The Apple-MLS Deal Should Panic RSNs — and Will Restrict MLS Growth
Locking the vast majority of games away on a subscription tier — some will be available to Apple TV+ subscribers, a few will be simulcast on national TV — is less of a risk than a sport like NASCAR or the MLB. With a smaller audience base, the dedicated ones who are watching will be more passionate and likely to shell out for another subscription package.
But this, too, carries risk. Discoverability of the MLS is going to be more difficult, as considerably fewer games will be televised. Yes, Apple TV+ subs will get some games included, but unless Apple is counting on everyone who watches “Ted Lasso” to be converted into subscribers, growth will be hard to come by.
The MLS runs a real risk of audience stagnation. The U.S. is the major co-host of the 2026 World Cup, which would be expected to propel interest in a domestic league. Even if younger fans are more tech savvy and streaming adept, they may not wish to pay for an extra service to watch a league where quality has arguably gone backward in recent years.
The decision to launch a new streaming service to watch all games also suggests that the MLS, at the very least, believes its product is inelastic in demand. With cost-of-living expenses continually rising and a, many people will not have the means to plunk down what VIP+ estimates will be an additional $20-$30 a month.
The Apple-MLS deal does have some positives. Offering the service for free to season-ticket holders is a nice touch. Enabling games to be played in two windows on Saturdays and Wednesdays, versus the current hodgepodge to fit in with TV rights holders schedules, is another. It does offer the possibility of derailing the RSN gravy train, as well as shrinking the total MLS audience. Only the latter directly impacts the MLS, but it may well lead to rights being worth less when they are up in 2033.
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