Apple Launches MLS Season Pass on Apple TV App Starting at $12.99 per Month

[MacRumors]

Apple today launched the new MLS Season Pass, with the new subscription service available to Major League Soccer fans in more than 100 countries and regions.

Available in the Apple TV app, the MLS Season Pass can be accessed on Apple devices, Smart TVs, consoles, set-top boxes, and on the web with the tv.apple.com website.

You don't need an Apple TV+ subscription to purchase the MLS Season Pass, but it's cheaper if you have one. Non-TV+ subscribers can pay $14.99 per month or $99 per season, whereas TV+ subscribers pay $12.99 per month or $79 per season.

MLS season ticket holders automatically get access to the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Through Family Sharing, up to six family members can share the subscription using their own Apple ID and password, and fans can ask Siri a wide variety of questions related to MLS, including schedules, scores, standings, club rosters, and player stats.

The Season Pass includes every live MLS regular-season match, the playoffs, and the Leagues Cup, with no blackouts. There is also a free selection of pre-season on-demand content to get fans hyped up for the new season.

The MLS 2023 regular season begins on February 25, with the 2022 MLS Cup champions Los Angeles FC to face off against the LA Galaxy at the Rose Bowl Stadium. All matches during the opening weekend will be free to watch through the ‌Apple TV‌ app. More information on free matches can be found by visiting the full 2023 MLS season schedule.

From Apple's press release:

"Having accessibility is huge for the sport. It's going to help grow MLS not only domestically, but internationally. You'll have eyes all over watching our games," said Kellyn Acosta, Los Angeles Football Club's midfielder. "We talk about how we want the league to continue to grow and bridge the gap in comparison with other leagues, and I think having this Apple partnership is a step in the right direction. Leading into the World Cup in 2026, you want to build momentum and gain more exposure, and I think this partnership is going to truly be beautiful. I know my family is excited to have all the games in one place, and I think it’s going to be huge for the league and for the sport in the US."

When the season kicks off, fans can visit Apple Maps to explore dedicated Match Day Guides created by MLS clubs, including Atlanta United, Nashville SC, and Toronto FC, and find recommendations for local bars and restaurants to catch a game, detailed information about their stadiums, and more.

Apple Maps is also launching several new custom-designed three-dimensional landmarks of MLS Stadiums in time for the season openers, including Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey; Lumen Field in Seattle; and Audi Field in Washington, D.C.

The Season Pass is the result of a deal between Apple and Major League Soccer for a 10-year partnership. All 29 MLS clubs now have an ‌Apple TV‌ patch in a different color to mark the agreement.

Article Link: Apple Launches MLS Season Pass on Apple TV App Starting at $12.99 per Month

 

[tomtad]

Hopefully can also get some Major Leeds Soccer soon if Apple start showing the Premier League!

 

[boak]

They must be aiming to upsell. New customers might think that they might as well sign up for Apple TV+ at just an additional $4.99/month.

 

[pero33]

Most sports in US are boring but Nascar would be nice to have in Apple TC+.

 

[heystu]

"Oooh look another subscription! I'll have me some of that!"...said nobody, ever.

C'mon I thought us paying £32.95 (UK) for Apple One got us all inclusive.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Most sports in US are boring but Nascar would be nice to have in Apple TC+.

NASCAR is the very definition of monotony.

 

[kbeez34]

Wow. Swing and a miss, eh Apple? I think they’ve overestimated the US interest in soccer (does the rest of the world care about our MLS?) but I’m sure the fans are disappointed (and any overseas fans who were hoping for better). Considering Peacock for $4.99 includes all the content they do AND the Premier League - I don’t see how Apple thinks they can justify $12.99 or $14.99 (or even the $79/$99) a month for this standalone sub. I figured this deal would just have MLS included in TV+ or expected maybe a slight increase in monthly membership to cover this but can’t see Apple making their money back here..

