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ALM/W TV deal

Can't find a direct link, but the story apparently from SMH:


The champagne corks are popping at A-Leagues’ HQ, as On Background hears there is a second bidder in its broadcast rights race, with Disney’s sports giant ESPN officially lobbing in an offer as it continues to build out its local presence.

The A-Leagues have spent the past five years with Paramount+ and Network 10, and are currently in the process of negotiating the next set of rights, which until now, have only attracted serious interest from its incumbent partners. Last time around, there were no competitive offers either.

But while they are considering ESPN’s offer, the league wants a free-to-air partner attached, so has been courting interest from Channel Nine, which isn’t currently there.

Former Labor senator Stephen Conroy, who is executive chairman of the Australian Professional Leagues (the body which oversees the A-Leagues) joined Foxtel’s new board this month, which surely recuses the company from the process.
 
HappyGuus said:
Can't find a direct link, but the story apparently from SMH:


The champagne corks are popping at A-Leagues’ HQ, as On Background hears there is a second bidder in its broadcast rights race, with Disney’s sports giant ESPN officially lobbing in an offer as it continues to build out its local presence.

The A-Leagues have spent the past five years with Paramount+ and Network 10, and are currently in the process of negotiating the next set of rights, which until now, have only attracted serious interest from its incumbent partners. Last time around, there were no competitive offers either.

But while they are considering ESPN’s offer, the league wants a free-to-air partner attached, so has been courting interest from Channel Nine, which isn’t currently there.

Former Labor senator Stephen Conroy, who is executive chairman of the Australian Professional Leagues (the body which oversees the A-Leagues) joined Foxtel’s new board this month, which surely recuses the company from the process.
Click to expand...
I imagine if apl or FIFA order champagne they end up with apple cider instead.
 
HappyGuus said:
Can't find a direct link, but the story apparently from SMH:


The champagne corks are popping at A-Leagues’ HQ, as On Background hears there is a second bidder in its broadcast rights race, with Disney’s sports giant ESPN officially lobbing in an offer as it continues to build out its local presence.

The A-Leagues have spent the past five years with Paramount+ and Network 10, and are currently in the process of negotiating the next set of rights, which until now, have only attracted serious interest from its incumbent partners. Last time around, there were no competitive offers either.

But while they are considering ESPN’s offer, the league wants a free-to-air partner attached, so has been courting interest from Channel Nine, which isn’t currently there.

Former Labor senator Stephen Conroy, who is executive chairman of the Australian Professional Leagues (the body which oversees the A-Leagues) joined Foxtel’s new board this month, which surely recuses the company from the process.
Click to expand...
No it dies not recuse the company. It recuses Conroy from participating in the bidding process by either stepping aside from the APL when discussing the bids or from participating in board meetings when discussing the A-League. Ideally, he would be recused from both but that would be highly unusual.
 
Sutherlandbear said:
Interesting from the MLS

tvtonight.com.au

Apple set for Major League Soccer at no extra cost | TV Tonight

A major win for MLS fans in 2026.
tvtonight.com.au tvtonight.com.au
Click to expand...

Whilst Apple have been extremely reluctant to publish subscriber numbers for MLS Pass the inside track is that they werent particularly great....

It's one of the reasons why they are now going to be available on the regular subscription Apple tv+ platform and why Apple are ending the 10 year deal 4 years early in 2029.
 
Football us life said:
Whilst Apple have been extremely reluctant to publish subscriber numbers for MLS Pass the inside track is that they werent particularly great....

It's one of the reasons why they are now going to be available on the regular subscription Apple tv+ platform and why Apple are ending the 10 year deal 4 years early in 2029.
Click to expand...
Source please, or is this your opinion.
 
Sutherlandbear said:
Source please, or is this your opinion.
Click to expand...

I probably should have said...

I think it's one of the reasons why they are now going to be available on the regular subscription Apple tv+ platform and why Apple are ending the 10 year deal 4 years early in 2029.

Soz....

www.sportsmediawatch.com

Apple TV to end MLS Season Pass, move matches to base tier, per report

The MLS Season Pass subscription service, which has been a core element of the league's Apple TV deal, is reportedly being discontinued.
www.sportsmediawatch.com www.sportsmediawatch.com

With the exception of some Lionel Messi Inter Miami matches, MLS has not generated the kind of linear television audiences that had been the norm prior to the start of the Apple deal in 2023. Last year’s MLS Cup averaged a quarter of the audience it pulled two years ago, before the deal began.
Click to expand...
 
