MLS on Apple TV

[Sean Miller Fan]

ESPN, has, over the years, quietly gotten out of the soccer business. There was a time when they had MLS, World Cup, Euros, USMNT, EPL, and Champions League. Of those, they just have the Euros left. It comes as no surprise they let Taylor Twellman since they didn't bid seriously for USMNT/USWNT and MLS. For the 1st time, US Soccer separated MLS from USMNT/USWNT. Turner won the national team rights while Fox won the MLS TV deal. MLS also bid out all the "local market games" which you would normally watch on your local cable sports channel. Apple TV won those rights for $250 million per year. They are charging $79 person season for Apple TV subscribers but its free if you are a season ticket holder for a club. So no more games on Fox Sports Ohio or Bally Sports South or whatever. EVERY game is on Apple TV and of those games, some will also be shown on Fox. Twellman had some anti-ESPN thoughts on this.

Taylor Twellman excited to not 'have to scrape, claw, beg for airtime' after leaving ESPN for Apple

After 13 years at ESPN, Taylor Twellman is excited to not "have to scrape, claw, beg for airtime" now that he's part of Apple's MLS broadcast team.

awfulannouncing.com

 

[Fk_Pitt]

ESPN, has, over the years, quietly gotten out of the soccer business. Twellman had some anti-ESPN thoughts on this.

Yeah we had a thread about this a few months back. ESPN soccer absolutely sucks. Everything on their platform is bush league. I don’t click on their online content via their app and I don’t watch their studio stuff during FA Cup and English Championship matches. Craig Burley, who is actually a former Chelsea player, is unwatchable, and so are all the others. But at least they were smart enough to limit Twellmans air time. He sucks worse.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Yeah we had a thread about this a few months back. ESPN soccer absolutely sucks. Everything on their platform is bush league. I don’t click on their online content via their app and I don’t watch their studio stuff during FA Cup and English Championship matches. Craig Burley, who is actually a former Chelsea player, is unwatchable, and so are all the others. But at least they were smart enough to limit Twellmans air time. He sucks worse.

Still sad to see soccer leaving ESPN. I thought they covered the sport well when no one else did. I actually like Burley and Twellman. I like their negativity and critical nature.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

But at least they were smart enough to limit Twellmans air time. He sucks worse.

Apple announced some of their new hires today. Taylor Twellman was among them.

Luckily for me, I do not have Apple tv.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Apple announced some of their new hires today. Taylor Twellman was among them.

Luckily for me, I do not have Apple tv.

Even if you did, you still couldn't watch MLS without their season pass for $79. So basically if you are like an FC Dallas fan and want to watch the team play on TV, your 2 options are:

Get Apple TV and pay $79/year for all MLS games

Dont get Apple TV and pay $99/year for all MLS games.

They wont be on Fox Sports Southwest or whatever local RSN they used to be on.

MLS is very very niche, I get it. But locking out a large portion of the local populations who arent going to buy this package isnt a great way to grow the league. Lets say the NHL did this. As popular as the Penguins are here, how many of you would buy an NHL package if that was the only way to watch them?

 

[JD1976]

The first Warner/HBO Max broadcast of US Soccer aired last night with the women’s game at New Zealand. Perhaps it was because the game was being done remotely, but the production quality was very poor. I was streaming NHL games on the same internet and device just before and the clarity and picture quality difference was noticeable. Hopefully it improves.

Also, while they may not win the World Cup this summer, I am loving the new generation of the US women. Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Naomi Girma, Taylor Kornieck and Rose Lavelle (not new but still young) are dynamic, fun to watch and a breath of fresh air from the woke era of Rapinoe, Christen Press, etc. Rapinoe will still be around, but the youth is very likeable and fun to watch. Even SMF might enjoy this new wave.

