Why aren't fans signing up to MLS SEASON PASS?

We jump into reading the feedback from soccer fans throughout the United States and our analysis and experience about why soccer fans are not signing up for MLS Season Pass, fifteen months after the service launched on Apple TV. Has MLS moving to Apple left the door wide-open for USL, NWSL, and EPL to increase their viewership on US TV? How can MLS compete against other streaming services that offer better soccer for less money? How fans of Liga MX are flipping to the Premier League, and how the rest of the leagues are left picking up the scraps?
We also dive into MLS Commissioner Don Garber’s hypocritical comments when he spoke to World Soccer Talk about his reaction to foreign leagues wanting to play official league games in the United States. Plus, he shared with us about the possibilities of more soccer rights coming to Apple soon, and whether Major League Soccer would welcome that

[@BarTGila]

I watch, but I can tell you why. A lot of families can NOT AFFORT it. This Apple deal cut out a lot of kids who would love to watch their team but their parents just can not afford the expense. If you want to grow soccer in the US the ONE CHANNEL only crap has to go. MLS is really missing the ticket with this deal.

[@mikexstad1121]

I'm watching USL every week. US Open Cup issue was the final nail in the coffin for my MLS fandom

[@davidday2373]

Fake fan.

[@CoachSeanUT]

I have fully enjoyed watching USL and even my teenage boys team has begun watching. I truly hope USL can get a D1 status and force MLS to show they want to care about American soccer for ALL

[@davidday2373]

What.

[@Wingcake1]

15$ a month on an app not available on android phones should have signed with paramount and espn keep games on local tv and signed the spanish rights to nbc telemundo how do you sell both languages for a bargain 250 mill a year. Thats chump change compared to other leagues. Wwe sold its raw rights for 500 mill a year and that doesnt include their ppvs or other shows were getting ripped off garber doesnt know what hes doing.

[@LazarusSlade]

It's available on Android, but holy shit, it fucking lags every 10 seconds! I'm a season ticket holder, so I don't worry about my team during home games, but away games, that's another story. Oftentimes I end up going to KZbin for away games.

[@Wingcake1]

@@LazarusSlade it lags cause its through a browser it should be a dedicated app not sure why apple can cut a deal already.

[@davidday2373]

European Leagues need to drop to 18 teams??!? What rationale is behind that sentiment?

[@whotfisgreg8540]

The problem is that when ESPN or Paramount had the MLS they had the games hidden behind multiple pages or had to endlessly scroll to find the games. There was no promotion at all so fans didn’t even know the games were on. With apple they are on the front page and are being advertised. I do wish it just came with Apple TV though. Last the games are on FS1 too

[@aramdg]

The only reason I have it is because it came with my LAFC season ticket membership. I don’t think I would have it if it wasn’t for that and that’s coming from a huge LAFC fan

[@davidday2373]

Speaking of which, why can't I find anyone reporting what the USL Broadcasting Right deal is? Its on CBS and Golazo, right, so how much is USL getting paid?

[@bigjoeofthe707]

Making Season Pass to be separate from AppleTV+ was dumb. Don’t know why it’s not part of it instead of paying an additional amount. And also making Season Pass to be the primary way to watch MLS games is something a pro league that isn’t well known would do (like Major League Rugby, National Lacrosse League, Indoor Football League, or Major League Cricket). Now USL and even NWSL have games on multiple streams & tv

[@Delboy0]

It is way too expensive for a minor league in the world. £2 per month would have made more sense, asking for £15 per month to watch a long past benteke should be a crime. You can charge that for the EPL but not MLS. It is a ridiculous price point doomed to fail.

[@Portugeezer148]

Many believe MLS will pick off Indy, Detroit ,Sacremento and maybe Tampa from USL. I hope USL goes into MLS markets. Cities like Seattle, Portland and Boston have fan bases that lean left and may be attracted to an underdog. Alternative soccer team that has an authentic feel rather than MLSNFL. Of course, stadia is the big optstical.

[@Wingcake1]

I think detroit and phoenix are team 31 and 32 if san jose wants to relocate sacramento is a great ption most leagues avoid tampa if orlando has its team so i dont see that one. Usl should attack in soccer mad places and give fans what they want pro/rel traditional calendar and a less complicated roster rules.

[@davidday2373]

Sacramento Republic was all set to join MLS, but the cheap owner/ investor backed out, or did you conveniently forget? So, MLS regarding Indianapolis/ Indy Eleven: "Fool me once..."

[@davidday2373]

TAMPA Mutiny?

[@MattD1234]

There still isn't even an app for Android, you need an Apple account, etc.

[@bigjoeofthe707]

USL is growing. They just announced that the September match between Sacramento Republic and New Mexico United will now air on ESPN2. That’s growth for another game being added to national tv

[@bigjoeofthe707]

Throw in the fact people are fed up with how MLS is pushing their way to be the only pro soccer league in the country and have everyone else be a minor league. Like the treatment of the US Open Cup (and getting the last 3 rounds to air on MLS Season Pass with MLS having a 5-3 advantage over USL Championship on clubs left for each league) or pushing into markets with a USL club and putting a new team there instead of poaching the existing club instead (Charlotte, San Diego, St. Louis, and possibly Vegas and/or Indianapolis). MLS should be partnering with USL and be almost like what Premier League & the EFL are in England. MLS be the top league and USL having pro leagues in the 2nd-4th divisions

[@danield8528]

The boys are back in town!

