Pricing, other details announced for new MLS streaming service

Apple and Major League Soccer announced details for the subscription service that will serve as the launching point for the 10-year partnership between the two. The announcement offers fans clarity on how they’ll watch their teams and the rest of the league in 2023 and beyond, through MLS Season Pass. If you’re curious about how you’ll watch the Seattle Sounders for the next decade, just keep reading.

The primary point of interest for many will be the cost of the service. While all full-season ticket holders will receive a subscription to MLS Season Pass as part of their season ticket package, there are essentially two pricing levels with two payment schedules each. Starting on February 1, for fans with an Apple TV+ subscription — the subscription service where original series like Ted Lasso, Severance and Foundation can be found — the subscription will cost $79 per season or $12.99 per month. If you don’t have Apple TV+, you can subscribe to MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app for $99 per season or $14.99 per month.

That kind of feels like a lot, so what are you getting for that price? First and foremost, you’ll have access to every MLS regular season game live with no blackouts. Each of those games will include 30 minutes of pre-game coverage, and games will be available with both English and Spanish broadcasting, and games featuring Canadian teams will also be available in French. If you’d prefer a homier touch, you can also listen to your team’s radio broadcast in the app. On match days, MLS Season Pass will also feature a live whip-around show — think NFL’s Redzone or CBS’s Golazo Show. But wait, there’s more! In addition to every regular-season MLS game, MLS Season Pass will also be your home for the playoffs, Leagues Cup, and will also broadcast “hundreds of MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT games during the season,” according to the announcement. The service will also provide additional coverage of every team, along with offering full replays and highlight packages.

MLS Season Pass isn’t going to be the only option for watching games. Linear broadcasting plans have yet to be announced, and some games will also be available on Apple TV and Apple TV+ without having the MLS Season Pass subscription. Some MLS regular season and Leagues Cup games, including a selection of MLS playoff games, will be available at no additional charge on Apple TV+. There will also be some games available on the Apple TV app for free, including the full slate of games for the league’s opening weekend.

As part of the partnership, Apple TV will appear as a sleeve sponsor for each MLS team. Additional details including broadcast teams, production and other features will be announced closer to the start of the 2023 season.