In my opinion MLS going on Apple TV streaming makes perfect sense. MLS is selling its product to Americans 45 yrs down to the kids being born today. In addition they are still in negotiations with Fox/ESPN/Univision for about 30 games a yr. The MLS addidas merchandising contract expires next yr. I'm anticipating addidas ponying up at least $150 million per yr at the minimum. Please believe it this league is on the up. I'm a Brit living in the United States. atl resident (Atlanta united fan). Support your league y'all so it can grow. When i was born in England in the 80's, the premier league was not the best, far from it. But we kept supporting it and it became the monster it is today. please support your league.
I guess Adidas ponying up that money is a 'good' thing, but I would like to see various kit manufacturers approach several teams with deals, just for the sake of kit variation.
I really respect your insight on this matter and I totally agree with you when you say we have to support the league because that is absolutely the only way it gets better!
Agreed. For those unhappy, is the status quo better? Less money, lousy promotions, bad news on TV ratings, and weird TV scheduling. There’s a ton of work plus will be interesting on the TV production and how many games Apple offers for free to all and how many as part of the Apple TV subscription
@@dgb921 Actually born in 1980. You're wrong. Football has been a religion wayyyyy before the premier league was born. Are you kidding me. No we Brits were paying just as much attention to Football before the premier league. All the premier league did was bring in money which resulted in the huge world wide audience. No sir, Football Fandom has been passed down from generation to generation in England.
One thing MLS has that most European leagues don't is parity. I don't really know who is going to win MLS cup this year..but we all know who is going to win the Bundesliga.
It's kind of like American college football. Basically everyone expects Alabama and one other team to be in the championship game every year, and they're usually right.
Your stuff is so professional, Sam. Really well laid out story, very informative, well balanced. Nice work. (Side note: If you can get a different sponsor, I would)
Me too...I only pay for it for MLS games...just hate that 😒 they (apple) are gonna force me to start crossing over to apple now....I hate apple for that!
I live in the UK, but do keep an eye on you guys and the MLS, im glad the game is growing over there, the federation now needs to axe the ridiculous pay to play system
3:04 “in the leagues darkest hour, an unlikely hero would emerge… our partners at bet online!” 😂 I thought Bet Online saved MLS for a second or 2 there
Sam, this was the first video to really put things into context. Other videos were well-done, but this was the first one that moved the needle for me on having Apple involved. Keep up the good work!
Great breakdown of what the Apple+ TV deal means for the MLS. Unless you do a lot of digging around, it’s hard to find all this info in a clear and conscious way.
Content that I crave... a look into the world of Supporters Culture across MLS all in one location/one go-to source (for starters) and a comparison to Latinoamérican and European Supporters Culture.
MLS would be smart to make a series doc like Formula 1. I was never a fan until then and met many people that started watching just because of the series.
Muy bien hecho Sam. No olvides que MLS va a recibir por lo menos $250 millones cada año. Esto es lo mínimo. Si hay más que pagan por Apple TV, la MLS ganará más dinero.
One of the potential unintended consequences of MLS not getting a mega-money deal is that owners will be forced to improve revenue streams other than TV money to make more. Hopefully for teams like the Revs and NYCFC this is an incentive to go out and get more fans into (ideally soccer-specific) stadiums and create better atmospheres.
It may have made sense at one point in time, but the lack of a single-team option and the ridiculously high price that's only slightly mitigated by actually subscribing to AppleTV prices a lot of fans out of the league altogether. Which doesn't make much sense at all.
Now don't sell the Apple TV Deal short like that because the deal actually makes MLS the most accessible League in the World since Blackouts have been eliminated which has been a Problem for Fans for decades. I was listening to TalkSport talking about the MLS Deal and commented that this could be the Future of how fans can watch the Premier League because they the Fans there also deal with Blackout Rules as well. So if you're living in West London then you can't watch Chelsea on the TV unless on the Radio. Also the growing in Price of TV Packages have made it unaffordable.
Trying to get into soccer but the streaming rights being everywhere is frustrating. Peacock Premium for Premier League, ESPN+ for USL and some MLS but not games I care about because of blackouts, Paramount+ for the UEFA Championship, and now Apple TV+ for MLS? I might give up on American soccer completely
I do enjoy all the TV by a la carte to a degree, but I also feel its approaching/arrived to death by a thousand cuts. I personally don't like Apple so won't be getting a double subscription to get on apple TV and then another to follow MLS, but I do and will support the league whenever their games come on ESPN/TUDN/Fox. The point about story telling and sports does seem to make sense if it truly does becomes a partnership. I definitely see story driven series driving interest into watching the league within Apple TV, I just hope the price point they drive for the MLS subscription within Apple TV isn't set too high for a casual who caught the series and liked it to then avoid the MLS subscription. Will be exciting to see how much the 2026 and 2030 world cup cycles drive the growth over this 10 year deal and the League. By the end of the 10 year deal I could see MLS challenging some of the bigger leagues for talent with the money that will be flowing by then. Interesting times.
