Major League Soccer is preparing for a pivotal moment as its current Apple TV agreement expires after the 2029 season. The league has set its sights on tripling its annual media‑rights revenue to a range of $400 million to $500 million, a target that would place it among the most valuable domestic sports properties in the United States.
The Apple Deal and Its Limits
Achieving that figure will be far from straightforward. MLS already contends with established global leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga and Liga MX, whose domestic and international deals routinely exceed $450 million per season. In the United States, the Premier League’s NBC contract alone is valued at roughly $450 million annually, and its matches routinely attract more than a million viewers on linear television.
The competition is not only viewership‑driven but also brand‑driven. While MLS has succeeded in attracting high‑profile players like Lionel Messi, the league still struggles to capture consistent audience metrics. Apple TV has kept viewership figures largely private, making it difficult for analysts to assess the true reach of MLS matches. Nonetheless, internal data suggests that 68 % of American soccer fans follow more than one team, a sign of a fragmented but passionate fan base.
A Competing Domestic League Emerges
Adding to the pressure, the United Soccer League plans to launch a top‑flight league in 2028 that will feature promotion and relegation, a model that could further erode MLS’s market share. Early CBS broadcasts of the USL Championship have already drawn nearly half a million viewers on days coinciding with World Cup fixtures, indicating a growing appetite for alternative competitions.
The upcoming World Cup may provide the catalyst MLS needs to prove its commercial viability. Until then, the league must demonstrate that its current $250 million annual Apple deal is just the foundation for a much larger payday. The stakes are high, and the outcome will hinge on both domestic traction and the ability to leverage global soccer momentum.