Netflix are reported to be in discussion with F1 about live rights but they have been beaten to the punch on live sport streaming rights by Apple who have agreed on a ten-year deal with Major League Soccer in the United States.
While Netflix’s interest was created by the runaway success of streamed behind-the-scenes coverage through Drive to Survive, one of Apple TV’s big winners has been Ted Lasso the dramatic portrayal of a football coach and his team.
The streamer will carry every MLS and League Cup match for ten years in return for what is believed to be a base price of $2.5 Billion and a percentage of subscription income generated from fans.
Two matches were week will be streamed for ‘free’ on the Apple TV app with the remainder of the games behind a higher paywall. This would appear to be a model similar to that employed by Sky Sports in putting limited content onto the non-premium subscription Sky Sports Mix.
Last year the English Premier League rights were retained by NBC for what was understood at the time to be a fee of $2.7 billion over six years.
“It’s a dream come true for MLS fans, soccer fans, and anyone who loves sports,” said Eddie Cue of Apple. “No fragmentation, no frustration — just the flexibility to sign up for one convenient service that gives you everything MLS, anywhere and anytime you want to watch.”
The pricing of the service has yet to be revealed. The deal will go live for the 2023 season.
Sport for Business Partners