People have said that the lack of a local/regional tv deals will hurt the mls ability to attract viewers. That mls needed to follow nba mlb and nhl to grow. Well with balley sports filling for bankruptcy and certain teams are in limbo as blackouts will worsen and fans be enrage by this. It’s safe to say mls knows what it’s doing and are ahead of the curve.
MLS is important to the world football not just the US. It can create jobs for many people. Not only that if the US wants to be global football power, the y Need the MLS . Do I think that soccer will be top sport in the US ? Nope . Do i think that MLS will be one the 4 top leagues in the world? Nope . One if the US joined Uefa which wont happen due to distance. The MLS won’t be in the top 4 leagues in the world . However neither are the leagues in Brazil and Argentina ( however both have produced great players over the years ) . What the mls should strive for is to be very good league for young talent , if it can reach the level of the Dutch , Portuguese, dare I say the French , Argentine and Brazilian leagues . Then MLS would have arrived . For the MLS they need to her pay to play , go into the inner cities. Football is about finding the best players with the mental and physical skills, mls Mostly emphasizes mostly on athletic ability . To be great soccer player you need the mental skills , other skills vary from based on positions and of how you set your team to be . The US has the money and natural resources to be global football power. It’s just that they have been doing it wrong . In the last decade the tide has been shifting and MLS has been crucial to that development despite its flaws . The US desperately needs mls to thrive and stay alive for the growth of the sport
I think the MLS is on an upward trend from here on out. I think the salary cap model is the best way to continue going forward as well. There is a reason why the NFL and NBA are the two most successful leagues in the world and many of the top European leagues are struggling... The salary cap keeps parity in the league, every game is competitive and exciting. The top five leagues are top heavy and a bit boring and predictable at times...teams are spending out of their means to try and stay competitive and they all end up cannibalizing each other.. I think we just need to stay the course and be patient. I truly believe the MLS will be a top 5 league in the next 20 years.
@@nealanderson9719 Agreed. There's a chunk of people who are observing the MLS who have very little patience. MLS needs time given its situation and circumstances.
@@nealanderson9719 I think that the parity advantage we have here is huge and I think that is what the European Super League wouldve solved in Europe, however since football has been the same for so long in Europe I dont see them ever changing it. As an American who has been die hard supporting barcelona for about a decade even I have gotten rather bored of just seeing them compete with Madrid every single year, and while my city doesnt have a team (buffalo), I have found myself really enjoying MLS as a neutral and think that parity and competitiveness will make this league the best league in the world one day.
What about something similar to those amazon documentaries like the one they did with juventus? I’d love to follow along with a team. Maybe St Louis FC just joining, or Las Vegas or San Diego (who ever joins next) would be the perfect opportunity for something like that
Good video...though Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham is a Welsh team that plays in the English pyramid. If there is a season format involving promotion-relegation with only MLS teams, that would be a far more compelling season. Also, the question that must be raised...are people willing to spend extra money to buy Apple streaming services to watch MLS?
The number one reason I don't watch soccer is that America's league is barely on TV. While the fact that Apple is charging extra beyond the regular Apple TV+ deters me, the fact that access will be easy for the first time to all games will be a big help. At the moment, the two nearest teams to me, Atlanta United and Orlando City, are not on TV in my area except occasionally on ESPN.
I know this post is old; but I wanted to express myself and would love to get comments, as I would like to know how you all feel! I have lived 25 years in the US of A, I am an authorized voice as I see America as my Home; well I am also a millenial who grew up in South America, so I spent my first 10-11 years without a concept of how soccer was in America, and maybe nor Europe, right before 1998 I became a player of the Fifa Franchise and it opened my eyes to the global world of football, 1997-98 was the first time I witnessed how soccer should be, when I watched European clubs and their fan bases, and their clubs started 90+ years prior, it blew my mind, my only reference of soccer up to then had been my local Ecuadorian League, PRE-World Cup Ecuador, we were deficient… Now when I compared Europe and upon moving to America and comparing how MLS used to be, I saw the humble beginnings, and it felt as Little Children trying to role play adult soccer players abroad, I mean the goals looked like toy goals, the stadiums were gigantic and empty, we played with gridiron lines, One owner owned all the teams, it felt too Artificial, oh and the kits; where would you see kits with names rather than sponsors??? It felt like a toy league, childish, innocent… Now I see where we are, it impresses me how close (not the level though) the look of rhe league with big crowds, and the stands right next to the pitch…. I love it!!! I love it all!, though it’s somewhat hard to shake off the picture of how we started and it makes me overlook it and mis judge it… But now I have bought the apple tv and I am invested, and I am supporting inter Miami like never before… What do you guys feel?
I’m optimistic as well about the apple deal. I think it can be as good as MLS decides to make it. If it’s done right with lots of content, interesting storylines along with good commentators then it could do quite well!
