Apple, MLS ending broadcast deal in 2029
Apple, MLS ending broadcast deal in 2029
The deal was to run through 2032, but the two sides have agreed to shorten the agreement for an early parting of ways.
It seems that the disappointment in the results of Apple’s landmark, 10-year deal to stream every MLS game is mutual. The league has reportedly agreed to shorten the agreement with Apple by three years, meaning it will now end in 2029. It’s the latest major change to a deal that has already evolved significantly since it was signed in 2022.
Key Details:
- We’re out: Apple and MLS have mutually agreed to end their deal in 2029.
- Small bump: MLS is getting slightly more than it would have been paid under the original agreement.
- Other changes: Last week, Apple announced it would sunset the MLS Season Pass streaming service and distribute games on Apple TV.
Sportico was first to report that Apple and MLS were ending their deal early. The updated deal includes some tinkering of the financial terms first agreed to by the two sides: MLS will now make around $50 million more than they originally were due to collect through June 2029 under the the first version of the agreement.
Another revision to the pact between MLS and Apple is the removal of a provision that allowed Apple to terminate the deal after the 2027 season. That contractual option could have left MLS in the lurch if it had been activated without warning, so the league now gets the security of knowing that it will have a broadcast partner through 2029.
The deal between Apple and MLS was seen as a potentially industry-changing one when it was first announced in 2022. MLS was the first league to embrace direct-to-consumer streaming as a main distributor, and Apple went the extra mile by crafting a new streaming service around MLS games called MLS Season Pass, complete with a mountain of shoulder programming and fan-friendly features.
But last week, Apple announced that MLS Season Pass would be shut down going into 2026, and all games will be made available to watch at no extra cost with an Apple TV subscription starting next year. As it turns out, that was just the first change to the deal between the two sides.
Will MLS head back to linear TV when its agreement with Apple ends in four years? At this point, I think it’s safe to assume it won’t be making as many of its games streaming exclusives, It once appeared that Apple and MLS were inseparable, but now the two sides are looking ahead to the early termination of their broadcast deal in 2029.
Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.