The first year of the deal between Apple and the MLS via MLS Season Pass has hauled in more good news than initially expected, as the streaming platform is already close to exceeding the expectations set on it for its first twelve months.
According to recent reports, the streaming service available on Apple TV+ is nearing it's 1,000,000th subscription. While the service was boosted initially by giving all season ticket holders for every MLS club an account, the number is getting closer to exceed the initial projections made by the company.
While the number is yet to be reported by official MLS sources or Apple employees, MLS Commissioner Don Garber spoke candidly of the deal and its effects on football in North America.
"It's truly a partnership. It's not a rights deal where it's just about 'we have these available windows, we'll pay you to put your product on in those available windows, we'll promote them to our audiences.' It's more about how can we be integrated within the entire Apple ecosystem and create a global offering for fans in a very easy and an accessible way," Garber stated.
Some key moves to facilitate a growth in audiences may have to do with the fact that the league decided to have all games being played between Saturday and Sunday, which has made it easier for fans to plan their schedules.
Added to this, the arrival of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami is expected to boost the number of subscriptions across the globe. While the main goal for MLS Season Pass focuses on U.S.-based users, watching numbers increase in other regions does not deter the league from its main goal: making the MLS one of the most appealing leagues to watch anywhere in the world.
