Apple TV will be breaking new ground this Saturday, May 23, by streaming a special live Major League Soccer match captured exclusively on iPhone 17 Pro.

The streamer is billing the production as "the first time that iPhones will be used to capture the entirety of a major professional live sporting event broadcast."

The milestone broadcast will feature the LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo FC streaming live on Apple TV from Dignity Health Sports Park during the final weekend of MLS play before the regular season pauses for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

iPhone 17 Pro will capture live footage throughout the match, including team warmups on the pitch, player introductions, in-net goal angles, and the atmosphere inside the stadium. A total of 15 iPhones will be used in the production.

With iPhone cameras positioned throughout the venue, Apple reported that the broadcast will deliver the pristine video quality fans expect, alongside dynamic new perspectives that bring viewers closer to the action, made possible by the small form factor of iPhone.

The move to capture an match entirely on iPhones builds on extensive work by Apple TV in using the smartphones for production.

Apple TV first incorporated iPhone into a live sports broadcast workflow during a September 2025 “Friday Night Baseball” matchup between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers.

During that game it used iPhone 17 Pro to capture select moments from the game and cinematic in-stadium footage. The milestone production earned recognition from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, which added an iPhone used in the broadcast to its permanent collection.

iPhone 17 Pro features three 48MP Fusion cameras, offering the equivalent of eight lenses in a compact form factor and pro-level video features like Apple Log 2 used for this weekend’s broadcast.

Following strong fan response to the “Friday Night Baseball” production, Apple expanded the use of iPhone across additional sports broadcasts, including the MLS Cup in 2025. It then further integrated the technology into the regular production rotation for “Friday Night Baseball” and MLS broadcasts throughout the 2026 season.

This Saturday’s LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo FC match marks the next leap forward: the first live professional sporting event captured entirely on iPhone. Fans can see the results by tune in to Apple TV at 7:30 p.m. PT to see iPhone 17 Pro in action.

NEW YORK—Major League Soccer (MLS) has announced the 2026 list of companies that will be participating in its MLS Innovation Lab.

The initiative, which is focused on identifying, deploying and scaling the next generation of sports technology and is now in its third year, brings together leading startups from around the world to actively test and prove cutting-edge solutions in three areas of focus: player performance, fan engagement, and media production.

This year's cohort is focused on testing AI solutions that league said are pushing the boundaries of how soccer is played, analyzed, and experienced.

"With each new cohort, MLS Innovation Lab continues to surface technologies that have the potential to meaningfully impact how the game is played, experienced, and consumed," said Chris Schlosser, MLS senior vice president of Emerging Ventures. "This group represents a strong mix of real-world AI technologies that can have immediate impact across athlete performance, television production, and fan-focused innovation, and we look forward to working with each of them to drive important outcomes for our players, fans and Clubs."

The MLS Innovation Lab aims to give participating companies the opportunity to build and test their technologies in real-world MLS environments such as the 2026 MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime, as well as elite youth competitions like MLS NEXT Fest and Generation adidas Cup and premier events including MLS NEXT Cup and the MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate.

This real-world testing gives MLS an early look at emerging AI technologies that can shape the future of the industry for years to come.

After a competitive global selection process, the five companies chosen for the third MLS Innovation Lab cohort will deploy solutions designed to address real challenges across the soccer ecosystem. The league described the companies as follows:

• Springbok Analytics: Springbok Analytics uses AI to transform MRI data into detailed 3D muscle analytics, enabling the precise tracking of muscle health, performance, and injury risk which supports data-driven decision-making for teams, leagues, and clinical research.
• Orreco: Orreco is a global leader in sports bio-analytics, using AI, computer vision, and biomarker data to optimize athlete performance, predict injury risk, and accelerate recovery, trusted by elite teams and athletes across major leagues worldwide.
• Fit:match: Fit:match.ai is a player identification and assessment platform that uses mobile devices, AI, and computer vision to capture detailed body data. It generates a full 3D avatar with measurable physical insights in seconds, providing clubs with standardized information to support talent evaluation, inform development decisions, and enable more consistent comparisons across players.
• Advanced Image Robotics (AIR): AIR makes broadcast-grade sports video production radically more accessible. Their AI-powered robotic camera systems combine automated tracking with remote operator control — enabling leagues, teams, and broadcasters to capture dynamic game and player footage at a fraction of the cost and complexity of traditional production.
• WMT AI Ticketing: WMT AI Ticketing optimizes pricing and distribution in real time by analyzing fan behavior, demand and market dynamics. These capabilities help sports and entertainment organizations move beyond static pricing, maximize ticket revenue and make faster, data-driven decisions.

For more information on MLS Innovation Lab, or to be considered for future cohorts, visit MLSSoccer.com/InnovationLab.

LOS ANGELES—Major League Soccer will introduce a broadcast audio enhancement tonight during the LAFC vs. Austin FC playoff match.

