Apple wins exclusive rights for US "soccer" for 10 years!

Apple TV+ will become the broadcast platform for the North American football championship, or "soccer", a sport that is gaining momentum across the Atlantic. Thus, the American smartphone giant and a major player in video streaming were selected on Tuesday to broadcast all Major League Soccer (MLS) matches worldwide, including the North American football championship, from 2023 and for 10 years only to subscribers of its Apple TV+ streaming offer.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the 'Sports Business Journal' estimated the 10-year deal was valued at $250 million per season starting in 2023. Apple didn't say how the broadcast of matches would be billed to Apple TV+ customers. The Apple firm indicated that its subscribers at $ 4.99 per month would have access to "a wide selection of MLS and Leagues Cup matches, including some of the most important", at no additional cost. The group is also planning a paid offer for those who wish to see all the matches and broadcasts.

After baseball, football

This partnership is the second in the field of sports for Apple, which signed an exclusive agreement last March to broadcast in 8 countries the program "Friday Night Baseball" which provides commentary on Major League Baseball games every Friday during the season. For its part, Amazon acquired in March 2021 the exclusive rights to broadcast Thursday night games of the NFL, the American Football League, for 10 years from 2023.

Major League Soccer (MLS) matches are currently broadcast on ESPN (a subsidiary of Walt Disney), Univision, and Fox, an agreement that will end after the 2022 season.

Football ("soccer") is less popular in the United States than American football or baseball, but it is gaining notoriety, in particular thanks to the arrival in the championship of high-level international players.