that in order to watch Messi play now, you need an Apple subscription. They should just sell off their MLS streaming rights to the next highest bidder. Make soccer available to all in our country to watch for free and watch the USA become a force to be reckoned with. It pains me to see how terrible we do compared to other countries

Or, you know, hard to charge full price with less than two months of the season left. It’s not that complicated.

 

[Zest28]

It’s not even fair. Even at his age, which is considered the tail end of a career, he is destroying his opponents. MLS defenders are poor. He made an insane pass last week to his teammate and no one marked him. They just stood around and left him alone. A pass back to him and goal.

I’d love to see what Mbappe would do here. Or even Harry Kane.

Mbappe, the guy who lost the world cup with the best squad in the world (France) against Messi?

Mbappe can bring the performance of the team down if you see how Mbappe doesn't get along with other players.

 

[robgreene]

You make a good point, I don't know about the subscriber numbers (don't even know if Apple makes them public), but it does make sense to provide a discount towards the end of the season.

Additionally I also forgot to mention a specific demographic, namely the die-hard Messi fans.

That said, I maintain that the plan would be more attractive if Apple manages to secure more rights.

The source on the numbers is Miami's owner, who shared via X:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1689758782828556288

 

[Skyscraperfan]

That is quite a high price for a league that still has to gain popularity. Most Americans only got interested in MLS when they heard that Messi had joined.

 

[Zest28]

That is quite a high price for a league that still has to gain popularity. Most Americans only got interested in MLS when they heard that Messi had joined.

Latino's account for 20% of the US population and Messi (who is also a latino) will pull them into MLS. Especially since soccer is a big sport in those type of countries.

I can see latino's spending this type of money no problem with Messi playing and that is a large audience.