Partnering with EDGE Sound Research, MLS will debut “Embodied Sound,” a breakthrough technology that uses real-time object tracking to isolate the soccer ball as a unique audio source, the company said.

The game will mark the first-ever use of isolated ball audio in a live soccer broadcast, enhancing the control and clarity audio engineers will be able to achieve. By routing the ball’s sound into a dedicated channel, the broadcast mix will deliver more precise and immersive effects and capture the energy of each kick, post hit and player reaction without overwhelming ambient noise, it said.

The system provides mixers with a clean, controllable ball channel that will enable them to emphasize key moments in real time without affecting other ambient sounds, it said.

EDGE Sound Research is a member of the MLS Innovation Lab. The company, a U.S. based leader in multimodal audio, is pioneering new forms of multimodal sound to bridge the physical and emotional dimensions of sound.

The MLS Innovation Lab identifies and supports cutting-edge startups driving advancements in fan engagement, on field performance, and media technology.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Major League Soccer has announced that its MLS Season Pass is returning to Apple TV, where fans in more than 100 countries and regions can sign up for MLS Season Pass to watch all the action on the league’s 30th Anniversary Season, which begins Saturday, February 22.

The Pass provides subscribers to every MLS game with no blackouts, along with in-depth coverage and analysis, expansive programming, exclusive content, and more — including the annual Leagues Cup tournament, MLS All-Star Game, Audi MLS Cup Playoffs games, and select MLS NEXT Pro matches.

In addition the league announced partnerships that will allow users to access MLS Season Pass via T-Mobile, Comcast and DirecTV.

The 2025 season marks the third year of an 10-year partnership between Apple and Major League Soccer. The upcoming season also marks the arrival of the 30th MLS team, San Diego FC. In 2022, Apple paid about $2.5 billion for the 10-year deal.

“MLS Season Pass delivers fans exactly what they want, connecting them with the game they love across all of their devices, with no blackouts,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services at Apple. “Heading into our third year with MLS, we’re excited to continue elevating the fan experience and can’t wait for the season to begin.”

“Our partnership with Apple has redefined how fans experience Major League Soccer, bringing the league to more people around the world than ever before,” said Don Garber, MLS’s commissioner. “With the addition of Sunday Night Soccer, a new studio, and the debut of Onside: Major League Soccer on Apple TV+, 2025 will be our best season yet. We couldn’t be more excited about the future of our partnership with Apple.”

To celebrate the start of the 2025 season, MLS Season Pass will broadcast select preseason matches, including when LAFC faces reigning Liga MX Apertura 2024 champion Club América on February 11 at 10:30 p.m. ET, and Inter Miami’s final preseason friendly against Orlando City SC on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET. These matches will also be available to stream free for Apple TV+ subscribers.

On February 22 and 23, all 30 clubs will take the pitch for MLS is Back weekend. MLS MVP Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF host New York City FC in the first match of the season at 2:30 p.m. ET. The complete regular-season schedule can be found at mlssoccer.com.

New for 2025, MLS Season Pass will broadcast a featured game of the week on Sunday evenings under the banner Sunday Night Soccer, with enhanced production and dedicated studio programming. These primetime games will air throughout the regular season and spotlight the league’s most compelling matchups. Sunday Night Soccer will include dedicated pre- and postgame shows, enhanced production and studio programming, and bespoke graphics in English and Spanish. All Sunday Night Soccer matches will also be available to stream free for Apple TV+ subscribers.

MLS also announced that T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers — including businesses — a promotional offer for complimentary access to MLS Season Pass all season long with no blackout dates. T-Mobile customers can redeem for a limited time via T-Mobile Tuesdays in the T-Life app, starting February 18.

In addition, Apple is partnering with Comcast to offer Xfinity customers an integrated viewing experience for MLS Season Pass, bringing all live matches directly into the Xfinity user interface so customers can easily find and watch all the action alongside other live programming.

As part of the partnership, customers will be able to sign up for MLS Season Pass directly through Xfinity, and every live match will be seamlessly incorporated throughout the viewing experience, including within the channel guide on X1 and the Xfinity Stream app, and the Apple TV app.

In addition, Comcast and Apple are unlocking free access to MLS 360 for all Xfinity customers throughout the season, the first time the popular whip-around studio show — which provides live looks-ins from every match — has been available without an MLS Season Pass subscription. And to celebrate the start of the 2025 season and the launch of the new viewing experience, Xfinity will offer all customers a free preview of MLS Season Pass from February 22 to March 2, after which they’ll be able to subscribe to MLS Season Pass through Xfinity.

Also new for the 2025 season, DirecTV residential customers can subscribe to MLS Season Pass through DirecTV. Matches will be available to watch live in the DirecTV satellite guide on channels 480 through 495, similar to the viewing experience for other league packages. Customers who subscribe through DirecTV will also be able to access MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app.

