MLS Commissioner Don Garber Reveals Why Apple TV Partnership Excites Him and What's Coming Next
The 2025 MLS campaign has witnessed stars like Son Heung-min and Thomas Müller entering the league during the season. However, supporters wanting to watch their beloved players must purchase MLS Season Pass through Apple TV.
Beginning in 2023, MLS and Apple TV established an exclusive broadcasting partnership, with Apple TV producing and streaming every MLS regular season, playoff, and Leagues Cup fixture through subscription, positioning it as one of the few leagues almost completely behind a subscription barrier.
Although certain matches broadcast on conventional television networks like Fox in the US and TSN in Canada, most team games require the Apple TV subscription, which cost $129 at the 2025 MLS season launch.
Upon agreement, this contract represented a pivotal achievement for MLS. Valued at $2.5 billion extending to 2033, it granted the league exceptional coverage and production quality, while establishing it as a premier property, contrasting its previous arrangement with ESPN and other traditional networks.
Furthermore, the MLS Season Pass through Apple TV structure enables worldwide access without regional restrictions, making Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, LAFC's Son and Vancouver's Müller equally viewable in Argentina, South Korea and Germany as in North America.
Nevertheless, the accessibility and viewership figures have faced criticism in 2025, with occasional viewers unable to easily access matches, and detailed subscription data remaining privately held.
"We're extremely satisfied with our current position. Regarding Apple subscriptions, our viewership and audience numbers are robust," MLS Commissioner Don Garber stated during the Leagues Cup championship between Miami and Seattle Sounders. "I understand it's challenging for everyone that we cannot provide comparisons. Our league-wide ratings have been exceptional. This demonstrates success within our subscription-based model."
Previously this season, Garber disclosed that platform games attract an average of 120,000 viewers, representing a 50% surge from the 2024 season. He attributed this growth partly to fans accessing MLS Season Pass through various TV providers, though he provided no additional details.
Throughout the 2025 season, the league and Apple TV have also allowed local broadcast stations to air delayed games for regional audiences, as demonstrated with Charlotte FC, FC Dallas and additional markets.
"I appreciate having global accessibility. I can view matches regardless of location. I can use my phone—whether Apple or Android—or any computer or display," Garber commented at the Leagues Cup. "During my Canadian vacation, I could watch those games as comfortably as sitting in my New York City living room."
While supporters of other leagues frequently deal with divided broadcasting rights or regional blackouts, MLS has avoided these complications by fully embracing streaming through MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Nevertheless, disparities remain between traditional television audiences and those adopting the new platform.
"This shift represents the future," Garber explained. "Regarding media consumption—it must be accessible, and we must ensure we achieve proper accessibility moving forward."