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Apple to pay billions for exclusive global MLS rights over 10 years

Apple has signed a multibillion-dollar 10-year deal with Major League Soccer (MLS) that will give the tech giant’s streaming service exclusive rights to every MLS match beginning in 2023.

Eddy Cue

In what Apple described as a “historic first for sports,” subscribers to a new MLS streaming service, available exclusively worldwide through the Apple TV app, will be able to stream every MLS match without any local blackouts or restrictions.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed but reports have suggested Apple could be paying US$250m per year for the rights, totalling US$2.5bn over the course of 10 years.

Complete details about the new service, including when consumers can sign up, subscription pricing and specific details about new MLS programming, will be announced in the coming months.

“For the first time in the history of sports, fans will be able to access everything from a major professional sports league in one place,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior VP of services.

“Apple is the perfect partner to further accelerate the growth of MLS and deepen the connection between our clubs and their fans,” said Don Garber, MLS’s commissioner.

“Given Apple’s ability to create a best-in-class user experience and to reach fans everywhere, it’ll be incredibly easy to enjoy MLS matches anywhere, whether you’re a super-fan or casual viewer.”

MLS claims to be is the fastest-growing soccer league in the world and sees teams such as LA Galaxy, New York City FC and Toronto FC compete each year. The deal comes as the US, Canada and Mexico prepare to host the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

In related news, Disney, Times Internet and Viacom18 have split the five-year media rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament between them, with the latter taking the streaming rights in India for US$3bn.

Viacom18, a joint venture between Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance and US media giant Paramount, will also stream the matches in Australia, South Africa and the UK.

Disney, which previously held the five-year media rights to the IPL via its subsidiary Star India, has lost the streaming rights but retained the television broadcast rights in India for US$3bn, while Times Internet will stream the matches in the US and the MENA region.

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