DirecTV is making a free preview of MLS Season Pass available to all DirecTV residential and commercial satellite customers from February 22 to March 1, after which those customers will be able to upgrade to MLS Season Pass through DirectTV channels. This offering expands upon DirecTV’s exclusive rights to provide MLS Season Pass to commercial establishments, which has been available to DirecTV for Business’s vast network of more than 300,000 sports bars, restaurants, and more since the 2023 season.

NEW YORK—Major League Soccer has announced plans to move MLS Productions, the league’s media and broadcast production arm, into a new studio and facilities at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.

The move will help MLS Productions expand its capabilities, broaden content offerings, offer more efficient workflows and centralize its broadcast content and graphics.

The move is part of a renewed, multiyear deal between MLS and IMG that will expand their existing broadcast production relationship. As part of the agreement, IMG will continue to produce live match and studio productions and programming for more than 600 annual games on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

The WWE facility where MLS Production plans to reside is part of TKO Group Holdings, which recently reached an agreement with Endeavor to acquire IMG, in a transaction expected to be completed in the first half of this year.

The brand new state-of-the-art production facility, The Studios at WWE in Stamford, is a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art production facility equipped with five studios with the latest technologies, wide-ranging production amenities, and highlighted by an awe-inspiring virtual production stage.

The facility features best-in-class production offerings and new cutting-edge technology to further improve the production of MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, MLS said. It will serve as the hub for popular MLS live studio programming and content in English and Spanish. The new location for MLS Season Pass will enable MLS Productions to add programming in the new season.

The bespoke facility, which has been engineered around the needs of MLS Productions, will also enable centralized solutions across the MLS workflow, the companies said.

“The debut of MLS Season Pass on Apple TV has been remarkable for fans around the world to be able to consume all MLS games and content,” said, Seth Bacon, executive vice president, media, MLS. “With the incredible momentum and excitement around the league, we are thrilled to further our partnership with IMG to support our vision of elevating production, creating new viewing opportunities, and pushing the sports broadcast landscape into the future.”

IMG produces content for some of the world’s biggest leagues and events, including the English Premier League, English Football League, Saudi Pro League, CBS Sports’ UEFA Champions League and Europa League coverage, UFC, DP World Tour, The Ryder Cup, and The Open Championship.

“Together with MLS and Apple, we have set a new standard for the MLS viewing experience, creating a new era of entertaining, highly engaging content for football fans globally,” said Barney Francis, executive vice president of studios, IMG. “Over the coming years, we will continue to innovate with cutting-edge technology and creativity, powered by our incredible new home, The Studios at WWE, and IMG’s industry-leading production experience and capabilities.”

“We have long admired the tremendous MLS-IMG partnership—and the fantastic product and results it has generated over the years,” WWE Executive Vice President, Media and Production Lee Fitting said. “We believe that WWE’s new state-of-the-art facilities will help take their collective capabilities to even greater heights.”

In 2023, MLS and Apple debuted MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, creating a single destination where every MLS match is available for fans worldwide, the league said. Together with its production partners IMG and NEP, MLS Season Pass has brought best-in-class production, more expansive coverage and increased global visibility, surpassing expectations in its first two years, according to the league.

PITTSBURGH—NEP Group has announced a notable expansion of its connected production ecosystem with new facilities and new partnerships with rights holders, sports leagues, broadcasters and OTT providers.  

The expansion is built on technologies and solutions that will be on display at the 2024 NAB Show by NEP executives between April 13 and 17 in Las Vegas. 

In addition to existing partnerships around the globe, NEP reported that the expanded connected production ecosystem is now providing support for such partners as the PGA Tour, NASCAR and MLS in the United States, Dyn Sport in Germany, WRC in Finland, TV4 and the Swedish Hockey League in Sweden, and the International Press Center – Résidence Palace in Brussels, Belgium. 

The expansion includes the new fleet of nine all-IP mobile units that debuted for the 2024 PGA Tour season.

The connected production solutions offered by NEP now include over 20 production hubs, 100 control rooms, 200 mobile units, and 100 flypacks worldwide that NEP said allows it to offer various production options and services tailored to individual needs and comprehensive solutions from content capture to distribution. 

The ecosystem, powered by NEP’s Total Facility Control (TFC) platform, enables seamless operation and collaboration across NEP’s global network of facilities and hubs.

The key expansions over the last year includes bringing nine new production hubs into North America, APAC and Europe, a new hub in Singapore, and expanding the Andrews Hubs in Australia and the VISTA Hub in South Florida. NEP created its global ecosystem to allow for any combination of traditional production deliveries, at one or multiple event venues, with remote capabilities managed off-site, sometimes hundreds or thousands of miles away.

