MLS and Apple Recalibrate Streaming Deal, Shorten Term by 3.5 Years
MLS and Apple renegotiated their original 10-year, $2.5 billion streaming deal, shortening it by 3.5 years and eliminating the requirement for MLS Season Pass, making games available to all Apple TV subscribers at no extra cost. This decision, along with securing an additional $50 million for the league, aims to address challenges in audience growth and broad distribution for MLS.
Key Takeaways
- The original 10-year Apple deal, valued at $2.5 billion, was shortened and will now expire after the 2028-29 season, rather than 2032.
- MLS secured an additional $50 million under the renegotiated terms.
- The MLS Season Pass paywall was removed; all games are now included for existing Apple TV subscribers.
- Opening weekend viewership increased by 59% year-over-year following the revision.
Why It Matters
This renegotiation reflects MLS's efforts to balance revenue goals with audience growth and broader distribution, indicating that an exclusive streaming model behind an extra paywall proved too restrictive. The move to integrate MLS content directly into Apple TV's existing subscriber base aims to boost visibility and engagement. Going forward, watch for how this shift impacts subscriber activation for Apple TV, and the overall growth trajectory of MLS viewership as the league approaches its next media rights negotiation window after the 2028-29 season.
Additional Context
The renegotiated MLS-Apple deal, finalized in November 2025, sees Apple give up its option to terminate the original agreement after the 2027 season (Sportico, November 2025). The revised financial terms include MLS receiving $200 million for its 2026 season, $107.5 million for a shortened 2027 campaign, and $275 million each for the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons (Sportico, November 2025). MLS Commissioner Don Garber stated the changes were "very positive for us," though Apple SVP of Services Eddy Cue had previously expressed a desire for the MLS partnership to be "forever" (Sports Business Journal, November 2025). The league had not reached the undisclosed subscription threshold that would have triggered additional revenue from MLS Season Pass, suggesting the standalone product did not perform as expected (Sports Business Journal, February 2026). The shift makes MLS matches part of Apple TV's broader programming alongside original series, MLB, and F1, aiming for a simpler message and more direct access for fans (Sports Business Journal, February 2026). This earlier expiration means MLS will re-enter the media rights market on the heels of the NFL's anticipated renegotiations and concurrently with other major sports leagues, potentially facing a "traffic jam" for available revenue (Sports Business Journal, February 2026). The league's non-exclusive linear TV deals with Fox, Bell Media, and TelevisaUnivision expire after the 2026 season, and new agreements are expected to align with the revised Apple package (Sports Business Journal, February 2026). MLS is also moving to a summer-to-spring calendar starting July 2027 to align with FIFA and avoid conflicts with American football season, a move Garber called "one of the most important decisions in our history" (Sportico, November 2025).
Read full article at awfulannouncing.com
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