Apple TV and MLS Revise Streaming Deal, Ending Exclusive Run in 2029
NEW YORK - Major League Soccer (MLS) and Apple have agreed to revisions to their landmark streaming deal, shortening the exclusive period of games on Apple TV to end in 2029, according to sources familiar with the agreement. The original 10-year pact, announced in 2022 and slated to run through 2032, allowed Apple an option to exit after five years.
The revised terms will see MLS benefit from increased promotion of Apple TV and the ability to offer some games to linear partners beyond 2026-an element previously set to expire. Full-season ticket holders will receive a complimentary Apple TV subscription. While the financial details of the changes remain undisclosed, MLS Commissioner Don Garber described the contractual changes as “very positive for us.” Both Apple and MLS declined to comment on the new financial terms.
the partnership, which launched in early 2023, moved all MLS games to a direct-to-consumer streaming model via Apple TV’s MLS Season pass, available internationally and without local blackouts. this represented an unprecedented move for a major American sports league, though it also drew criticism for placing games behind a paywall. The two sides had committed to a partnership model focused on iterative improvements to the product and its distribution.
Apple SVP of Services, eddy Cue, expressed long-term ambitions for the partnership, stating as MLS Season Pass neared its debut, “When we do this right, I’d like this to be forever.”
Beyond the streaming deal, MLS is also implementing a critically important calendar change beginning in July 2027. The league will shift to a July start date, a December break, a February return, and conclude with the MLS Cup in May. This adjustment aims to facilitate greater participation in the global transfer market, align with the FIFA calendar, and elevate the profile of the playoffs, which previously competed with both the American football season and international player commitments. Garber called the schedule flip “one of the most crucial decisions in our history.”
Apple has recently expanded its sports offerings on Apple TV with the addition of Formula 1 rights in the U.S., signaling a broader strategy to attract sports fans to its streaming platform.