“Our connected production solutions are complementary to NEP’s industry-leading fleet of mobile units and OBs, and our recent partnerships are great examples of this hybrid approach of serving our clients both onsite and remotely,” explained Mike Werteen, president, NEP Americas and global chief commercial officer. “From the new fleet of nine all-IP mobile units that debuted for the 2024 PGA TOUR season, to the connected production hubs established around the globe – we’re providing our clients with more production tools and flexibility to meet their needs, and we’re honored to collaborate with their amazing teams to build the best production solutions for today and the future.”

The solutions are built on NEP’s proprietary broadcast control and networking platform, TFC. It makes using IP 2110 infrastructure fast and intuitive and it empowers production teams to focus on creating incredible content instead of integrating disparate technologies. TFC is used throughout NEP’s connected production facilities across the globe, giving production, video, audio, replay, graphics and engineering operators the ability to program show setups using a touchscreen, scale setups up and down, and share resources between any other facility within NEP’s connected production ecosystem, providing universal control, management and security.

NEP also reported that its technical and commercial staff will be on hand at the 2024 NAB Show, at the Las Vegas Convention Center from April 14-17, 2024. 

Staff will be available by appointment in both private and semi-private meeting spaces in the North Hall. 

NEP’s presence at the 2024 NAB Show also includes expert panel appearances, featuring: Geert Thoelen, Director of Technology, NEP Belgium, Scott Rothenberg, SVP, Technology & Capital Planning, Cameron O’Neill, NEP Japan Country Manager, Ryan Jones, Director, Systems Integration, and Dan Murphy, VP, Product Management. 

For more information on connecting with NEP at NAB, visit NEP’s 2024 NAB Show page. 

LOS ANGELES—With the FIFA Women’s World Cup getting ready to wrap up, new research from Ampere Analysis highlights the growing popularity of soccer in America, with nearly 20% of U.S. sports fans now claiming it is their favorite sport and broadcasters tripling their spending on soccer rights since 2015.  

The Ampere survey found that soccer is the fourth most popular American sport, a figure that has grown rapidly from the last quarter of 2021. The US boasts a high proportion of avid female soccer fans (37%), compared to 31% among the big five Western European markets. 

Taken together, these findings bode well for Major League Soccer (MLS), with Lionel Messi having recently joined Inter Miami. 

They also help explain record viewing data from Nielsen for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, now getting ready for the finals on August 20 between Spain and England. 

Spanish-language coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup on Telemundo and Peacock has been particularly successful. 

The August 10 quarterfinal match between Spain v. Netherlands averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 968,000 viewers across Telemundo, Peacock, Universo and Telemundo streaming platforms, making it the most watched Women’s World Cup Quarterfinal match in Spanish-language history surpassing the 2019 Netherlands quarterfinal by 205 percent. NBCUniversal has also been reporting that total minutes consumed to-date surpassed 1.3 billion across Telemundo, Universo, TeleXitos, Peacock, and the Telemundo App. 

Earlier the USA v. Netherlands averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 1.51 million viewers across Telemundo, Peacock, Universo and Telemundo streaming platforms, according to Nielsen. 

“Understanding the consumption habits of US soccer fans is crucial for the broadcasters who want to curate and build appealing content around this behavior,” said Sam Nursall, research analyst at Ampere in a new report discussing how broadcasters can monetize the growing interest in soccer. “There’s a really strong opportunity here to combine the best of traditional broadcast with the capabilities of streaming services and social media to meet the appetite of these passionate fans. Ampere also believes that the challenges of piracy to avoid paying fees can be addressed through multi-league bundles to bring soccer fans all the content they can consume.”

One major opportunity regarding the soccer fan base is their relative affluence. Ampere found that US soccer fans are 43% more likely than average sports fans to have a household income of more than $100,000, making this affluent audience a key target for broadcasters and rights holders

Crucially, the fanbase is passionate and willing to pay to indulge in their love of the beautiful game. Almost three-quarters (73%) of US-based fans of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League say they will pay to watch the competitions

Ampere also reported that networks in the US are also increasing their spending on soccer rights. In 2022, soccer broadcasting rights in the US were worth over $1.3bn – three times more than in 2015, according to Ampere. 

Currently, interest in soccer competitions is dominated by global and European events, the report found. 

American fans most enjoy the FIFA World Cup (33%), the English Premier League (31%), and the UEFA Champions League (30%), with only 20% claiming to follow the MLS

But the MLS will be hoping to boost this rising interest. Alongside the global Apple TV deal signed in 2022, the League has welcomed Lionel Messi to Inter Miami, making the competition more appealing to those who prefer to watch top-tier players, the report said. 

Ampere researchers stressed, however, that creating the right digital strategy will be vital to meet the viewing needs of American soccer fans

US soccer fans pay for more SVoD services than average and prefer to watch sports on streaming instead of broadcast TV

Awkward kick-off times for the top European leagues mean they view comparatively less live sport than other US fan groups. As a result, they have high engagement rates with highlights and player content on social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube where they already have strong consumption rates, the reserchers said. 

