Apple and MLS unveil production plan

Apple and MLS have revealed their production plans for the MLS Season Pass.

The pair agreed a 10-year global rights deal last year, and the pass will feature every match of the MLS regular season, Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, and Leagues Cup in one place, available as an extra subscription on Apple TV+. It currently hosts on-demand content for fans to see in preparation for the season beginning later this month.

IMG and NEP Group are on board to provide the live production, which includes over 900 matches representing over 2,000 hours of live coverage, as well as production of live studio programming.

The content aims to have more camera angles than previous MLS coverage, 1080p video, Dolby 5.1 audio, and enhanced data and graphics, replays, and storytelling around the clubs and players. There will be a new graphics package that will incorporate storylines, stats, and advanced data visualizations. 

MLS Season Pass will have 80 announcers and football legends presenting to fans in English and Spanish for all games, plus French for matches involving Canadian clubs - all are named below the article. All MLS and Leagues Cup live matches will be produced at MLS stadiums, including on-site talent, using a fleet of production units to produce simultaneous coverage of up to 14 matches each game night. Live studio programming will be created at a newly rebuilt production facility in New York City with a trio of state-of-the-art studios that will serve as the central hub for all MLS Season Pass studio programming.

Fans in the US and Canada will have the option to select their home team’s radio broadcast for audio on the Apple TV app where available. Viewers will also have the ability to watch any match from the start, no matter when they tune in, and have access to the full game replay immediately after the match has ended. 

In addition to live, there will be dedicated studio programming to preview weekly matchups, dissect key moments, and hear compelling stories from around the league all season long. Before each match, viewers can enjoy MLS Countdown, a pregame show available in English and Spanish. MLS 360, a new whip-around show, will provide live look-ins from every match, and feature every goal, penalty kick, and big save, as well as analysis and discussion. Fans can get a full recap of the day’s action via MLS Wrap-Up - live postgame coverage available in English and Spanish. Full show descriptions are below this article.

Additionally, MLS Season Pass features a vast library of MLS classics, historic and current match replays, highlights, and club-produced content that is updated weekly. 

Gary Stevenson, MLS deputy commissioner and president of MLS Business Ventures, said: “MLS Season Pass is a global project that required assembling a team of the most talented and accomplished leaders in every aspect of the broadcasting industry from all over the world. Our focus, with our partner Apple, is delivering an exceptional level of quality and storytelling that entertains and engages MLS’s passionate fans, improves their experience, and engages new fans through the reach of Apple and MLS Season Pass.”

Mike Werteen, NEP Group’s global president of broadcast services, added: “MLS has always had a clear vision for the fan experience they wanted to create, and it’s been such an honor to work with them and the team at Apple to build a technical solution to bring MLS Season Pass to life. Utilizing NEP’s connected platform, we bring six locations together to deliver every MLS game, allowing for specialized feeds and studio integration for a complete capture-to-distribution solution. There are up to 100+ feeds each game day routing through our data centers, production hubs, and studio facilities. I’m proud of our team’s ingenuity in taking something very complex and building an elegant solution that makes it all seem easy. That’s no small feat.”

Barney Francis, IMG Productions’ executive vice president and head of global production, commented: “We are excited to be part of this transformative new partnership between MLS and Apple, and we look forward to bringing the highest level of innovation to their live coverage for fans globally. Being chosen for this large-scale production is a testament to our industry-leading experience, expertise, and excellence in producing live soccer matches for audiences around the world. It also marks an important milestone in the global expansion of IMG’s production business with the launch of our new base in North America.”