I think the MLS deal is more of a game changer for Apple than for MLS, but it's a win-win overall. In the future people will consider this to be the best media investment Apple ever makes.
I enjoy watching the MLS on ESPN plus. An ESPN plus subscription is a no brainer with so many sports. I don't want a separate subscription for every sport. It's too much!!!
Paying extra on top of AppleTV is ridiculous. They are trading the cash flow and paywall that will limit product growth for league stabilizer. I will continues to watch La Liga, Bundesliga and EPL on Peacock and ESPN+ and still pay less than what MLS costs on Apple!
@@YankReport I'm on the app store right now cannot find it. I wonder if it's region specific or some other kind of limitations. There's a bunch of fake apps but no official one
St. Louis City paid like 200 million for an expansion fee. I really don’t think they would cut back their investment just because the media rights deal came back a little less good than expected. Everyone in the league is in it for the long haul and to imply that the survival of the league was at risk is just ludicrous. My children will attend an MLS game, and so will their children, and this has been obvious since the Cascadia expansion teams started play, if not beforehand. Likewise the insinuation that the rivalries are inauthentic or plastic (or that a few flashy signings would make the difference in whether fans cared about it or not). Rivalry week has always been something that the fans look forward to. You have to actually schedule everyone during rivalry weeks, and there are a few teams that just don’t have a good matchup (looking at you, SKC/Minnesota), but the week has always been full of great fixtures. The NY, LA, California, Cascadia, and Texas rivalries are all great, and they were great long before Gareth Bale graced America with his presence. Even before substantial expansion you had Donovan switching sides in the SJ-LA rivalry and DC and the Metrostars hating each others’ guts. That’s not to say that this weekend wasn’t particularly good for MLS - it was - but the league needs neither a manufacturer of overpriced phones nor a few washed up European stars to rescue it from mediocrity. It’s been executing on the fundamentals this entire time, gradually laying the groundwork for the success you saw this weekend.
MLS has to produce its content for Apple so MLS won't get all of the Apple TV money bc they have to spend alot of it on the production of MLS games pre games and post games.
Just spent 20 minutes trying to sign up for Apple TV to watch MLS. Couldn't complete the sign up because it keeps telling me I already have an account associated with my email, but when I try and retrieve my account, it says my credentials don't match. I tried. I guess I won't watch MLS this season. This Apple deal is going to ge a catastrophe. Die hard fans will watch and people who already have apple tv but that's not how you introduce MLS to new fans.
@@tobiogunsina8426 A big problem with Apple TV is it's not compatible with Chrome cast and they don't have a downloadable app for Android. Apple really needs to get on board with the rest of the streaming platforms if they want more viewership.. They're really limiting themselves by continuing along this trend.
IDK if I like this new deal I loved watching my Orlando city on my local network channel but now I cant so I just pirate it instead because I'm not going to pay for apple tv and then on top of it another extension
I think MLS and Apple deal will be terrible overall for MLS because how can you increase the fan base behind a paywall. It is not even free with Apple TV+ subscription. For that I prefer to get Peacock and watch the EPL.
Uhm I don't have any apple products, I used to own a ipod 64classic that was cool, but I hated iTunes and still do lol. I also own alot of apple stock lol. Ima think about this one
I finally got over it and signed up and it's actually fantastic. I still think it will make it harder for new fans to find the league, but if your are an MLS fan, it is amazing. I wish the NBA had something this nice.
The league has grown but the sport in general has not. After an inflation by MLS second teams, the USL is back to slowly dying on its back, especially at D3 level. All the amateur summer leagues are in the same sort of stasis they've been for years, even less important now because the amateur players that play in them don't hit the heights they previously did. What has been good for MLS hasn't been good for the game, nor the national team. That was better when MLS had 18 man rosters and players were fighting their way out of the European lower divisions to have a career.
Sweet dreams MLS it was nice hoping you’d become more than another failed, bankrupt experiment 🤭 Apple TV, where relevancy goes to die. Except for Jason Sudekis, the Man is a World Heritage treasure and can do no wrong. Song if I butchered the surname.
Change the mls format to make games more meaningful but I have a new idea Regular season If we get 30-32 teams In the MLS, the 29-31 games per team should be played against every team in mls to be played one match each in select home and away matches, 14-15 games at home and 14-15 games away, and one-two alternate matches in random stadiums. Most points wins the title. But if you win the match at 90 mins, 3 points for a win, 1 point for a loss. If you win the match at 120 mins, 2 points for a win, 1 point for a loss. If you win the match on penalties, 1 point for a win, 0 points for a loss. Some one will win in the match, someone will lose In the match, it’s the American way. No promotion or relegation system. While the Leagues Cup that will partner with Liga MX will now be the flagship tournament now replacing the MLS cup. The U.S. Open will be a separate tournament for the MLS teams.