According to Ampere’s findings, nearly half of US soccer fans say they only want to watch the sport via an online streaming platform. More than half (54%) say they are most likely to view on a second home at home rather than the main TV set

NEW YORK — Major professional sports leagues and some broadcasters have announced the formation of the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising, a voluntary association of sports leagues and media entities committed to ensuring that companies take a responsible approach to sports betting advertising.

Members of the Coalition, which include the NFL, MLB, MLS, NASCAR, NBA, WNBA, NHL, NBCUniversal, and Fox, also published six core principles for responsible sports betting advertising. 

"As the legalization of sports betting spreads nationwide, we feel it is critical to establish guardrails around how sports betting should be advertised to consumers across the United States. Each member of the coalition feels a responsibility to ensure sports betting advertising is not only targeted to an appropriate audience, but also that the message is thoughtfully crafted and carefully delivered," a joint statement from the Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising explained. 

The legalization of sports betting has provided broadcasters with a new source of advertising revenue. The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimated in February that sports betting gross game revenue hit a record $7.5 billion in 2022. 

BIA Advisory Services had predicted that the local ad spend for sports betting would hit $1.8 billion in 2022 and that by 2024 the local ad spend for sports betting would increase to $2.9 billion, according to Forbes. 

But the growth of the betting ads on TV has also raised worries about how the ads might increase gambling addiction.

In response, coalition has committed to implement and maintain consumer protection policies consistent with the following six principles:

• Sports betting should be marketed only to adults of legal betting age
• Sports betting advertising should not promote irresponsible or excessive gambling or degrade the consumer experience
• Sports betting advertisements should not be misleading
• Sports betting advertisements should be in good taste
• Publishers should have appropriate internal reviews of sports betting advertising
• Publishers should review consumer complaints pertaining to sports betting advertising

"We're proud to join these prominent sports industry stakeholders in this important effort," explained David Highhill, general manager, Sports Betting at the NFL. "Legalized sports betting offers fans another way to engage with their favorite sports, but just as we must support problem gambling prevention and resourcing, we must also remain mindful of how sports betting is presented and advertised to consumers, and this coalition should greatly aid in that cause."

Mike Mulvihill, executive vice president, head of strategy and analytics, FOX Sports added that, "Fox and Fox Sports are proud to be charter members of this broad and important coalition.  As America's leader in live sports, we are committed to providing fans a responsible and ethical engagement with sports betting, keeping the integrity of the games and our broadcasts at the forefront at all times."

Elaborating on its core principles, the group also outlined more specific guidelines for each of its six principles:  

• Sports Betting Should be Marketed Only to Adults of Legal Betting Age. The content of sports betting advertising, marketing and promotion should primarily appeal to individuals of legal betting age, and sports betting should never be endorsed or otherwise promoted by any person who is, or appears to be, below such legal age. Sports betting promotional materials should (i) only appear in media where a significant majority of the audience is reasonably expected to be of legal betting age and (ii) never primarily appeal to children in content or theme. 
• Sports Betting Advertising Should Not Promote Irresponsible or Excessive Gambling or Degrade the Consumer Experience. Sports betting advertisements should always contain a clear, prominent responsible gaming message, including information on responsible gambling resources, and never be directed to individuals known by the advertiser to be self-excluded. Gambling advertising, promotion and other integrations that encourage irresponsible gambling or degrade the consumer experience (e.g., by appearing excessively) should also be avoided. 
• Sports Betting Advertisements Should Not Be Misleading. Sports betting advertisements should never be false, deceptive or misleading. For example, sports betting advertisements and marketing should not promote unrealistic expectations of financial gain, or suggest that social, financial or personal success is guaranteed by engaging in sports betting. Nor should any such messaging state or imply that a bet is without risk if the customer must incur any loss, or risk the customer's own money, to use or withdraw winnings from such bet.
• Sports Betting Advertisements Should Be In Good Taste. Sports betting advertisements should (i) adhere to contemporary standards of good taste applicable to all commercial messaging, taking into consideration the applicable medium and advertising context and (ii) never undermine public perception of sports or their integrity.
• Publishers Should Have Appropriate Internal Reviews of Sports Betting Advertising. Publishers showing sports betting advertising should (i) provide appropriate training to their relevant employees regarding responsible sports betting advertising policies and (ii) implement internal processes to ensure compliance with such policies. To the extent possible, such processes should include a separate review of advertising and marketing materials by company employees outside the marketing and sponsorship departments.
• Publishers Should Review Consumer Complaints Pertaining to Sports Betting Advertising. Publishers showing sports betting advertising should develop and implement a process to review consumer complaints pertaining to that advertising.

Apple and Major League Soccer have unveiled more information about their plans for the MLS Season Pass streaming offering on Apple TV app, which kicks off with Matchday 1 on Feb. 25 and will offer live coverage of all MLS regular season games and extensive additional content. 

