MLS 3.0 - out from the paywall into the cold?
So now we know for sure what Don Garber's promised MLS 3.0 is going to look like. In terms of television it means the death of MLS Season Pass and a new life for the league as part of the broad range of content available on Apple TV. There's no separate paywall anymore - if you subscribe to Apple TV you will get MLS games and the shoulder content as part of the package. In other words, after all the debate, it is now no different than if MLS lived on ESPN's streaming service, Paramount+ Netflix, Amazon Prime or any other streaming service. The value proposition has totally changed - no longer are you paying $12.99 just for MLS content - you are paying the same amount and also getting all the rest of the Apple TV content - the movies, the series, the MLB games and from next year, Formula One too. That's a big win for the consumer.
It's an even bigger win for fans when you consider that you can bundle Apple TV together with Peacock for just $2 more. For soccer fans that means for $14.99 you get NFL and college football games from NBC, the Premier League, select NBA and WNBA games, PGA tour golf, rugby, Olympics coverage along with Apple's sports offering. It's such a good deal that you wonder how long that bundling offer will remain at that price point.
As for what it means for MLS, Garber told reporters after the decision had been announced that the reworking of the Apple deal (which thankfully hasn't yet been called MLS-Apple 2.0) resulted in some changes to the length of the deal and to the revenue aspect. No details were given but it seems hard to imagine that they have extended a deal which still has seven years to run. Might MLS be able to go back to market much quicker than anticipated after the World Cup? As for revenue, with no separate MLS subscription then presumably that revenue-sharing aspect becomes defunct - at least in its previous format. Whether that has resulted in any change to the reported $250 million per year to the league is not known. (Click below for the Spotify version of the podcast with loads more detail on the Apple deal)
MLS will now hope that the better value proposition and reduction in friction created by scrapping MLS Season Pass means that the games will draw significantly larger audiences. Indeed, Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson floated the notion to the SBJ that the numbers could "double". Given Apple's reluctance to share such data we might never find out exactly how many people watched Season Pass nor how many are watching under the new arrangement but it doesn't seem unreasonable to expect the numbers to rise.
We don't know exactly how many people are subscribers to Apple TV but it is significantly lower than leading U.S. streamers Netflix, Amazon and Hulu. Nevertheless, MLS games will now reach many more eyeballs as well as prove a bigger lure to those who might have baulked at the previous arrangement. The Apple deal remains a global one meaning that the league is now available for free to any Apple TV subscriber. That's good news for the league and for the sponsors and partners looking for greater exposure.
Talking of exposure....the cold weather markets in MLS will now need to make plans for the 2027/28 season, which will start in mid-to-late July 2027 and finish with playoffs and MLS Cup in May 2028, after the Board finally approved the plans to switch to the 'European calendar'.
However, the change isn't as radical as those Northern markets had once feared. The season will stop in early December and take a 'winter break' until mid-February. Given that November and December are currently only used for (reduced field) playoffs, that does mean more teams playing in the colder months but the break does limit the impact on the colder markets and some smart scheduling could ensure that the likes of Toronto and Minnesota play their late November/early December games on the road in warmer climes.
So the benefits of the change are all there - no clashes with summer FIFA/CONCACAF tournaments, alignment with the global transfer market windows and FIFA breaks - and the MLS playoffs will no longer be up against the NFL and college football. These are big improvements. But the potential downsides have been limited by that long winter break.
That break, which MLS is used to being a period of soccer hibernation, is much longer than the kind of two week winter stops we see in European leagues and it would be no surprise to see MLS use the opportunity to introduce some kind of winter tournament. Could the Leagues Cup, or part of it, be played in that window in the south of the USA and perhaps Mexico too? Or will some new Cup or tournament be developed to help the teams get ready in January for the resumption of play?
No decision has been made yet about whether MLS Next Pro will follow suit with the exact same season schedule and it will be interesting to see if USL adjusts their plans and also switches to the international calendar or if they will see the absence of MLS from the summer weeks as an opportunity for them to grab some attention in June and July.
The MLS competition format is expected to change with indications that a single table with regional divisions (as opposed to the East/West conferences) and an 'innovative' playoff format, is the most likely outcome (as we have previously reported in this newsletter).
Overall, I would evaluate both these changes, to the TV deal and the season calendar, as hugely positive moves for MLS. They aren't game-changers though. For MLS to move to the next level of popularity in the US market much more is required. We need to see better players and more exciting competition for a great leap forward post-World Cup. But aligning with the global transfer windows and not playing in the intense heat of the south in the summer will certainly help. And making it better value for people to watch the league can only improve visibility.
Blank's Atlanta join NWSL
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has awarded an expansion franchise to Atlanta, Georgia. The new club, set to begin play in 2028, will be owned by Arthur M. Blank and operated by AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE). This NWSL team joins the Atlanta Falcons (NFL), Atlanta United (MLS), and Atlanta Drive Golf Club (TGL) in Blank’s portfolio of sports teams. Media reports say Blank paid a $165 million expansion fee to join the NWSL.