The MLS used to have silly American rules ...each game would end in a shootout, someone must win! It was terrible and a complete failure... here's why... The game is played the same all over the world; it's a global game not an American one. Furthermore, the MLS is trying to lure "Football" fans to support the league. The EPL and LigaMX have American viewership that the MLS is trying to get to view their product. This proves you don't need to change the rules to get "Americans" to watch. These silly American rules were a huge turn off for many and the league was right to scrap them. It made the league seem unauthentic and that's a not a good way to sell a product
Sac and SLC have yet to play so there are already 30 teams. 34 is okay maybe even 40 I think because of the size of our country. We have east vs. west already and that makes MLS unique. Essentially two tables, and two leagues within one. We could also limit travel the more teams we have because we can maybe limit the games east teams play vs west, if they even play each other at all.
I personally hope teams like the Rowdies, Louisville, Indy Eleven etc. get in the league. Also I'm from New Orleans and I think we'd be a dope city to have a team. Natural rivals with ATL. And I mean REAL rivals.
@@YankReport I tried to download the apple TV app on my Android phone, but Apple TV is not connected to the Android service... It works on a web browser though, but not the actual Apple TV app itself..
I don't know how Apple TV will save the MLS except throwing a lot of money at the MLS. This makes absolutely no sense to me. Hardly anyone is going to able to watch the games because people have to shell out more money just to watch that network via streaming. Since millennials hate working and earning money, they won't have it to spend on an additional streaming service. I bet the viewership is going to go down because of this. I loathe Apple and all their products including Apple TV, so I won't ever subscribe to it. It would have been so much better if the MLS would have partnered with ESPN (not ESPN+), USA, TNT, and Fox, more viewership guaranteed.
What MLS needs to establish ASAP, to really create a passionate fan base, is Promotion -Relegation. When fans start feeling the prospect of your club dropping to the second division, you'll see how they'll come out to the stadium to stand behind the team!
Promotion and relegation is stupid. Keep that trash in Europe. Our sports leagues are the most competitive in the world and they're fine just the way they are.
Lower Leagues are barely stable, Relegation wouldn't be a step back like in Europe. It would be a death sentence. Secondly, MLS's biggest potential selling point
In my opinion MLS going on Apple TV streaming makes perfect sense. MLS is selling its product to Americans 45 yrs down to the kids being born today. In addition they are still in negotiations with Fox/ESPN/Univision for about 30 games a yr. The MLS addidas merchandising contract expires next yr. I'm anticipating addidas ponying up at least $150 million per yr at the minimum. Please believe it this league is on the up. I'm a Brit living in the United States. atl resident (Atlanta united fan). Support your league y'all so it can grow. When i was born in England in the 80's, the premier league was not the best, far from it. But we kept supporting it and it became the monster it is today. please support your league.
I guess Adidas ponying up that money is a 'good' thing, but I would like to see various kit manufacturers approach several teams with deals, just for the sake of kit variation.
I really respect your insight on this matter and I totally agree with you when you say we have to support the league because that is absolutely the only way it gets better!
Agreed. For those unhappy, is the status quo better? Less money, lousy promotions, bad news on TV ratings, and weird TV scheduling. There’s a ton of work plus will be interesting on the TV production and how many games Apple offers for free to all and how many as part of the Apple TV subscription
@Channel Name well him being born in the 80s I’m sure when he really started paying attention it was the premier league.
@@dgb921 Actually born in 1980. You're wrong. Football has been a religion wayyyyy before the premier league was born. Are you kidding me. No we Brits were paying just as much attention to Football before the premier league. All the premier league did was bring in money which resulted in the huge world wide audience. No sir, Football Fandom has been passed down from generation to generation in England.
One thing MLS has that most European leagues don't is parity. I don't really know who is going to win MLS cup this year..but we all know who is going to win the Bundesliga.
Arminia Bielefield, of course ! Ok, ok, jokes apart, Union Berlin easy winner, piece of cake . . .
its the un-predictably of most games, let alone the play off fun, its like the English play-offs
LAFC of course!
It's kind of like American college football. Basically everyone expects Alabama and one other team to be in the championship game every year, and they're usually right.
@@theowizard7024 yes fucking sir😤🏆
Your stuff is so professional, Sam. Really well laid out story, very informative, well balanced. Nice work. (Side note: If you can get a different sponsor, I would)
So glad I found this channel. Keep up the good work man! Can’t wait until my hometown St Louis City SC joins up next year. Great soccer market!
"great soccer market"
unfortunately mls will always have that sterile corporate feel to it.
I get a feeling St. Louis City SC will have a similar build to Charlotte FC🤔
I got ESPN+ mostly for MLS, guess I will be getting Apple TV next year.
Me too...I only pay for it for MLS games...just hate that 😒 they (apple) are gonna force me to start crossing over to apple now....I hate apple for that!
I live in the UK, but do keep an eye on you guys and the MLS, im glad the game is growing over there, the federation now needs to axe the ridiculous pay to play system
All I'm going to say is as a young fan seeing the league grow from 2004 to what it is now is incredible.