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

Apple TV seems so unfitting for MLS, and really soccer. A sports network should be able to build a hell of a product to improve viewership. I hate MLS, and will not watch it. But I’ll watch any EPL game and even college game. ESPN should have been able to build soccer as a high priority and kept as much as possible on their network. I just think it’s odd to see it on Apple TV. Kind of odd to see EPL on peacock, but I watch it there.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The first Warner/HBO Max broadcast of US Soccer aired last night with the women’s game at New Zealand. Perhaps it was because the game was being done remotely, but the production quality was very poor. I was streaming NHL games on the same internet and device just before and the clarity and picture quality difference was noticeable. Hopefully it improves.

Also, while they may not win the World Cup this summer, I am loving the new generation of the US women. Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Naomi Girma, Taylor Kornieck and Rose Lavelle (not new but still young) are dynamic, fun to watch and a breath of fresh air from the woke era of Rapinoe, Christen Press, etc. Rapinoe will still be around, but the youth is very likeable and fun to watch. Even SMF might enjoy this new wave.

I turned it on for a minute just to see what it looked like on HBO Max. It seemed to me that they just picked up the New Zealand TV Channel's feed. Also, I think the HBO deal is only for home games. When the US plays on the road, that home federation can bid the game out to whoever pays the most. So I guess its possible that ESPN and other networks can land US road games.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Apple TV seems so unfitting for MLS, and really soccer. A sports network should be able to build a hell of a product to improve viewership. I hate MLS, and will not watch it. But I’ll watch any EPL game and even college game. ESPN should have been able to build soccer as a high priority and kept as much as possible on their network. I just think it’s odd to see it on Apple TV. Kind of odd to see EPL on peacock, but I watch it there.

Well, stream-only's are the way things are going and I think that's ok for leagues with large audiences like the NFL or college football. But for the MLS, how many soccer fans in North Texas who aren't necessarily huge FC Dallas fans are going to buy the MLS package to watch FCD? The answer is maybe like 4 people. And for a niche league, that's not good. They need that 8 year old kid watching FC Dallas vs Colorado to build their fanbase.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

The first Warner/HBO Max broadcast of US Soccer aired last night with the women’s game at New Zealand. Perhaps it was because the game was being done remotely, but the production quality was very poor. I was streaming NHL games on the same internet and device just before and the clarity and picture quality difference was noticeable. Hopefully it improves.

Also, while they may not win the World Cup this summer, I am loving the new generation of the US women. Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Naomi Girma, Taylor Kornieck and Rose Lavelle (not new but still young) are dynamic, fun to watch and a breath of fresh air from the woke era of Rapinoe, Christen Press, etc. Rapinoe will still be around, but the youth is very likeable and fun to watch. Even SMF might enjoy this new wave.

She will be around long enough to poison the locker room.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Speaking of Apple TV, they have a 4 part docuseries on the Super League that launched this month. It talks a lot about the Saudi/oil money in football.

 

[NCPnthr05]

As a season ticket holder for Charlotte FC, this is a welcomed benefit!

 

[Pitt79]

Even if you did, you still couldn't watch MLS without their season pass for $79. So basically if you are like an FC Dallas fan and want to watch the team play on TV, your 2 options are:

Get Apple TV and pay $79/year for all MLS games

Dont get Apple TV and pay $99/year for all MLS games.

They wont be on Fox Sports Southwest or whatever local RSN they used to be on.

MLS is very very niche, I get it. But locking out a large portion of the local populations who arent going to buy this package isnt a great way to grow the league. Lets say the NHL did this. As popular as the Penguins are here, how many of you would buy an NHL package if that was the only way to watch them?

I've been a DC United fan since MLS started in 1996, and I have probably watched at least a dozen games every year, since it was on NBC Sports Washington and that was always a local channel to me, never needed any special effort to watch their games, with this, they probably lose me as an engaged fan who watches any games. I personally think they'll lose a lot of local casual fans, in an area where youth soccer is extremely popular.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I've been a DC United fan since MLS started in 1996, and I have probably watched at least a dozen games every year, since it was on NBC Sports Washington and that was always a local channel to me, never needed any special effort to watch their games, with this, they probably lose me as an engaged fan who watches any games. I personally think they'll lose a lot of local casual fans, in an area where youth soccer is extremely popular.

