Apple TV Plus, MLS strike landmark streaming rights deal

The only way to see Chicago Fire games in 2023 in beyond is through an Apple TV + subscription.

Deal is for a decade; RSNs, WGN-TV odd men out 

In a landmark rights deal, Major League Soccer announced Tuesday they are shifting all of their rights to Apple TV Plus, reportedly in a ten-year, $2.5 billion pact. This means every single game is going to be streamed and produced by Apple TV Plus –  usurping any existing local or national deal MLS teams had in both the United States and Canada. Like other MLS teams, the Chicago Fire announced the news: 

 

In addition to every MLS game, the deal calls for a dedicated MLS streaming channel; tons of on-demand content for fans; League Cup matches; a live weekly whip-around show and pre, post, and halftime game shows for every contest; and all games featuring U.S. teams will have either a English-language or Spanish-language feed as French-language feeds would also be available to Canadian teams. All contests are free of blackout restrictions and would be seen globally. 

The new streaming deal doesn’t mean all games are exclusive to Apple TV – the streaming giant is negotiating with existing rights holders Fox, Univision, and ESPN to sublicense a few games to linear TV, but everything would be produced by Apple TV and stream on their platform. Pricing and other details will be announced in the coming months, but it is expected to become a separate add-on, meaning you’ll have to pay an extra fee to access MLS on top of the subscription fee to access Apple TV content. An added perk is if you are a season-ticket holder to any MLS team, you get Apple TV’s MLS package for free. 

“For the first time in the history of sports, fans will be able to access everything from a major professional sports league in one place,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services in a statement. “It’s a dream come true for MLS fans, soccer fans, and anyone who loves sports. No fragmentation, no frustration — just the flexibility to sign up for one convenient service that gives you everything MLS, anywhere and anytime you want to watch. We can’t wait to make it easy for even more people to fall in love with MLS and root for their favorite club.”

Chicago Fire soccer games are likely no longer airing on WGN-TV after this season thanks to MLS’ exclusive deal with Apple TV +.

This is the latest victory for Apple, who recently scored an exclusive package of Friday night MLB baseball games for its streaming service and is rumored to be interested on NFL’s Sunday Ticket package, whose deal with DirecTV expires after this season. It also signals a continuing shift of major properties from linear TV to streaming. 

Apple’s deal with MLS is bad news for regional sports networks and local broadcasters who held rights – including Nexstar-owned independent WGN-TV, who’ll lose rights to Fire games unless they can strike some kind a deal with Apple to keep games on local TV here. WGN made a deal to carry Fire games in the first place to compensate for the loss of Cubs games after 71 years and other pro teams when they defected to cable TV. The Fire was roundly criticized for making a deal with streamer ESPN Plus a few years ago, but reception to the Apple deal among local fans was more mixed, proving streaming is becoming more acceptable. WGN officials have yet to comment on the news. 

A league recapturing all broadcast rights isn’t new; in 1962, the National Football League and CBS recaptured rights from local teams in order to grow their national footprint. Between 1956 and 1961, CBS had to negotiate with each team in order to broadcast games into their home markets and other regional areas. 

This new deal creates a barrier for some fans who either can’t afford or want to pay for another subscription service. Moreover, this could have an impact as the digital divide continues to be an issue. Numerous soccer fans reside in Latino neighborhoods in Chicago where many residents do not have access to high-speed internet or none at all. For example, the South Lawndale community area (also known as Little Village) has the highest concentration of Latino residents in the city, but yet only 70 percent of households have internet and just 64 percent have a high-speed connection. 

While this is a positive for Apple TV and the MLS, the league is sacrificing reach for a bigger payday. And this was announced a week after a WTTW/Pro Publica investigation over the Fire owner – with help from the city – is buying land earmarked for affordable housing on the Near West Side to build a practice facility for his soccer team. And all of this for a league whose games won’t be available to many viewers throughout the Chicago area, especially in the neighborhood where the facility is being built.

But at least for more affluent MLS fans, it’s a dream come true.

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