"Rivalry Week" is really not easy to say.😁
If you knew how many times I practiced that before recording
MLS needs to get the F1 documentarians on board
Why is your storytelling ability so on point? 👌😂
3:04 “in the leagues darkest hour, an unlikely hero would emerge… our partners at bet online!” 😂 I thought Bet Online saved MLS for a second or 2 there
Sam, this was the first video to really put things into context. Other videos were well-done, but this was the first one that moved the needle for me on having Apple involved. Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
you beat me to it, i agree
Great breakdown of what the Apple+ TV deal means for the MLS. Unless you do a lot of digging around, it’s hard to find all this info in a clear and conscious way.
Content that I crave... a look into the world of Supporters Culture across MLS all in one location/one go-to source (for starters) and a comparison to Latinoamérican and European Supporters Culture.
MLS would be smart to make a series doc like Formula 1. I was never a fan until then and met many people that started watching just because of the series.
best arguments about the deal I have heard to date....including the criticisms, I could change my mind.
Should've kept it on local tv too I'm sure it knocks out of ton of people who saw through it that way
Great analysis
Muy bien hecho Sam. No olvides que MLS va a recibir por lo menos $250 millones cada año. Esto es lo mínimo. Si hay más que pagan por Apple TV, la MLS ganará más dinero.
bueno punto.
Sam, knocking it out of the park again. Great content
Thanks Mike!
One of the potential unintended consequences of MLS not getting a mega-money deal is that owners will be forced to improve revenue streams other than TV money to make more. Hopefully for teams like the Revs and NYCFC this is an incentive to go out and get more fans into (ideally soccer-specific) stadiums and create better atmospheres.
That would be huge for both squads. Especially NYCFC. Feels like they were doing everything right except for the stadium.
Watched this a week later, but man solid piece of content. I think the league is only on the way up.
It may have made sense at one point in time, but the lack of a single-team option and the ridiculously high price that's only slightly mitigated by actually subscribing to AppleTV prices a lot of fans out of the league altogether. Which doesn't make much sense at all.
Really glad that Apple is going to end the blackouts. I hate not being able to stream Austin FC games when I live in North Austin
The local market is incredibly unreliable btw at least here
Now don't sell the Apple TV Deal short like that because the deal actually makes MLS the most accessible League in the World since Blackouts have been eliminated which has been a Problem for Fans for decades. I was listening to TalkSport talking about the MLS Deal and commented that this could be the Future of how fans can watch the Premier League because they the Fans there also deal with Blackout Rules as well. So if you're living in West London then you can't watch Chelsea on the TV unless on the Radio. Also the growing in Price of TV Packages have made it unaffordable.
Trying to get into soccer but the streaming rights being everywhere is frustrating. Peacock Premium for Premier League, ESPN+ for USL and some MLS but not games I care about because of blackouts, Paramount+ for the UEFA Championship, and now Apple TV+ for MLS? I might give up on American soccer completely
I do enjoy all the TV by a la carte to a degree, but I also feel its approaching/arrived to death by a thousand cuts. I personally don't like Apple so won't be getting a double subscription to get on apple TV and then another to follow MLS, but I do and will support the league whenever their games come on ESPN/TUDN/Fox. The point about story telling and sports does seem to make sense if it truly does becomes a partnership. I definitely see story driven series driving interest into watching the league within Apple TV, I just hope the price point they drive for the MLS subscription within Apple TV isn't set too high for a casual who caught the series and liked it to then avoid the MLS subscription. Will be exciting to see how much the 2026 and 2030 world cup cycles drive the growth over this 10 year deal and the League. By the end of the 10 year deal I could see MLS challenging some of the bigger leagues for talent with the money that will be flowing by then. Interesting times.
Not a double subscription. It’s a package in the app separate from tv+
@@tobiogunsina8426 Fair enough. Thanks for the heads up.
Nobody gonna switch from Android to iPhone just for MLS on apple tv
@@jeremyf8772 You don’t need to. The Apple TV app is widely available on non-Apple hardware.
I think those big franchise fees help MLS too
Always love an upload of exactly what I’m craving.
People have said that the lack of a local/regional tv deals will hurt the mls ability to attract viewers. That mls needed to follow nba mlb and nhl to grow. Well with balley sports filling for bankruptcy and certain teams are in limbo as blackouts will worsen and fans be enrage by this. It’s safe to say mls knows what it’s doing and are ahead of the curve.
Hopefully we get the MLS version of Hard Knocks soon.
MLS is important to the world football not just the US. It can create jobs for many people.
Not only that if the US wants to be global football power, the y Need the MLS .
Do I think that soccer will be top sport in the US ? Nope .
Do i think that MLS will be one the 4 top leagues in the world? Nope . One if the US joined Uefa which wont happen due to distance.
The MLS won’t be in the top 4 leagues in the world . However neither are the leagues in Brazil and Argentina ( however both have produced great players over the years ) .