As more sports rights shift to streaming platforms like Apple TV+, the effort will provide a notable example of how leagues are rethinking sports production to take advantage of new features available on streaming platforms. 

"MLS Season Pass is a global project that required assembling a team of the most talented and accomplished leaders in every aspect of the broadcasting industry from all over the world," said Gary Stevenson, Major League Soccer’s deputy commissioner and president of MLS Business Ventures. "Our focus, with our partner Apple, is delivering an exceptional level of quality and storytelling that entertains and engages MLS’s passionate fans, improves their experience, and engages new fans through the reach of Apple and MLS Season Pass."

MLS and Apple have partnered with IMG Productions and the NEP Group for productions of over 900 matches representing over 2,000 hours of live coverage, as well as the production of live studio programming on MLS Season Pass.

Live studio programming will be created at a newly-rebuilt production facility in New York City with a trio of state-of-the-art studios that will serve as the central hub for all MLS Season Pass studio programming. 

For the new season, the league is also making a concerted effort to upgrade its production quality and to improve the way the games are covered with more cameras and camera angles, improved graphics, enhanced data, better storytelling, a more consistent look and features that will take advantage of the Apple ecosystem. 

One key upgrade will be offering all MSL matches in 1080p and Dolby 5.1 audio, which will mark the first time that all MSL games have been produced in 1080p. The production teams will also be using more cameras, over 20 for Championship matches. 

Besides IMG and NEP, key vendors for the production effort will include Sports Solutions, Vizrt, Deltatre, IMG Arena, TGI and AT&T.  

IMG is producing all the matches and studio content. It is doing the studio show production and is responsible for the editorial tone, look and feel of the production. They are also staffing the producers and directors for the production.

NEP, which helped produce 50,000+ live broadcasts in 2022, is providing the technical infrastructure, including all the mobile units for up to 14 games in a single day. It is also providing all the technical crews, camera people, replay operators, audio, crew and so forth.

NEP is also supporting those crews and productions with facilities in New York, Miami, Dallas, L.A. and Washington D.C. It is providing its largest studio facility in New York City, which will host the MLS studio production.

While the League is planning to offer new ways of covering the matches and changing the viewing experience for fans, the actual production infrastructure and approach will be fairly traditional in the first season. All the trucks will have control rooms and the games will not be remotely produced.

For the moment, MLS and Apple are also not saying when they might consider upgrading to 4K, which would use significantly more bandwidth than HD.

Another notable development for viewers is a streamlined schedule that will offer around 13 matches each Saturday and Wednesday, with matches starting at 7:30 local time. 

The MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app will also feature every match of the MLS regular season, Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, and Leagues Cup1 in one place, with more consistent match times and no blackouts – a first in live sports broadcasting, MLS said.

Another major focus will be providing both English and Spanish language programming, which two of the new studio shows being produced in English and in Spanish and matches in both languages. French will also be available for those games involving Canadian teams. 

In addition to the live games and thousands of hours of on demand programming, the MLS Season pass will offer three major studio shows: "MLS Countdown," "MLS 360," and "MLS Wrap-Up. "MLS 360", a new live whip-around show, provides live look-ins from every match, and features every goal, penalty kick, and big save, as well as analysis and discussion.

The league has hired a MLS Season Pass coverage team of more than 80  announcers and soccer legends presenting to fans in English and Spanish, plus French for matches involving Canadian clubs.

More than 60 play-by-play announcers and expert analysts will be in the booth calling matches each week. All MLS and Leagues Cup live matches will be produced at MLS stadiums, including on-site talent, using a fleet of production units to produce simultaneous coverage of up to 14 matches each game night.  

Fans in the US and Canada will have the option to select their home team’s radio broadcast for audio on the Apple TV app where available. Viewers will also have the ability to watch any match from the start and have access to the full game replay immediately after the match has ended.

MLS Season Pass is available in over 100 countries and regions, and is on billions of devices via the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com. Existing Apple TV+ subscribers can add MLS Season Pass for $12.99/month or $79/season; new subs will pay $14.99/month or $99/season.

CUPERTINO, Calif.—In another major example of how streamers are piling into the sports business, Apple and Major League Soccer (MLS) have announced a major deal that will make the Apple TV app the exclusive destination to watch every single live MLS match. 

The deal begins in 2023 and runs through 2032. Financial terms were not disclosed. 

Apple is calling the deal “a historic first for a major professional sports league,” because it will allow fans around the world to watch all MLS, Leagues Cup,1 and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches in one place without any local broadcast blackouts or the need for a traditional pay TV bundle.

In addition to all of the match content, the service will provide fans a new weekly live match whip-around show as well as game replays, highlights, analysis, and other original programming, Apple announced. 