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I've been reading sime further information and opinions around the apple tv+ and MLS tv broadcasting deal.

It seems that many of the guys in rhe US that follow MLS seem to think that this deal with Apple has been a disaster for the MLS.

Putting a competition with a relatively small fanbase behind what amounts to a double or second paywall (apple tv+ and then MLS Pass as an add on to that) was not a particularly good idea. Originally MLS was predominantly broadcast on ESPN which is on most cable networks in the US and for many not behind a paywall.

Further to that many of these media analysis forums holding discussions about said deal think Apple paid way too much to the MLS.- $2.5Billion over 10 years.

Other media analysts reckon that this will effect other niche sports who are trying to convince streaming companies and regular sports broadcasters to take their product. Even in a huge market like the USA there's only do much money to go around for sports broadcasting rights and the dominant sports are always going to be the most sought after.

There might be a lesson for the A League here.

There might be a lesson also for Stan who also use what amounts to a double paywall for EPL and the UEFA club competitions.
 

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Football us life said:
Whilst Apple have been extremely reluctant to publish subscriber numbers for MLS Pass the inside track is that they werent particularly great....

It's one of the reasons why they are now going to be available on the regular subscription Apple tv+ platform and why Apple are ending the 10 year deal 4 years early in 2029.
Click to expand...

The MLS clubs hate the Apple deal. They cant promote in their own markets above what Apple do. Their hands are literally tied in many aspects.

The MLS pass thing was a complete failure. Towards the end of last season they ended up showing multiple games just on the normal Apple TV subscription outside of the MLS pass thing as numbers were so low.
 
CentreHalf said:
The MLS clubs hate the Apple deal. They cant promote in their own markets above what Apple do. Their hands are literally tied in many aspects.

The MLS pass thing was a complete failure. Towards the end of last season they ended up showing multiple games just on the normal Apple TV subscription outside of the MLS pass thing as numbers were so low.
Click to expand...

To be honest I haven't followed how MLS is going since it went off ESPN and then BeIN Sports in Australia.

Maybe I've watched one or two games on the SBS on demand app or the odd highlights of games on YouTube...

That's it....
 
Saw an interview with the president of Paramount in this region, said she would be open to discussions with the NRL for broadcast rights. That would stir things up a bit.
 
Jetsfan said:
Saw an interview with the president of Paramount in this region, said she would be open to discussions with the NRL for broadcast rights. That would stir things up a bit.
Click to expand...
They have some serious heavyweight leadership there now.
 
a interesting re structure deal by apple MLS.
www.sportspro.com

Apple and MLS agree to end US$2.5bn broadcast deal three years early in 2029 - SportsPro

Soccer league MLS gets a short-term payment boost from Apple as it looks to prove gains from winter schedule switch.
www.sportspro.com www.sportspro.com

cordcuttersnews.com

Study Reveals Growing Discontent with MLS & Apple TV Deal | Cord Cutters News

It has been three seasons since Apple TV secured exclusive streaming rights to Major League Soccer (MLS) in a landmark $2.5 billion deal, and new data suggests the league’s bold pivot to streaming may be falling flat with fans. According to a recent Casino.org survey of over 4,000 U.S. sports...
cordcuttersnews.com cordcuttersnews.com

One thing for sure - Messi won't GAS - his deal was a motza orignally due to profit sharing with MLS/apple.
Lionel Messi = $65 million on-field + $70 million off-field - $135 million
 
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Signing Messi was supposed to be the deal that put MLS into the hearts and minds of every American sports fan, regardless of whether they followed soccer or not.

Similar to the David Beckham ~ LA Galaxy deal in 2007. And similar to the Pele ~ NY Cosmos deal in 1975.

And I'm not saying that David Beckham is on the same level as Messi or Pele as a player but he probably is in terms of being a cultural global icon.

I've never been a massive follower of the game in the US but from where I'm standing I'm not sure it will ever work.

I remember watching to an interview with George Best and Elton John on one of the UK tv channels about 20 odd years ago. Best played for 3 NASL clubs in the 1970's including the glamorous LA Aztecs and Elton John was a co-owner of the LA Aztecs in that sane era....

They both agreed when Pele turned up in New York that was the game changer. The entire country became interested in soccer almost overnight. Media coverage was off the scale and the pursuit of footballing fandom nirvana in the USA was within the grasp of the game....

A decade later the NASL folded.

That won't happen to MLS which is on much better foundations but I seriously doubt that itvwill ever sit alongside NFL, Baseball, Hockey and NBL as the major sports yhat dominate American life.
 
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