What the mls should strive for is to be very good league for young talent , if it can reach the level of the Dutch , Portuguese, dare I say the French , Argentine and Brazilian leagues . Then MLS would have arrived .
For the MLS they need to her pay to play , go into the inner cities. Football is about finding the best players with the mental and physical skills, mls Mostly emphasizes mostly on athletic ability . To be great soccer player you need the mental skills , other skills vary from based on positions and of how you set your team to be .
The US has the money and natural resources to be global football power. It’s just that they have been doing it wrong . In the last decade the tide has been shifting and MLS has been crucial to that development despite its flaws . The US desperately needs mls to thrive and stay alive for the growth of the sport
I think the MLS is on an upward trend from here on out. I think the salary cap model is the best way to continue going forward as well. There is a reason why the NFL and NBA are the two most successful leagues in the world and many of the top European leagues are struggling... The salary cap keeps parity in the league, every game is competitive and exciting. The top five leagues are top heavy and a bit boring and predictable at times...teams are spending out of their means to try and stay competitive and they all end up cannibalizing each other.. I think we just need to stay the course and be patient. I truly believe the MLS will be a top 5 league in the next 20 years.
@@nealanderson9719 Agreed. There's a chunk of people who are observing the MLS who have very little patience. MLS needs time given its situation and circumstances.
@@nealanderson9719 I think that the parity advantage we have here is huge and I think that is what the European Super League wouldve solved in Europe, however since football has been the same for so long in Europe I dont see them ever changing it. As an American who has been die hard supporting barcelona for about a decade even I have gotten rather bored of just seeing them compete with Madrid every single year, and while my city doesnt have a team (buffalo), I have found myself really enjoying MLS as a neutral and think that parity and competitiveness will make this league the best league in the world one day.
Good stuff Sam.
What about something similar to those amazon documentaries like the one they did with juventus? I’d love to follow along with a team. Maybe St Louis FC just joining, or Las Vegas or San Diego (who ever joins next) would be the perfect opportunity for something like that
That would be fun
3:06 Bet online saved the league? What??! Jokes aside great video!
Ok so it wasn't just me that thought that was an odd editing choice 🤣
I ordered my shirt today. Cant wait until it arroves
Good video...though Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham is a Welsh team that plays in the English pyramid.
If there is a season format involving promotion-relegation with only MLS teams, that would be a far more compelling season. Also, the question that must be raised...are people willing to spend extra money to buy Apple streaming services to watch MLS?
The number one reason I don't watch soccer is that America's league is barely on TV. While the fact that Apple is charging extra beyond the regular Apple TV+ deters me, the fact that access will be easy for the first time to all games will be a big help. At the moment, the two nearest teams to me, Atlanta United and Orlando City, are not on TV in my area except occasionally on ESPN.
I know this post is old; but I wanted to express myself and would love to get comments, as I would like to know how you all feel!
I have lived 25 years in the US of A, I am an authorized voice as I see America as my Home; well I am also a millenial who grew up in South America, so I spent my first 10-11 years without a concept of how soccer was in America, and maybe nor Europe, right before 1998 I became a player of the Fifa Franchise and it opened my eyes to the global world of football, 1997-98 was the first time I witnessed how soccer should be, when I watched European clubs and their fan bases, and their clubs started 90+ years prior, it blew my mind, my only reference of soccer up to then had been my local Ecuadorian League, PRE-World Cup Ecuador, we were deficient… Now when I compared Europe and upon moving to America and comparing how MLS used to be, I saw the humble beginnings, and it felt as Little Children trying to role play adult soccer players abroad, I mean the goals looked like toy goals, the stadiums were gigantic and empty, we played with gridiron lines, One owner owned all the teams, it felt too Artificial, oh and the kits; where would you see kits with names rather than sponsors??? It felt like a toy league, childish, innocent… Now I see where we are, it impresses me how close (not the level though) the look of rhe league with big crowds, and the stands right next to the pitch…. I love it!!! I love it all!, though it’s somewhat hard to shake off the picture of how we started and it makes me overlook it and mis judge it… But now I have bought the apple tv and I am invested, and I am supporting inter Miami like never before… What do you guys feel?
Very good video and super insightful
Cruyff always said that the players primary objective is entertain. Sports at the top levels IS entertainment.
I’m optimistic as well about the apple deal. I think it can be as good as MLS decides to make it. If it’s done right with lots of content, interesting storylines along with good commentators then it could do quite well!
I think the MLS deal is more of a game changer for Apple than for MLS, but it's a win-win overall. In the future people will consider this to be the best media investment Apple ever makes.
There's much irony to 5TKO's tweet. I also bet the handler of that account, Steven Lenhart, wouldn't have the balls to say "get lost" to Lalas' face.
I enjoy watching the MLS on ESPN plus. An ESPN plus subscription is a no brainer with so many sports. I don't want a separate subscription for every sport. It's too much!!!
Paying extra on top of AppleTV is ridiculous.