A broad selection of MLS and Leagues Cup matches, including some of the biggest matchups, will also be available at no additional cost to Apple TV+ subscribers, with a limited number of matches available for free. As an added benefit to fans, access to the new MLS streaming service will be included as part of MLS full-season ticket packages.

“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. “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.”

“Apple is the perfect partner to further accelerate the growth of MLS and deepen the connection between our clubs and their fans,” said Don Garber, MLS’s commissioner. “Given Apple’s ability to create a best-in-class user experience and to reach fans everywhere, it’ll be incredibly easy to enjoy MLS matches anywhere, whether you’re a super fan or casual viewer.”

At launch, all MLS and Leagues Cup matches will include announcers calling the action in English and Spanish, and all matches involving Canadian teams will be available in French.

Apple and MLS will also provide enhanced league and club coverage for fans to easily follow the league or their favorite clubs in Apple News, with the ability to watch highlights right in the News app.

Complete details for the new MLS streaming service, including when fans can sign up, subscription pricing, specific details about the new MLS programming, an improved match schedule, broadcast teams, production enhancements, and pre and postgame coverage will be announced in the coming months, Apple said. 

BRISTOL, Conn.—Major League Baseball fans—and by extension the video production crews that televise games—could not be blamed for being disappointed last night when MLB commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. reported on an ESPN special that a 2020 baseball season is uncertain.

“We are running out of time. The clock is ticking on this. But the key, the important first step is a willingness on the part of the MLBPA (Major League Baseball Players Association) to get back to the table and engage in the process,” said Manfred during the two-hour “SportsCenter Special: The Return of Sports.”

Manfred, who last week said during an interview that he felt 100% certain there would be a baseball season this year, told ESPN host Mike Greenberg that now he is “not confident” there will be a season.

At issue is a disagreement over player compensation and no agreement with the association on health and safety protocols intended to protect against coronavirus infection.

“I think there is a real risk [of a cancelled season], and as long as there is no dialog, that real risk is going to continue,” he said.

The interview with Manfred was recorded before the show aired June 15. Later in the day, MLBPA issued a statement on the situation to ESPN. 

“Players are disgusted that after Rob Manfred unequivocally told players and fans that there would 100% be a 2020 season, he has decided to go back on his word and is now threatening to cancel the entire season,” the statement said.

The association denied that it has done anything to delay progress on health and safety protocols. The statement alleged MLB has not negotiated in good faith from the beginning. 

“This has only been about extracting additional pay cuts from players, and this is just another day and another bad faith tactic in their ongoing campaign,” the statement said.

NHL

The special report’s look at other leagues was far less dire. The NHL, for instance, is expected back on the ice in early August with games through October. Two hub cities, currently undetermined, will host play, and fans will not be allowed to attend games. 

There will be a 24-team tournament. A five-game play-in round for teams that were on the bubble when the league suspended play, will be followed by a regular Stanley Cup playoff series—four rounds of the best of seven, said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. 

The NHL is relying on medical experts for guidance and is focused along with the players’ association on adhering to strict health and safety protocols, he said. 

“We will carefully monitor with extensive testing all of the players that are in the hub cities and the supporting personnel,” said Bettman.

COVID-19 testing will be done every day. If a player or other personnel tests positive, that person will be isolated. Contract tracing will be used to identify others who might have been infected, he said. 

“We are being told that an isolated case or a couple of isolated cases shouldn’t interfere with plans to be able to move forward,” said Bettman.

Players, who haven’t been on the ice for months, face another potential health risk—not being in game-ready shape when play resumes. “For a lot of our players, this is the longest they have ever gone without skating,” he said. The league has been flexible on when it will return to play to give players a chance to regain their conditioning.

MLS & NWSL

Major League Soccer, which suspended play in early March after two games due to coronavirus, has picked July 8 to return to action. It will hold a World Cup-style tournament at the ESPN Wild World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. There will be three group-stage games and a 16-team knockout round. 

Taking a cue from Germany’s Bundesliga, which has resumed play within the past couple of weeks, MLS will enhance its video, audio and fan interaction technology, said Don Garber, MLS commissioner.

Playing on an open field “does give us an opportunity to use technology in ways we have been contemplating,” he said. While he didn’t give details, Garber said more cameras, more audio and “unique virtual insertion technology” will be used. The league also is exploring ways to enhance fan engagement with technologies, such as Zoom. “We have a unique open palette.”

With nearly 2,000 people due to participate in the tournament, COVID-19 testing will be central to the return, said Garber. Anyone testing positive will be isolated in a hotel room, and contact tracing will be initiated. Players will be tested every other day. 

Following the tournament, MLS plans to hold a regular season, playoffs and an MLS Cup championship before the end of the year. “My hope, and really my expectation, and I’m optimistic that in the fall we will be able to return into our home markets, complete as much of the regular season as we can and obviously through crowning a champion,” said Garber.