Atlanta will become the NWSL’s 17th team following the recent additions of Boston and Denver. The club plans to host its home matches at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta. Modifications similar to those used for Atlanta United will be deployed to create a unique venue for the NWSL club, with an expected capacity of approximately 28,000.
Arthur M. Blank stated that the clear goal is to "compete for championships beginning in 2028". He also noted that he knows Atlanta fans will "embrace this club as they have Atlanta United".
In a further commitment to the women’s game, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation will provide seed funding to establish the NWSL Foundation, dedicated to advancing research and innovation in women’s sports, with a specific focus on female athlete health and performance. The search for dedicated leadership and staff to oversee day-to-day operations has already begun.
NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman praised the move, saying Atlanta "embodies the energy, diversity, and ambition" that defines the next chapter of the NWSL. The expansion further solidifies metro Atlanta's position as a key player in the US soccer market with U.S. Soccer moving their headquarters to the city which also will host World Cup games. Berman also said the league hopes to add an 18th team to also join in 2028.
The arrival of Atlanta means the NWSL has brought in almost $400 million in expansion fees over the past three years with Bay FC and Boston Legacy paying around $53 million each, Denver forking out $110 million.
NWSL's viewership on ESPN surges 61%
The 2025 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season recorded "record-breaking growth" across ESPN platforms, scoring a 61 percent increase in average viewership for the regular season. The 17-match schedule aired across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, Disney+, and ESPN Deportes.
According to Nielsen Big Data + Panel, the 2025 season averaged 228,000 viewers (P2+), a significant jump from the 141,000 average viewers during the 2024 season, which was the inaugural year of NWSL on ESPN. This momentum is highlighted as joining the recent record-setting audiences for the WNBA and NCAA Women’s Basketball.
Key viewership highlights include:
- Strong Female Appeal: For the second consecutive season, nearly 50 percent of the NWSL on ESPN audience was female, demonstrating the league’s broad connection with female fans.
- Spanish-Speaking Growth: Viewership on ESPN Deportes surged by 109 percent compared to the 2024 average audience.
- Top Performers: Three of the top five most-watched NWSL matches on ABC and ESPN featured the Washington Spirit, led by U.S. Women’s National Team star Trinity Rodman.
- Top Match: The highest-viewed match of the season was the Kansas City Current versus Portland Thorns FC on March 15, which drew 610,000 viewers across ABC and ESPN+.
USL eyes Green Bay
USL is 'exploring' the opportunity to bring a men's and women's team to Green Bay, Wis, and has entered into negotiations with the City of Green Bay aimed at identifying a site for a new stadium.
"We're always looking at ways to enhance quality of life for Green Bay residents and support a thriving local economy," said Mayor Eric Genrich. "Partnering with USL to explore bringing professional soccer to our city reflects our commitment to creating exciting new opportunities for recreation, community pride and regional engagement. The potential for development presents an opportunity to create a multi-purpose sports and entertainment district that could serve as a catalyst for continued downtown revitalization."
“Green Bay is home to some of the most passionate sports fans in the country and with limited professional soccer competition in the region, a USL club could quickly establish a dedicated fan base," said Justin Papadakis, USL deputy chief executive officer and chief real estate officer.
Castrol signs multi-year deal with FMT and SUM
Castrol announced a new multi-year sponsorship with The Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF) and Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the commercial arm and partner of Mexico’s U.S. Tour for more than two decades. Through this agreement, Castrol joins as the official motor oil and lubricant of the Mexican Men’s and Women’s National Teams in the U.S., complementing its existing sponsorships with the NBA, WNBA, and NASCAR.
World Sevens Football comes to Florida
After their debut in Portugal, World Sevens Football (W7F) will hold the second event of the women's 7-a-side tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Dec 5-7th with a $5 million purse on offer.
The competing clubs are: Kansas City Current (USA) • San Diego Wave FC (USA) • AFC Toronto (Canada) • Club América (Mexico) • Tigres Femenil (Mexico) • Flamengo (Brazil) • Deportivo Cali Femenino (Colombia) and Nacional (Uruguay).
The tournament will be held at Beyond Bancard Field, the home of USL Super League club Fort Lauderdale United and will be broadcast by DAZN.
Sacramento eyes stadium expansion
Sacramento Republic FC, one of the USL clubs expected to join the planned new D1 league, has filed plans to potentially expand its Railyards soccer stadium to 20,000 seats as soon as 2028, even as initial construction gets underway.
Work on the Railyards stadium, estimated to cost $175 million, is just beginning, with a planned opening in early 2027. The initial design calls for a 12,000-seat capacity.
The application, filed with the city of Sacramento last week, details a “Phase 2 expansion” to ensure the club can increase capacity in an “expedited and cost-effective manner”.
The expansion would increase the number of stadium suites by 18, raising the total to 27. Work on the foundations and footing for the expansion is scheduled to start as early as May 2026. Building construction for the expansion is targeted to start in November 2027, following the likely conclusion of the team’s first season in the new venue. All site work, landscaping, paving, and construction for the expanded 20,000-seat capacity are targeted for completion by the end of January 2028.