They are trading the cash flow and paywall that will limit product growth for league stabilizer.
I will continues to watch La Liga, Bundesliga and EPL on Peacock and ESPN+ and still pay less than what MLS costs on Apple!
The majority of people in the world have Android not apple. Doubt anyone will buy an iPhone just for apple tv MLS
Apple TV is available on the Google Play market.
@@YankReport no it isn't
My brother in Christ. It is.
@@YankReport I'm on the app store right now cannot find it. I wonder if it's region specific or some other kind of limitations. There's a bunch of fake apps but no official one
So can you please correct yourself now that it is reported by apple and and simple google search there is no such app for androids
St. Louis City paid like 200 million for an expansion fee. I really don’t think they would cut back their investment just because the media rights deal came back a little less good than expected. Everyone in the league is in it for the long haul and to imply that the survival of the league was at risk is just ludicrous. My children will attend an MLS game, and so will their children, and this has been obvious since the Cascadia expansion teams started play, if not beforehand.
Likewise the insinuation that the rivalries are inauthentic or plastic (or that a few flashy signings would make the difference in whether fans cared about it or not). Rivalry week has always been something that the fans look forward to. You have to actually schedule everyone during rivalry weeks, and there are a few teams that just don’t have a good matchup (looking at you, SKC/Minnesota), but the week has always been full of great fixtures. The NY, LA, California, Cascadia, and Texas rivalries are all great, and they were great long before Gareth Bale graced America with his presence. Even before substantial expansion you had Donovan switching sides in the SJ-LA rivalry and DC and the Metrostars hating each others’ guts.
That’s not to say that this weekend wasn’t particularly good for MLS - it was - but the league needs neither a manufacturer of overpriced phones nor a few washed up European stars to rescue it from mediocrity. It’s been executing on the fundamentals this entire time, gradually laying the groundwork for the success you saw this weekend.
I'm just glad I don't have to go between 4 or 5 channels or services just to watch one league like I do Premier League
ESPN was great cause kids could have acces to MLS since some have Disney bundle
They better charge the same fee as paramount plus does for broadcasting Serie A
Fire video bro!!
Thanks Loon!
Lets go union!!!!
Apple TV should be allowed on all TV’s . As a one team fan, this one size fits does not work. Very disappointed I cannot get on cable (Spectrum)
Please reconsider your sponsor
Would love to see a fictional story much like Ted Lasso's only revolving around the MLS
I wouldn't be surprised if Apple pushes the Ted Lasso team to set up a spinoff in America to encourage MLS viewership.
MLS has to produce its content for Apple so MLS won't get all of the Apple TV money bc they have to spend alot of it on the production of MLS games pre games and post games.
Just spent 20 minutes trying to sign up for Apple TV to watch MLS. Couldn't complete the sign up because it keeps telling me I already have an account associated with my email, but when I try and retrieve my account, it says my credentials don't match. I tried. I guess I won't watch MLS this season. This Apple deal is going to ge a catastrophe. Die hard fans will watch and people who already have apple tv but that's not how you introduce MLS to new fans.
Sounds like user error.
Too bad I don't have any Apple gadgets. Unavailable on Android.
Us e the browser
@@tobiogunsina8426 A big problem with Apple TV is it's not compatible with Chrome cast and they don't have a downloadable app for Android. Apple really needs to get on board with the rest of the streaming platforms if they want more viewership.. They're really limiting themselves by continuing along this trend.
@@nealanderson9719 they won't because they're Apple and they think they're superior to everyone else.
Hell is Real comin up😤
IDK if I like this new deal I loved watching my Orlando city on my local network channel but now I cant so I just pirate it instead because I'm not going to pay for apple tv and then on top of it another extension
It’s time to buy Apple stock. MLS will grow quantum in the next ten years…
It sucks that the majority of games aren't free, and that we have to pay an apple TV subscription to watch 😪
This may be the last season I get to watch an MLS match. so.. "Saved"?
Lower division WELSH team Sam! Playing in the English pyramid albeit...but maybe you don't want to get too far into those weeds
Damn. I meant to say British for this very reason.
Wrexham is in Wales, not England 😌
Who else here has an Android phone and will be frustrated about not having a native mobile app to watch games on or Chromecast support?
Btw, Chromecast is far superior to AirPlay
I think MLS and Apple deal will be terrible overall for MLS because how can you increase the fan base behind a paywall. It is not even free with Apple TV+ subscription. For that I prefer to get Peacock and watch the EPL.
Please it’s the “NORTH American” soccer landscape! There’s two countries involved !
Uhm I don't have any apple products, I used to own a ipod 64classic that was cool, but I hated iTunes and still do lol. I also own alot of apple stock lol. Ima think about this one
I feel like this was another bad TV deal by MLS.
I finally got over it and signed up and it's actually fantastic. I still think it will make it harder for new fans to find the league, but if your are an MLS fan, it is amazing. I wish the NBA had something this nice.
