• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 5, 2025

Apple-MLS Deal Reportedly Contains ‘Opt-Out’ Clause

  • Apple could walk away from the agreement if a certain number of subscribers have not added MLS Season Pass.
  • MLS commissioner Don Garber did not confirm or deny the presence of the clause.
Apple TV signage on the sidelines of an MLS match.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

It may be too early to judge the success of Apple’s partnership with Major League Soccer — but the tech giant reportedly already has a contingency plan in place.

According to The Athletic, the league’s deal to broadcast its games on Apple TV+ contains an “opt-out” clause that would allow Apple to walk away from the agreement if a certain number of subscribers have not added MLS Season Pass within a set timeframe.

MLS commissioner Don Garber didn’t confirm or deny the existence of such a clause to The Athletic. MLS did not respond to Front Office Sports’ request for comment.

“We’ve never talked about what the specific terms [of the agreement] are,” Garber said, “and we’re not going to talk about it now. It’s a 10-year partnership. We’re both very, very committed to that.”

While Apple has mostly received praise for its broadcasts through the first two weeks of the MLS season, it’s not immediately clear how many people are watching, as Apple hasn’t released any viewership statistics.

The league and tech company seem content with their partnership: Last week, they announced that the producers of “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” would be making an MLS docuseries to stream on Apple TV+.

MLS also drew 380,502 fans to its games on opening weekend — the most in league history.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

exclusive

PGA Tour Slashes FedEx Cup Winner Pay From $25M to $10M

The FedExCup is reworking how it distributes its bonus money.

As NBA Free Agency Quiets, Focus Shifts to Potential Extensions

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a four-year, $285 million extension.

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.

Big Ten Commish Still Pushes for 4 Auto CFP Bids in 16-Team..

The conference wants four guaranteed spots in the Playoff.

Featured Today

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
June 29, 2025

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Leo Messi

TNT, Club World Cup Ride Messi to Surprisingly Solid Debut Ratings

TNT Sports carries about a third of matches in the U.S.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
June 24, 2025

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 19, 2025

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.
June 17, 2025

Stanley Cup Final Delivers Drama but Struggles for Eyeballs in U.S.

U.S. viewership fell while Canadian audiences for the event rose slightly.
June 17, 2025

Streaming Tops Linear for First Time, Sports Still Key to TV’s Resilience

Streaming hits another critical milestone in an accelerating media transition.
June 17, 2025

Zaslav Takes Pay Cut, TNT Sports Future Unclear in WBD Shake-Up

The TNT Sports parent company retools its executive pay after shareholder pushback.