 

[oris]

Too expensive, compared to espn+ 9.99 vs 14.99 and ESPN+ has all major sports / leagues

 

[heystu]

Wow. Swing and a miss, eh Apple? I think they’ve overestimated the US interest in soccer (does the rest of the world care about our MLS?) but I’m sure the fans are disappointed (and any overseas fans who were hoping for better). Considering Peacock for $4.99 includes all the content they do AND the Premier League - I don’t see how Apple thinks they can justify $12.99 or $14.99 (or even the $79/$99) a month for this standalone sub. I figured this deal would just have MLS included in TV+ or expected maybe a slight increase in monthly membership to cover this but can’t see Apple making their money back here..

Spot on! Like it or not the Premier League is where it's at, I can't see Apple gaining many non-US subscribers here.

 

[FloridaScrubJay]

I will pass on this Pass.

 

[NightFox]

Wow. Swing and a miss, eh Apple? I think they’ve overestimated the US interest in soccer (does the rest of the world care about our MLS?) but I’m sure the fans are disappointed (and any overseas fans who were hoping for better). Considering Peacock for $4.99 includes all the content they do AND the Premier League - I don’t see how Apple thinks they can justify $12.99 or $14.99 (or even the $79/$99) a month for this standalone sub. I figured this deal would just have MLS included in TV+ or expected maybe a slight increase in monthly membership to cover this but can’t see Apple making their money back here..

Time will tell, but I know people here in the UK who will do anything for their fix of football between Premier League matches - if the Lithuanian U14s Wednesday Night League was televised, they'd pay to watch it.

 

[djplong]

Comparing MLS's US price to what you get on Peacock for the Premier League is forgetting that Peacock has an ad-supported tier and that the price in the UK for the Premier League is higher. The PL is cheaper here because they don't have millions of "hometown fans" whereas MLS is the local brand here.

If Apple is charging the same amount overseas, now THAT is a miscalculation. MLS is just starting to get over it's reputation as a "retirement league" for older Premier, Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga players and seems to be on par with many of the European "second" divisions in their pyramids.

One other thing - Apple is going to have to get WAY better at their "wrap up" shows. If their example of what they did for a daily MLB show is indicative of what we can expect for MLS, I'll be very disappointed. Their MLB "morning after" show was AWFUL. You had a host that only did an intro and outro - the same words every day - same outfit - like they just tacked on the few seconds on either end in Final Cut Pro. No editing to set up the clips. Nothing. Just a mishmash of clips from each game. I sent them an email, complaining, and suggested they watch some episode of MLB Network's "Quick Pitch" for an example of how to do it WAY better.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I am not really a soccer fan although I watched some last year. I would like to see Apple offer the NHL pass.

 

[alchemistmuffin]

You don't need an Apple TV+ subscription to purchase the MLS Season Pass, but it's cheaper if you have one. Non-TV+ subscribers can pay $14.99 per month or $99 per season, whereas TV+ subscribers pay $12.99 per month or $79 per season.

Note that Apple originally wanted to offer the deal at no extra charge to all Apple TV+ subscribers, but league forced Apple to charge for the service, from what I heard from industrial rumor mill.

Apple only agreed to the deal if it got full control of production for all outlet (including ones for broadcast TV) so Apple is taking a massive gamble on doing everything with camera work and studio show. (Friday Night Baseball is mainly produced by MLB Network, with Apple providing the graphics and ad times, so this would be industry first that major tech company is doing all the sports production from scratch)

So essentially, Apple and MLS better not %#!$ it up with the production for a service with a production model that’s untested. But if gamble pays off, would not be surprised if Amazon and other streaming services owned by major tech company follow suit for sports.

 

[syklee26]

And fanboys thought Apple would provide NFL Sunday Ticket for free….

 

[il_teo77]

Let me know when the turn of the NHL or, even better, the Swiss hockey championship comes on. That might interest me. Jokes aside. Good for them and for US soccer fans. Hope the product is on par with Apple's standards.

 

[riverfreak]

Wow.

This really seems like a streaming-era sports season pass done right, including enhanced content, all the local tie ins, the free-for-season-ticket-holders deal, availability across many devices, etc.