The league has grown but the sport in general has not. After an inflation by MLS second teams, the USL is back to slowly dying on its back, especially at D3 level. All the amateur summer leagues are in the same sort of stasis they've been for years, even less important now because the amateur players that play in them don't hit the heights they previously did.
What has been good for MLS hasn't been good for the game, nor the national team. That was better when MLS had 18 man rosters and players were fighting their way out of the European lower divisions to have a career.
3:51, really.
Next generation wont be watching baseball... I know that.
Sweet dreams MLS it was nice hoping you’d become more than another failed, bankrupt experiment 🤭
Apple TV, where relevancy goes to die. Except for Jason Sudekis, the Man is a World Heritage treasure and can do no wrong. Song if I butchered the surname.
Wrexham are Welsh! (but they're in the English pyramid)
Change the mls format to make games more meaningful but I have a new idea
Regular season
If we get 30-32 teams In the MLS, the 29-31 games per team should be played against every team in mls to be played one match each in select home and away matches, 14-15 games at home and 14-15 games away, and one-two alternate matches in random stadiums. Most points wins the title.
But if you win the match at 90 mins, 3 points for a win, 1 point for a loss.
If you win the match at 120 mins, 2 points for a win, 1 point for a loss.
If you win the match on penalties, 1 point for a win, 0 points for a loss.
Some one will win in the match, someone will lose In the match, it’s the American way.
No promotion or relegation system.
While the Leagues Cup that will partner with Liga MX will now be the flagship tournament now replacing the MLS cup. The U.S. Open will be a separate tournament for the MLS teams.
The MLS used to have silly American rules ...each game would end in a shootout, someone must win!
It was terrible and a complete failure... here's why...
The game is played the same all over the world; it's a global game not an American one. Furthermore, the MLS is trying to lure "Football" fans to support the league. The EPL and LigaMX have American viewership that the MLS is trying to get to view their product. This proves you don't need to change the rules to get "Americans" to watch. These silly American rules were a huge turn off for many and the league was right to scrap them. It made the league seem unauthentic and that's a not a good way to sell a product
I bet/hope they stop at 34.
Sac and SLC have yet to play so there are already 30 teams. 34 is okay maybe even 40 I think because of the size of our country. We have east vs. west already and that makes MLS unique. Essentially two tables, and two leagues within one. We could also limit travel the more teams we have because we can maybe limit the games east teams play vs west, if they even play each other at all.
I personally hope teams like the Rowdies, Louisville, Indy Eleven etc. get in the league. Also I'm from New Orleans and I think we'd be a dope city to have a team. Natural rivals with ATL. And I mean REAL rivals.
@@LilRedRasta I only know saint Louis the 30th team we don’t know yet.
It would make sense, if it didn't leave people with Android devices in the cold. At least there's Roku?
Apple is supposedly working on an Android app.
@@Brentman56 For now, the Apple TV web browser still works (which I didn't know that at the time). So there's at least that!
Wrexham is a Welsh team, not an English team, as many Welsh people would tell you.
How many countries are in that country?
@@michaelbuckelew Four countries: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland - together make up the UNITED Kingdom.
Sucks for those who have Android that'd the con of the Apple deal...
You don't need an Apple product to access Apple TV.
@@YankReport I tried to download the apple TV app on my Android phone, but Apple TV is not connected to the Android service... It works on a web browser though, but not the actual Apple TV app itself..
It's not available on Android, and I doubt it would be because it would be a way from them to sell more iPhones.
I hate Apple.
It suck I can't watch Toronto fc on local t.v
5:25 If you haven't already been roasted in the comments: Wrexham AFC are a Welsh team...not English.
No
I don't know how Apple TV will save the MLS except throwing a lot of money at the MLS. This makes absolutely no sense to me. Hardly anyone is going to able to watch the games because people have to shell out more money just to watch that network via streaming. Since millennials hate working and earning money, they won't have it to spend on an additional streaming service. I bet the viewership is going to go down because of this. I loathe Apple and all their products including Apple TV, so I won't ever subscribe to it. It would have been so much better if the MLS would have partnered with ESPN (not ESPN+), USA, TNT, and Fox, more viewership guaranteed.
What MLS needs to establish ASAP, to really create a passionate fan base, is Promotion -Relegation. When fans start feeling the prospect of your club dropping to the second division, you'll see how they'll come out to the stadium to stand behind the team!
How many millions would you be willing to invest in a team, knowing that next year you might be out of the league?
No, it doesn’t. Besides, the lower leagues of American soccer are nowhere near stable enough to implement pro/rel.
Promotion and relegation is stupid. Keep that trash in Europe. Our sports leagues are the most competitive in the world and they're fine just the way they are.
Lower Leagues are barely stable, Relegation wouldn't be a step back like in Europe. It would be a death sentence.
Secondly, MLS's biggest potential selling point
I would pay to make MLS go away and have real clubs with real mobility with promotion/relegation.