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Apple has reportedly signed up more than one million subscribers to its Major League Soccer (MLS) Season Pass to date, with Lionel Messi’s debut for Inter Miami helping secure the largest single channel audience for a match on linear television since 2004.
According to Sports Business Journal (SBJ), the number of subscribers has increased by 300,000 since June, although this figure includes users who receive access to MLS Season Pass for free via their club season ticket.
Apple is currently in the first season of a ten-year, US$2.5 billion global broadcast deal that includes the rights to every single match from the US soccer top flight.
Both Apple and MLS have indicated they are happy with the performance of the venture in the first few months, but subscriber numbers and viewing figures have been a closely guarded secret – something which has reportedly frustrated team executives who would prefer greater visibility.
Previously, clubs could receive quarterly-hour numbers for national and local broadcasts, helping them in negotiations with local sponsors. However, MLS has been keen to stress the value of the partnership goes beyond ratings given Apple’s ability to offer a consistent schedule, higher quality broadcasts, and tap into a wider technological ecosystem.
hat said, the deal does include provisions for national broadcasts in the English language via Fox and FS1 and in Spanish via Univision – both of which are subject to Nielsen ratings. Sports Media Watch says Lionel Messi helped drive the second-highest audience on a single channel for a non-championship game when he took to the field against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup, with Univision securing 1.75 million viewers.
The only match to have secured more viewers since the 1997 MLS Cup on ABC was DC United versus San Jose Earthquakes in 2004 – a match notable for the debut of the much-hyped Freddy Adu.