Yea, your days of watching DC United are over. They'll probably be on Fox/FS1 a few times this year but beyond that, you are going to have to pay to stream them and unless you are a diehard fan, which you are not, you arent going to pay. So hundreds of thousands of casual DC United fans will never get to see them play. I dont understand why they decided to go ultra-niche.

 

[Pitt79]

Yea, your days of watching DC United are over. They'll probably be on Fox/FS1 a few times this year but beyond that, you are going to have to pay to stream them and unless you are a diehard fan, which you are not, you arent going to pay. So hundreds of thousands of casual DC United fans will never get to see them play. I dont understand why they decided to go ultra-niche.

Totally agree with you on this. I Liked having A TEAM in this league that was MY team, that I could watch once a week or so, like I watch the Steelers, and get to know the players, see the rookies come up from the farm club, and coaches and have a rooting interest in the games. But I'm not interested in buying an MLS package where I will watch only a very small % of the games. That's part of why I have liked MLS, because I had a team that I felt like a fan of, I even have a DC Wayne Rooney jersey t shirt. To me in any sport, rooting interest always matters more than quality of play, I'm not into gambling, so having a favorite team really helps me hold interest and watch an entire game. But this likely kills it for me. I may watch an MLS game on Fox sometimes, but I'll be way less engaged in it without the DC United weekly games that I've been used to, and I didn't even watch every one.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Yea, your days of watching DC United are over. They'll probably be on Fox/FS1 a few times this year but beyond that, you are going to have to pay to stream them and unless you are a diehard fan, which you are not, you arent going to pay.

Surprise, surprise, you have no idea how the deal is going to work, even though you were the one who posted about it in the first place.

In every game window there will be streaming games available for free. For instance the plan is that for the Wednesdays that everyone is playing, there will be six games available for streaming outside the paywall. On Saturdays there will be four, in addition to the games that will be shown on the Fox Channels. So basically in every television window there will be 14 games shown, six of them will be available for free and eight of them will be behind the paywall.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Surprise, surprise, you have no idea how the deal is going to work, even though you were the one who posted about it in the first place.

In every game window there will be streaming games available for free. For instance the plan is that for the Wednesdays that everyone is playing, there will be six games available for streaming outside the paywall. On Saturdays there will be four, in addition to the games that will be shown on the Fox Channels. So basically in every television window there will be 14 games shown, six of them will be available for free and eight of them will be behind the paywall.

Link?

I have read several articles and none have said that.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Link?

I have read several articles and none have said that.

You probably haven't heard about it because you are apparently just finding out now about the deal that was done months ago. Here's a little chart that shows you what's going to happen:

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

You probably haven't heard about it because you are apparently just finding out now about the deal that was done months ago. Here's a little chart that shows you what's going to happen:

This is why I have you!

So if someone has Apple TV but doesn't subscribe to the MLS package, they can watch:

2 games per weekend on Fox/FS1 (Sat/Sun)

4 games per Saturday on Apple TV

Once a month on a Wednesday, you can watch 6 games on Apple TV

So for someone like Pitt79, if he has Apple TV, he can watch maybe like 25%-35% of DC United's games as opposed to 100% last year.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

This is why I have you!

So if someone has Apple TV but doesn't subscribe to the MLS package, they can watch:

2 games per weekend on Fox/FS1 (Sat/Sun)

4 games per Saturday on Apple TV

Once a month on a Wednesday, you can watch 6 games on Apple TV

So for someone like Pitt79, if he has Apple TV, he can watch maybe like 25%-35% of DC United's games as opposed to 100% last year.

I agree, you have me to correct all of your nonsense with the actual facts.


In any event, if the games are evenly divided, and who knows if that will be the case or not, then he, or anyone else, should be able to see 6 out of every 14 games, or in other words 43% of them.

