Apple TV Reveals Price Of MLS Streaming Service, But Value Harder To Gauge

As the overwhelming majority of the soccer world focuses on the approaching 2022 FIFA world Cup, Major League Soccer and Apple TV revealed some news of importance to their fans: The name and cost of Apple’s new MLS streaming service.

The technology giant will be offering access to every single MLS and Leagues Cup game via MLS Season Pass for $99.99 a year, or $14.99 per month for those who don’t want to sign up for the entire season. (Subscribe to Apple TV+ will be able to add Season Pass for a discounted rate of $12.99 per month or $79.99 per year.)

Immediately, some decried the news as an unfair cost for fans, others lamented that it was a bad decision for the league that has failed to make inroads among casual sports fans, while others still expressed confidence the package would offer fans good value.

In truth, though, it’s almost impossible to determine whether the subscription fee represents good value or not, in part because the anatomy of Apple’s new rights agreement with MLS is so unique.

The closest comparison is probably the services offered by the big four North American sports leagues. Here’s what those packages currently cost:

Leaguewide TV Subscription fees

• NFL Sunday Ticket: $293.96
• MLB.TV: $94.99 per season
• MLS Season Pass: $99.99
• NBA League Pass: $99.99
• NHL Center Ice: $69.99

But none of these services are exactly the same. NFL Sunday Ticket has only been available for Direct TV subscribers (though that will change when a new deal for the service is negotiated next year.) Every game on NHL Center Ice is also available for ESPN+ viewers. And all these services are subject to local blackout restrictions.

There are zero blackouts for MLS Season Pass anywhere in the world, which is arguably the most unique part of the new service. As a result, there are also no local telecasts, meaning fans who are in local markets (and who aren’t season ticket holders) will have to pay for the service to watch their local team.

And further, American soccer fans are getting used to paying for other streaming services to watch games around the world. Here’s what they can now expect to pay for each service, and what competitions they carry:

Soccer-related streaming services

(Fees annual unless otherwise noted)

• ESPN+: $99.99 (LaLiga, Bundesliga, USL Championship)
• MLS Season Pass: $99.99 (MLS, Leagues Cup)
• Paramount+: $49.99 (UCL, Serie A, NWSL)
• Peacock: $4.99 monthly (Premier League)

But here again, the comparison is imperfect. Paramount+, Peacock and ESPN+ all offer lots of other sports and/or entertainment as part of their package. And before the 2023 season, MLS fans could also access all out of market games through an ESPN+ subscription in a manner similar to NHL fans now.

However, none of the other above services guarantee access to every game in a competition. Matches shown on the partner network or cable channels (CBS, CBS Sports Network, USA, NBC, ESPN and ESPN2) not also available via these streaming platforms.

And maybe most importantly, there’s still a lot we don’t know about what kind of TV access fans will have who don’t subscribe MLS Season Pass. The league is still expected to strike a non-exclusive deal to simulcast some games on linear TV, perhaps but not necessarily with longtime broadcast partners like ESPN, FS1 and/or TUDN. Apple TV+ is expected to stream a package of “national” MLS games for subscribers that don’t require a separate MLS Season Pass subscription.

But the quantity and quality of games that will be available in each case is unclear, though some initial reporting suggested any returning or new network partners would show a smaller inventory of matches than in the previous national TV agreement.

So as of now, MLS fans now know how much they will have to spend if they want to watch any MLS or Leagues Cup game they choose. But they still don’t know what they will be missing if they don’t spend it. Without that second piece of information, it’s impossible to truly calculate the value of $99.99 for fans.