The National Women’s Soccer League will be the first professional team sports league to return to action in the United States. In place of a regular season, cancelled in April due to the pandemic, the league will host the NWSL Challenge Cup beginning June 27.

The 25-game tournament will take place—without fans—in the Salt Lake City area and with the championship game being played July 26. “I think the Challenge Cup will be an incredible platform for us to promote the game and for everyone to see how women play the sport,” said Crystal Dunn of the N.C. Courage.

Some of the best-known women soccer players in the world, including Megan Rapinoe, have chosen not to play. Many are concerned about the virus as well as the demands for the tournament, said Dunn.

NBA & WNBA

The NBA will resume play July 30 with the finals possibly going into October depending on how many games are necessary. There will be 22 teams in the playoffs. All play will happen at ESPN’s Wild World of Sports Complex at Disney World.

The hiatus “has been incredibly tough on everyone in many ways” just as it has been on “other Americans who sheltered at home, largely isolated until relatively recently,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver. 

Some high-profile players are hesitant to return to the game whether for health reasons or social justice concerns, Greenberg noted. The league has talked to the players’ association over the past several months and “worked through” all of the health and safety issues and what it will be like on the campus, said Silver.

That environment “may not be for everyone” and will “entail enormous sacrifice” on the part of players and everyone else involved, he said.

“Listen, it’s not an ideal situation. We are trying to find a way to our own normal in the middle of a pandemic and the middle of a recession or worse with 40 million unemployed and now with enormous social unrest in the country.” If a player chooses not to come “we accept it,” said Silver.

The NBA protocols include physical distancing and the wearing of masks in circumstances when people have to be close to one another, he said. There will be daily testing, and if there is positive, there will be isolating and contact tracing. 

The league is looking to hold its draft Oct. 15, a return to training camp in November and a tentative start to the next season in December, he said.

The WNBA will play a 22-game regular season, starting July 24, and hold a full playoff. The games will be played at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. No fans will be present. Greenberg asked the league’s commissioner about social justice.

“Our players will all be together for the first time in history at a single site,” said WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “We have one of the most diverse leagues in professional sports—80% black women—and all of our players are really, really actively looking forward… [to] the platform they can launch from IMG Academy around social justice.”

NFL 

The National Football League will kick off pre-season play Aug. 6, play its 16 game season, hold its playoffs and conclude Feb. 7, 2021, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., with Super Bowl LV.

With some players on the Texans and the Cowboys reportedly testing positive for COVID-19, Greenberg asked NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about how the development impacts the league preparing to resume play.

“Positive tests are going to happen,” he said. “The issue is can we—obviously—prevent as many of those from happening but in addition treat them quickly, basically preventing a problem.” Goodell pointed out that none of the infected players were in facilities where they could infect other players. 

When asked about Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh’s recent statement that the league’s safety protocols are “humanly impossible” to comply with, Goodell said that “one of the things we are going to have to do is change and do things we might have thought were awkward or impossible several weeks ago or months ago.”

Goodell also addressed a recent video he released in which he said the league admits it was wrong for not listening to players earlier about their concern over racial inequality in society and encouraged players to speak out.

Prior to releasing the video, the league spent a week and a half listening and “trying to understand the frustration, fear and sadness all of us were going through—particularly those in the black community,” he said.

Goodell said the league should have listened to its players sooner, including Colin Kaepernick and others. 

“It actually predates, goes back to 2014 and Ferguson [Mo.] when Michael Brown was killed by police brutality,” said Goodell. “Our players have been at the forefront of bringing attention to these issues.”

The NFL has committed $250 million over a 10 year period to addressing racial injustice and social responsibility, he said.

NEW YORK—The MLS (Major League Soccer) and Facebook are now friends, as the two sides have announced a partnership that will see all MLS matches during the 2020 season have video recaps created for and played on Facebook Watch. Fans will be able to view the latest highlights from the league on MLS’ Facebook Page.

Another aspect of the partnership will see MLS host a weekly Watch Party on Facebook, where fans from around the world can view game recaps and videos as a community in real time. Official Facebook Groups for select teams will also be created.

“Facebook’s innovative Watch Party experience is the perfect place for Major League Soccer fans around the world to exchange views and share their passion for our clubs and palyers,” said Chris Schlosser, MLS senior vice president, media.

In addition, archival clips from top moments in MLS’ 25-year history and player-centric highlights will be available on Facebook Watch.

Facebook struck a similar deal for highlights of the PGA in January of this year.

The MLS content will be available on Facebook through mobile apps, desktops, laptops and a variety of TV apps.

In TV Technology's latest guide to sports production, we profile the new Luxor Esports Arena Las Vegas, a 30,000 square-foot multilevel venue that can host every form of competitive gaming. The facility is fairly unique in that it was built for eSports, which means it was built for broadcast and video production. We also take a look back at NBC's coverage of this year's Kentucky Derby and preview the latest technology going into the new MLS D.C. United stadium.