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Apple TV to Be Exclusive Home of Major League Soccer Starting in 2023
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I find it a little unusual that you’re getting into rugby but can’t stand American football, since American football is a gridiron game, which is derived from rugby. I’m guessing that there’s something about the play style that’s different, and that’s why you prefer rugby? I can understand getting into cricket, there’s something about the athleticism of test matches that’s pretty impressive. Even if you’re not running full blast every minute of play, test cricket is basically a full time job, at least for the test weeks.
If MLS is worth $2.5B, Premier League must be ten times as much. I think we’ll get there, but not immediately. It’s clear that Apple is testing the waters.
Well, at least with soccer half the game isn't spent watching a player adjust his gloves, his helmet, his elbow guard, spit, scratch his balls, and check his email before every pitch. In contrast, the action is nearly constant in soccer.
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I find American football… slow. Full of interruptions that slow down the pace. Then you have offense and defense teams that keep switching. In rugby you don’t have as many interruptions and the players are virtually the same for the whole match (I believe up to 8 subs in the entire game) I don’t know how to explain it, American football just doesn’t click with me. Ultimately not a big deal, people like different things.
Good luck to MLS if they're gonna force fans of all teams to subscribe to yet another service...
People are growing tired of being asked to subscribe to everything.
People are growing tired of being asked to subscribe to everything.
As an NYCFC fan this was my first initial thought. The plus about this is the no blackout in local markets but how many people are gonna want to sign up for another streaming service for this. Like you said football (soccer) in the US isn’t as big as other countries so it’s tough to grow the sport when it’s only available to watch in one place.
You forgot the spit.
I don’t think that sports that are so different should be compared this way. Baseball is basically a duel, with a supporting team. Soccer is a full fledged team sport. Different beasts. It’s like comparing Scrabble and Chess.
Not a big soccer fan but this is no doubt huge for Apple. Got to give them credit
Not my thing, but I’m glad to see Apple is taking Apple TV+ seriously. I still think they should buy some studios like A24 or Sony, so they can be a real player in the streaming space.
Nah, I totally understand what you’re saying. Rugby has a much faster rate of play than football, less downtime. I have yet to see a pro hockey or pro (American)* football game in person, but I can imagine that the high degree of stoppages of play in football leave it feeling more like baseball than basketball. (I’ve seen college football, but pretty much the only college football games I’ve seen were while I was in the marching band, so I was part of the downtime entertainment.)
* I saw an MLS game, NYCFC vs Boston, last summer in person. So yes, that’s a clarifying statement I need to make!
Edit: Downtime entertainment is an issue when watching games on TV. I generally don’t do sports on my own but enjoy participating in and watching them as part of a social activity. I’ve noticed that, in person, most pro sports have a lot of lights and sounds (not to mention, the cheering fans), and then there’s the food and drink. Watching on TV by myself is something I’d only do if I’m really into the team and they’re doing well. And, even then, that’s being motivated by a social factor (the desire to share the experience with other fans).
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Football is the most popular sport in the world, but MLS is certainly not even close. It was low hanging fruit for apple.You seem to ignore that football (a.k.a. soccer) is by far the most popular sport all over the world.
I do hope that the feed will be available to all non-US viewers too.
I mean no disrespect to your opinion, though. It is all just a matter of taste and were you grow up.
Fair..
But it’s also fair that there is just a ton of nothing going on in MLS games also…
And of course the obligatory “people crying on the ground” about an injustice that may not even have occurred.
Curious to see the cost. I pay $130 a year for MLB.tv to follow my childhood team now that I have moved away. Even at $130 games can still get blacked out. Maybe, JUST MAYBE, this will encourage other leagues to look at blackout restrictions.
Called it.
Then there are people who can't see the strategy....
How'd you like them 's. 👀
Then there are people who can't see the strategy....
How'd you like them 's. 👀
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As an MLS fan this is amazing news! Especially because I have experienced not being able to watch my own team because the game is blacked out locally...even when I have paid for every available service I can to watch games! It's been a huge mess for years trying to find where I can watch a game. I welcome this being centralized with Apple and hopefully it provides a better experience to watch any MLS game I want.
To all of you complaining about "MLS" and the old tired argument of "soccer is boring"...if you don't like it or even follow it then I wouldn't expect you to care or understand. Soccer has a huge following in America that is steadily rising thanks to MLS. Some get it, some don't.
To all of you complaining about "MLS" and the old tired argument of "soccer is boring"...if you don't like it or even follow it then I wouldn't expect you to care or understand. Soccer has a huge following in America that is steadily rising thanks to MLS. Some get it, some don't.
I wonder if these games will be in 4K HDR? That would be a nice benefit if they were.
It would be nice if they go the whole nine yards and stream the World Football (soccer) Cup to be held in Qatar in Nov/Dec this year.
THEN everybody will see how popular this game is and how many more zillion AppleTVs will be sold because of this.
No need to thank me for the advice, Tim!!!
THEN everybody will see how popular this game is and how many more zillion AppleTVs will be sold because of this.
No need to thank me for the advice, Tim!!!
So far Apple TV+'s sports have been very US-centered. Would be interesting to see them pick up a major European competition. Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Eredivisie come to mind.
Well, Apple is a US based company. I wouldn’t be surprised if their first big forays into international sports are some sort of deal with the NBA or the NHL, since those are both sports with some regional popularity abroad (and the NBA is a huge sport in the states) and they’re both the top leagues globally for those sports.
Well seeing how MLS games are starting to have more spectators than the NHL, and even some MLB games. By accounts the higher ups in the NHL are near panic of being kicked out of the top four as a result.