[@WorldSoccerTalk]

Literally and figuratively!

[@Biaxial]

MLS should've sold non-exclusive local rights, not just non-exclusive national rights.

[@Kyleterp1]

I would say part of why fans aren’t subscribing is because people don’t know mls is even on Apple. The only time sports shows show any kind of highlights is when Messi does something for Miami. Hence the make Messi League soccer. The marketing of the league outside of Messi has been atrocious. Americans rather see the best quality of teams/players hence the rise of American/mexican fans who like the premier league, la liga, etc. please support your local teams. there’s no pro/rel, more than half the teams make the playoffs, but there’s no reward for sucking like in the nfl like every other socialist American sport. And, the scheduling of games, they put themselves in the worst time possible. They start during the March madness basketball tournament. They’re competing with the nba and nhl playoffs. The best time they have no competition besides baseball, they decided to put on a made up money-grab tournament that no one cares about, then during their most important time of the year, they’re competing with nfl and college football which are the 2 biggest sports in the country.

[@forestmiller5187]

Because USL teams earned my attention, they are a toxic organization, and have established a precedent of buying into a league which nullifies the option for Pro/Rel, which they knew would prevent it when choosing to do this.

[@FabianMejia-h1s]

I wonder where the MLS ranks among the league’s in the Americas ?

[@WorldSoccerTalk]

According to the latest Opta rankings, the top 3 are: 1. Brasileirao 2. Liga MX 3. MLS

[@FabianMejia-h1s]

@@WorldSoccerTalk - we’re ranked ahead of Argentina?

[@leagueadmin5018]

It's far too expensive for the quality of football on display

[@davidday2373]

I love this channel. LOLOL [Consistent unintended comedy]

[@stevenygabbyperez695]

Before MLS there was no soccer in this country. We had the US Open cup for nearly 100 years by then and still no one cared. MLS came in, struggled for many years but survived the rough times and now we habe 30 MLS teams and the sport has never been more popular. American soccer snobs see that a say MLS is holding soccer back in this country. 😂😂😂😂

[@FAITHandLOGIC]

They are. MLS is standing in the way of mass pro soccer representation across the country. Soccer fans want pro/rwl but Garber and the owners care about one thing and one thing only - their pockets. BTW, 30 teams is not a good thing. The league is a joke compared to the top leagues in the world.

[@xh2633]

I think we should compare USL to the Sunbelt Conference.

[@danield8528]

I'll care abour American football leagues when the implement pro/rel, flip to a NORMAL football calender, and stop expanding teams. This goes for the USL also. No one needs 30 team leagues with everyone and their mother getting a club. Till then, call me a Eurosnob.

[@freeisalwaysme]

Agreed!!! I don't know how they expect to be adding teams and keep splitting the TV contract.

[@sudano9958]

You are not a Eurosnob, you are just not a footie fan. Obsessing over Pro/Rel even though the FA was started in 1863....'the National League System itself is a fairly recent development. It was created by The Football Association in the 1990s to bring together various ad hoc arrangements from around the country, and to give clubs a clear path of promotion and relegation from the lower levels of the pyramid right through to the professional leagues. Over 130 years but you demand MLS must have one. Idiocy.

[@danield8528]

@@sudano9958 American football has had leagues come and go since the early 20th century. We had a league that lasted almost 50 years. We kept having leagues compete with other leagues instead of coming together, and forming ONE football pyramid like 95% of the footballing world. We had over a century to get it right, and this country STILL doesn't get it. Call me whatever you want. YOU don't know ball and it shows

[@sudano9958]

@@danield8528 You are wrong to think English football has had just one all encompassing pyramid since 1863 when the Football Association was established. The Football League started in 1888 with 15 teams, No Pr/Rel. FL was just one league competing against other leagues for many decades. Southern League started in 1894 competing against the FL. Many other District and Regional Associations didn't join the League, many in the south didn't like the FL and joined the Combination League, in 1885 British Football Association started to rival the FA, chaos ensued, dozens of leagues, teams playing under different formats, half the country not involved in the FA cup. 35 years later Pro/Rel introduced in only one of it's many leagues. 1920 the one League now consolidated and named football league now has a 3rd division 25 years after that. Many teams and leagues still not under one pyramid. Not until 1992 140 yrs later )did every team in the country fall under one pyramid with Pro/Rel for all. MLS is 27 yrs old but you demand it now. Pick up a book and learn context.

[@danield8528]

@@sudano9958 Did I say only MLS had to implement pro/rel, or did you not read my entire comment like the Muppet you actually are??

[@limazulu1312]

I am content watching the PL, Championship and my local NPSL team live. screw the MLS🖕

[@davidday2373]

Fake fan.

[@MattD1234]

The idea that the MLS is potentially comparable to the European leagues from a quality on the pitch perspective is so disingenuous.

[@brando7266]

It might be a top 10 league, in 5 years,

[@davidday2373]

How do you know?

[@jasonng8031]

They should catch up to South American League level first before thinking about europeans

[@BML1967]

Argentina soccer is fun to watch on Paramount +. Very aggressive, fast pace, and the crowds are massive cheering.