Or to put it another way, 43% more than you thought someone would be able to watch.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I agree, you have me to correct all of your nonsense with the actual facts.


In any event, if the games are evenly divided, and who knows if that will be the case or not, then he, or anyone else, should be able to see 6 out of every 14 games, or in other words 43% of them.

Or to put it another way, 43% more than you thought someone would be able to watch.

I want to watch Miami Messi as much as possible but all their games say MLS Season Pass. Do we know which ones will be available for "free" for Apple TV subscribers? Also, this Leagues Cup is a cool idea. I like how MLS and Liga MX are taking a break from their seasons to do this. It ensures 1st team players will play instead of being "saved" as you saw when they tried different variations of this in the past. I'm going to try to watch some of this and its all on Season Pass I believe. Might go to Club America @ Columbus if prices come down.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I want to watch Miami Messi as much as possible but all their games say MLS Season Pass. Do we know which ones will be available for "free" for Apple TV subscribers?

So you want to watch him as much as possible, except if you have to pay for it?

Yeah, that's par for the course.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

So you want to watch him as much as possible, except if you have to pay for it?

Yeah, that's par for the course.

I will pay for it but I'm trying to figure out how many games will just be on Apple TV for free. He only plays 12 games plus the Leagues Cup so if most are going to be on Apple TV for free to Apple TV subscribers then I'm not buying Season Pass for 3 games.

 

[brdst11]

I will pay for it but I'm trying to figure out how many games will just be on Apple TV for free. He only plays 12 games plus the Leagues Cup so if most are going to be on Apple TV for free to Apple TV subscribers then I'm not buying Season Pass for 3 games.

Looks like it's also on TUDN in Spanish if you get that.

How to watch, stream Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut vs. Cruz Azul

The stage is set for Lionel Messi to debut with Inter Miami, which hosts Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium on Friday to kick off the Leagues Cup tournament. The...

www.dallasnews.com

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Looks like it's also on TUDN in Spanish if you get that.

How to watch, stream Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut vs. Cruz Azul

The stage is set for Lionel Messi to debut with Inter Miami, which hosts Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium on Friday to kick off the Leagues Cup tournament. The...

www.dallasnews.com

Yea I do but I want to buy Season Pass if enough games arent on regular Apple TV but there doesn't seem to be a listing of which games are offered for free and which you need Season Pass for. Maybe that is by design?

 

[NCPnthr05]

I dont think there will be that many that are free to watch

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I dont think there will be that many that are free to watch

I got the Season Pass last night in advance of Friday's Messi debut to watch MLS vs Arsenal. Total Arsenal domination but I expected that when I only heard of half the MLS players. The league may be bigger and deeper but is completely void of top-endish talent. I remember an ASG a few years ago when they rolled out a team full of legends like David Villa, Pirlo, Henry, Dempsey, etc. The MLS team was more identifiable than the one they played. They lost but the game was fairly even, at least in the 1st Half. BTW, how did we miss that Argentina had an MLS player on its WC winner? Thiago Almada played vs Poland in the WC. That is crazy.

The Apple broadcast was pretty good, I like Taylor Twellman though. And Maurice Edu is that dude that you see everywhere. How does he work for Fox, CBS, and Apple? He's good though. What I hated is that I time shifted part of it so I turned it off in the 30th minute and then went back in later and when I turned on the Apple TV app, it shows the score is 3-0. Really? Do you honestly need to show the score on the main page? You know I turned it off in the 30th minute. Even if you didnt, dont you realize people time shift these events.

The DC field was the worst I've ever seen. Probably too much XFL football played there. Looked like a Central American field or a field they just laid grass over turf. Put on Chelsea/Wrexham after and that surface laid right over turf looked and played much better.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

BTW, how did we miss that Argentina had an MLS player on its WC winner? Thiago Almada played vs Poland in the WC. That is crazy.

You misspelled "I".

Which is odd, considering it is only one letter.