Dive Brief:
- Apple TV is gearing up for the 30th season of Major League Soccer by offering exclusive content, new ways to watch and more expansive programming through its MLS Season Pass subscription plan, per a company announcement.
- Among the new features is the ability for Android users to download the Apple TV app from the Google Play app store. Android users can also subscribe to MLS Season Pass using their Google Play account.
- MLS Season Pass will also begin broadcasting a featured game of the week on Sunday evenings under the banner “Sunday Night Soccer.” Additionally, Apple has cemented a partnership with T-Mobile to offer select customers complimentary access to MLS Season Pass.
Dive Insight:
MLS is no doubt looking to this milestone year to grow hype for professional soccer, and so is Apple through its promotional effort. A heavy push for MLS Season Pass by the tech behemoth comes as the U.S. signals an interest in soccer, with 17% of Americans now claiming to be fans of the league, according to YouGov research. Meanwhile, MLS team sponsorship revenue last year grew 13% to $665 million, according to SponsorUnited.
A key element to Apple’s push is its Feb. 12 announcement that the Apple TV app is now available on Google Play for Android mobile devices, a move that was touted as a way for users to easily subscribe to Apple TV+ and MLS Season Pass. A more widespread availability of MLS Season Pass could help Apple TV drive new subscriptions, particularly considering that Android devices command the majority of the market share worldwide over iPhone devices.
Apple has also created special new content to kick off the season, including an exclusive interview with reigning MLS MVP Lionel Messi. Apple will also premiere an eight-part documentary series, “Onside: Major League Soccer,” that will recap the 2024 season.
Full-season programming will include a showcase game of the week under the banner “Sunday Night Soccer.” The inaugural “Sunday Night Soccer” match between San Diego FC and LA Galaxy will also broadcast live in New York’s Times Square.
Apple has also cemented a partnership with T-Mobile through which the mobile carrier’s pre- and post-paid customers can receive complimentary access to the MLS Season Pass through the brand’s T-Life app. Additionally, Apple has struck deals with DirecTV and Comcast’s Xfinity to offer MLS Season Pass access through their viewing platforms. Apple will offer free previews of the MLS Season Pass content through DirecTV and Xfinity for the first week of the season.
Other details that round out the effort include branded patches on the left sleeve of every team’s kit inspired by each club’s visual identities.
Apple paid $2.5 billion in 2022 for the exclusive rights to broadcast MLS games through the 2033 season. Also in an attempt to capture the attention of soccer fans, the MLS recently launched a campaign around the Super Bowl that featured rapper Doechii.
Apple’s announcements around its MLS Season Pass arrives the same week that the company unveiled its latest device, the iPhone 16e, a more budget friendly addition to its iPhone 16 lineup that still supports its Apple Intelligence artificial intelligence software.
