MLS unveiled a legitimately landmark agreement with Apple on Tuesday. For the first time ever, all MLS games — both local and national — will be available through one streaming service without any blackouts. That’s not to say this deal is perfect or without legitimate criticisms, but it does chart a bold path forward for a league that has long struggled to find its footing in the American sports landscape.
Here’s what Sounders fans need to know about this new deal:
Let’s get right to the meat of this — you will need to subscribe to the new streaming service through the Apple TV streaming app. That app will carry every game the Sounders play in both MLS and Leagues Cup, as well as select MLS Next Pro and MLS Next games.
No. If there’s one glaring downside to this new deal it’s that traditional over-the-air, cable and satellite services are completely cut out from most games.
MLS is apparently still working on a linear TV deal that should put some games on places like ESPN, FS1 and/or Univision, but they won’t be exclusive and it’s unclear how many games will be available that way.
All streams will come with a drop-down menu that allow you to select which audio feed you want to hear. For instance, if the Sounders keep their current radio team of Keith Costigan, Kasey Keller and Steve Zakuani you’d be able to choose to pair that audio stream with the video stream for every game.
A little. The Sounders currently handle production for all their local games. They staff the cameras, direct the broadcast and everything else. If the broadcast wants a specific angle of a specific replay, they can get it. Under this new deal, that will all be handled at a national level. It could be better, it could be worse, but we do know the Sounders’ current broadcast team is more robust than most local broadcasters and it’s not clear what this will look like.
The Sounders are one of the only teams who broadcast all games in 1080p, which is about as…