Whether or not you like soccer, think MLS will have much interest outside North America, or are vehemently against shelling out a tiny amount of money for any subscription at all, even one that doesn’t tie you in indefinitely, it looks like Apple is getting this right.

Darn shame they couldn’t land the NFL deal.

 

[newyorksole]

this is awesome for MLS fans.

I still wish Apple figured out NFL Sunday Ticket. that would’ve been awesome. ah well.

 

[wanha]

And fanboys thought Apple would provide NFL Sunday Ticket for free….

My boy, you get an A+ for gaslighting.

All reports - including those posted on this very site - reported that the very reason talks between Apple and the NFL failed was because Apple insisted on the NFL Sunday Ticket being included in the $6.99/month.

From the article quoted on MR a few months ago:

"Pricing is also said to have been a sticking point, with Apple wanting to fold Sunday Ticket access into the $6.99 cost of an Apple TV+ subscription."

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I’ll just watch it on YouTube for free.

 

[ghostface147]

Damn I read it as MLB….lol.

 

[addictive]

The fact Apple was able to negotiate with MLS for an entire season pass with no blackouts and for the rights to include 100 countries and regions suggests to me that Apple is using MLS as a test case before attempting to acquire the same rights elsewhere.

Apple decided against bidding for NFL rights because the NFL prefers to split the rights between multiple networks and not have one channel/streaming service broadcast everything. Apple had a set of demands that were not acceptable to the NFL.

If Apple deems their rights acquisition of MLS a success then I imagine they will be able to show other sports organisations how their product could flourish further with Apple as their one and only broadcast partner.

The NBA is globally popular. The English Premier League (football/soccer) is globally popular. At the moment these sports sell their rights to individual stations/channels in each country.

For the consumer it could be far easier to purchase a season pass to follow the league they want to watch.

This seems to be the future of sports broadcasting in the future.

In the end it will all come down to money and who is willing to pay the most to these sports leagues.

I expect Apple to shake up the sports broadcasting industry and they'll do it when they feel they can make the biggest splash and that will be being the global broadcast partner for the NBA and/or the English Premier League.

 

[profets]

Can't really expect all sports (or preferred ones) at once. But one step at a time, good to see some additions like this.

I used to follow MLS some years back, and even paid for a subscription of sorts (in Canada). $79 for the season doesn't seem like a bad option.

But yeah, some champions league, EPL, Serie A would be so nice. Though I do get the latter two through Fubo for 99 CAD/year which is quite good and works on all apple devices.

 

[syklee26]

My boy, you get an A+ for gaslighting.

All reports - including those posted on this very site - reported that the very reason talks between Apple and the NFL failed was because Apple insisted on the NFL Sunday Ticket being included in the $6.99/month.

From the article quoted on MR a few months ago:

"Pricing is also said to have been a sticking point, with Apple wanting to fold Sunday Ticket access into the $6.99 cost of an Apple TV+ subscription."

It doesn’t say anything about whether that would be a promotional offer or permanent.

Do you really think it makes any sense to offer 6th most popular sports at additional $12.99 a month while the most popular sports at no extra charge?

 

[jlc1978]

Most sports in US are boring but Nascar would be nice to have in Apple TC+.

Identical cars running in circles? Not my idea of racing, give me a road course any day; but is definitely popular and big bucks.

Wow. Swing and a miss, eh Apple? I think they’ve overestimated the US interest in soccer

I know some MLS fans and they are pretty diehard. This adds games they can't see in person.

One other thing - Apple is going to have to get WAY better at their "wrap up" shows.

Ted Lasso.

So essentially, Apple and MLS better not %#!$ it up with the production for a service with a production model that’s untested.

This gives Apple a relative inexpensive, compared to other sports, way to develop and test creating production facility. If it works, other sports will be easier to convince to let Apple do it their way. It'll be interesting to see if Apple get after the World Cup when it returns to the US.

The fact Apple was able to negotiate with MLS for an entire season pass with no blackouts and for the rights to include 100 countries and regions suggests to me that Apple is using MLS as a test case before attempting to acquire the same rights elsewhere.

I agree. A relatively inexpensive way to build capacity for the future.