Go Big or Go Home: Huge Announcements in Sports
Apple TV x MLS Sign for $2.5B. IPL Sells Media Rights for $6.02B. Toronto & Vancouver Prepare for World Cup.
Our thoughts are with the country and people of Ukraine, hoping a peaceful end is near.
On Today’s Agenda:
10-Year Deal Worth $2.5B for MLS
IPL Secures New Media Rights Deal, 2nd to Only NFL in Value
Edmonton Loses Out, 10 Group Stage Matches for Canadian Cities
Apple TV and MLS Agree on Streaming Deal
10-Year Deal Worth $2.5B for MLS
By AJ Hewish
Apple strikes again! This week, Major League Soccer (MLS) announced the agreement of a 10-year deal with Apple to be the exclusive provider of the MLS match broadcasts worldwide. Beginning next season, MLS fans will be able to watch all league play, league cups, MLS NEXT Pro (semi-pro league), and MLS NEXT (developmental league) matches through the MLS streaming platform, which will be available through Apple TV.
The deal will allow Apple TV subscribers to stream a limited number of games. At the same time, all MLS season ticket holders will get free access to the streaming service, with all parties able to watch the matches in English and in Spanish, while Portuguese is still in the works, and French is available for all Canadian matches.
Additionally, the MLS league schedule is set to be altered, with midweek games to be played on Wednesdays and weekend games on Saturday nights.
Apple’s Senior VP of Services, Eddy Cue spoke about the new agreement and said, “For the first time in the history of sports, fans will be able to access everything from a major professional sports league in one place. It’s a dream come true for MLS fans, soccer fans, and everyone who loves sports.”
Apple and the MLS are making massive strides in streaming, introducing their service which offers full streaming of all MLS and MLS-associated matches, something other major streaming platforms have failed to do. DAZN, known for its streaming of the Premier League and Champions League, fails to deliver all league-associated platforms, causing many fans irritated and annoyed. When watching the Premier League fans can watch on DAZN but must switch over to Sportsnet for FA Cup matches and then back to DAZN for the League Cup.
Well no longer. Apple is posing a serious threat to international soccer fans and sports fans in general, adding full MLS soccer coverage to Apple TV, which also covers all MLB matches.
But what does this mean for DAZN? With FuboTV taking over streaming rights of the Premier League for next season in Canada, and Apple TV’s rise in the market, how can the industry compete with one another?
Maybe in the coming years, we’ll see Apple get rights for the Premier League, Champions League, Ligue 1, and more. But for now, Apple is right up there with the other streaming giants, preparing to conquer the professional sports streaming market.
Let us know what you think is gonna happen in the coming years with Apple TV, Dazn, and more. Will they survive? Will Apple take over? I guess we’ll find out.
Indian Premier League Goes for Six (Billion)
IPL Secures New Media Rights Deal, 2nd to Only NFL in Value
By Hiral Patel
A few months ago, when the Indian Premier League was set to commence its 15th season, we took a look at the rise of cricket globally, and how the IPL was primed to grow exponentially. After the two-month tournament ended with the expansion Gujarat Titans taking the title in their inaugural season, the party has not stopped just because the season has. Early this week, the IPL media rights were sold for a record $6.02 billion USD. No typo there, the 5-year deal carries an average annual rate of $1.2 billion USD.
The media rights were sold in 4 different “buckets”, with the largest two being the Indian subcontinent TV rights and the respective digital streaming rights. The TV rights went to Star for $3.02 billion USD, which was acquired by Disney in 2017. The streaming rights went to Viacom 18 for $2.62 billion USD. Indian business tycoon (and 6th richest man in the world) Mukesh Ambani entered a strategic partnership to purchase a majority stake in Viacom 18 through Reliance Industries. Ambani also owns the IPL’s Mumbai Indians through his company (Reliance Industries).
These massive numbers propelled the value of the IPL, with a 143% increase over the last 5-year deal. The overall price per match for the media rights alone is equivalent to approx. $15.11 million USD.
This valuation puts the IPL in the upper echelon of sports entertainment products in the world, overtaking the English Premier League for the 2nd most valuable league in per match terms ($15m vs $11m). The IPL only sits behind the NFL’s media rights deal, which values the league at $17 million USD per game.
From the other side of the world, the numbers may appear to be large, but the impact of this deal can be massive for those who missed out. Disney, which had both digital and TV rights through its ownership of Star India, and the Disney Hotstar streaming service, only has the TV rights this year. Experts in the Asian TV market are estimating that Disney+ may lose 20 million subscribers as a result of IPL fans migrating over to the new Viacom 18 streaming platform, which would amount to 15% of the 138 million subscriber base.
Toronto & Vancouver to Host 2026 World Cup Matches
Edmonton Loses Out, 10 Group Stage Matches for Canadian Cities
By Caleb Gilligan
It’s official, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be played in two Canadian cities, Toronto and Vancouver! The announcement marks the first time that a Men’s World Cup match is played in Canada.
The two cities are expected to share 10 out of the 60 Group Stage matches while three Mexican cities share 10 matches. The remaining 40 Group Stage matches and the Knockout Stage matches are expected to be played in the United States, with the Final’s destination yet to be decided. While the Canadian Men’s National Team is preparing for their first World Cup since 1986 later this year, they won’t have to go through the same stages as they did for Qatar. All three host countries will receive automatic qualification into the 2026 World Cup as the overall number of teams will be increased from 32 to 48.
Although numerous cities submitted proposals to host matches in Canada, none were more certain than Toronto’s bid. Back in November of 2021, Toronto Mayor John Tory, joined by MLSE Chairman Larry Tanenbaum and Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, and Tourism Lisa MacLeod, hosted FIFA delegates to show off the city's potential for a World Cup host. The city has previously hosted large-scale events such as the 2015 Pan American Games and the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 but nothing quite compares to the energy and buzz of a World Cup. Although the delegates were pleased with their visit, concerns about Toronto’s BMO Field were raised. Currently, the capacity for Toronto FC’s home stadium is 30,000 which falls short of the 45,000 minimum by FIFA. Last year, TFC President Bill Manning said that BMO Field would be renovated to hold at least 45,000 to 46,000 fans but declined to state whether or not the additional seats would be temporary or permanent. The most the stadium has ever held is 40,000 during the 2017 NHL Centennial Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hosting the World Cup is estimated to cost Toronto around $290 million, with a prediction of $307 million in revenue.
Vancouver was the only other Canadian city selected as a host after Edmonton’s bid was unsuccessful. Vancouver’s bid comes with fewer complications as they already have a world-class stadium and experience hosting large events. In 2015, the finals of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup were played in BC Place in front of a sold-out crowd of 53,000. With no plans to renovate or expand BC Place, the World Cup is set to cost Vancouver a mere $5 million, which is still significantly higher than the $1 million contributed to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Edmonton remains the only Canadian city to be rejected after Montreal declined to submit a bid after the expenses proved to be too high, seemingly for a renovation of the Olympic Stadium.
Although Canadians won’t be able to watch a World Cup home match for another 4 years, they can still cheer on their Men’s National Team at this year’s World Cup in Qatar with their first Group Stage match against Belgium on November 23.
