
<p>The <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/">Major League Soccer</a> deal with Apple brought the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/06/14/mls-signs-10-year-deal-with-apple-tv-in-global-deal/">revolutionary MLS Season Pass</a> to global audiences. In doing so, it largely lost its presence on more traditional TV. While MLS still broadcasts games on FOX or FS1 every week, the streaming nature of the league has changed the viewership landscape of the league. Alexi Lalas, a former MLS star and a polarizing analyst, says that the Apple deal has hurt MLS. Lalas argues MLS has lost its visibility to a larger audience with its dedicated home on streaming.</p>



<p>Responding to fans on Twitter, Lalas commented on the state of the league and how MLS’ move to Apple may have hindered growth. He says the money Apple offered was too good for the league to pass up in the present. For reference, Apple paid a total of $2.5 billion for its 10-year deal with Major League Soccer. However, the trade-off has been losing access to traditional fans who may not be as devoted.</p>



<p>“MLS’ move to Apple was progressive and potentially prescient,” Lalas <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexiLalas/status/1712113977445199897" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wrote on X</a>. “The bird-in-hand money was also too good to pass up. Trade-off was being out of traditional sight/mind of fans/potential fans.”</p>



<p>The 2023 campaign has been pivotal for several reasons. On one hand, it debuted this deal with Apple TV. It also brought Lionel Messi to the league to much success and acclaim, both on and off the pitch. Lalas says Messi joining Inter Miami has been crucial to recapture some of those uncommitted fans to watch MLS. Still, the league has drifted in the minds of many.</p>



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<h2>Alexi Lalas says Messi has helped MLS and Apple</h2>



<p>“Messi has helped, but the sense that MLS has lost some visibility is real.” After the Argentine’s arrival, Apple set records in terms of both <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/messi-on-mls-season-pass-boosts-apple-tv-viewership-by-75-20230728-WST-446136.html">subscribers and viewers on MLS Season Pass</a>.</p>



<p>Next season, MLS will have a full complement of Messi to broadcast. However, it faces the challenge of drawing in viewers now that the novelty of the Argentine has faded away.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</em></p>


MLS has lost its visibility due to Apple deal, says Alexi Lalas

Alexi Lalas, a former MLS star and current analyst with FOX, says the league's deal with Apple has hindered its growth and visibility.

<div id="attachment_103866" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><figure class="image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-103866" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-103866" title="Kampion" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20140618_CMS_103863_Screen-Shot-2014-06-09-at-4.18.02-PM-600x382_1220d5f6.webp&amp;width=600&amp;height=382" alt="" width="600" height="382" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17054229/Screen-Shot-2014-06-09-at-4.18.02-PM-600x382.png 600w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17054229/Screen-Shot-2014-06-09-at-4.18.02-PM-150x95.png 150w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17054229/Screen-Shot-2014-06-09-at-4.18.02-PM-300x191.png 300w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17054229/Screen-Shot-2014-06-09-at-4.18.02-PM.png 817w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></figure><p id="caption-attachment-103866" class="wp-caption-text">Some of the playing cards featuring art by Adrián Oviedo, Asclê de Oliveira, Thiago Ramon Grizilli and many others.</p></div>
<p>There have been several times in my life when I’ve run across something that I didn’t even know I wanted. For example, there are artists that add monsters to thrift store paintings, turning boring into amazing. I want one of those hanging in my living room. Google searching “birds with arms” was also something I stumbled upon that I could waste hours on (If you’re googling that right now, you’re welcome). The <a href="http://www.kampioncardgame.com/" target="_blank">Kampion card game</a> fits right into this category.</p>
<p>I’ve been into strategy card games since I was young. Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, and most recently Munchkin, have all been staples of game nights with friends. I love the artistry that accompanies card games, and the fact that most are easy to pick up, but difficult to master. When I heard that Kampion combined card strategy with soccer, I knew I had to get into it.</p>
<p>Kampion is still in the very early stages of development, but what’s currently available is impressive. So impressive, in fact, that I’m encouraging you guys to go and support this effort. As of now, physical decks aren’t available, but there are PDFs available online for free at <a title="kampioncardgame.com" href="http://www.kampioncardgame.com/">kampioncardgame.com</a> that you can print off, cut out, and play.</p>
<p>You’ll immediately notice the variety of artistic styles that make up the cards. No two are alike, which adds a really cool uniqueness to the game, but also some charm to the overall project. Lourenço Ferreira, the creator of Kampion, explains that the artistic variety wasn’t as much of a choice as it was something that happened organically.</p>
<blockquote><p>“I could not afford to pay illustrators to build this project, so I just emailed a ‘few,’ hoping they’d want to join us for some fun and for the love of football. It’s now a few months later and we have more than 150 cards. Although in the beginning it was decided out of necessity, the art style ended up being the strongest part of the project. I made a first card to set the tone, then each illustrator used his or her own style, which makes the game so unique.” said creator Lourenço Ferreira</p></blockquote>
<p>The majority of players on the cards are recognizable. The likes of Diego Maradona, Alexi Lalas, and Luis Suarez appear, and each are rendered in a unique fashion. I really can’t say enough about the wealth of artistic styles here.</p>
<div id="attachment_103867" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><figure class="image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-103867" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-103867 " title="Lalas-Kampion" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20140618_CMS_103863_Screen-Shot-2014-06-09-at-4.26.17-PM_bd69277c.webp&amp;width=407&amp;height=481" alt="" width="407" height="481" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17054228/Screen-Shot-2014-06-09-at-4.26.17-PM.png 407w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17054228/Screen-Shot-2014-06-09-at-4.26.17-PM-150x177.png 150w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17054228/Screen-Shot-2014-06-09-at-4.26.17-PM-300x354.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px"></figure><p id="caption-attachment-103867" class="wp-caption-text">Artwork by Dave Habennink, with a character named Lovecraftt who resembles Alexi Lalas</p></div>
<p>There are currently a couple of games types available and another in the works. “Traditional” mode plays by the classic top-trumps rules where a particular statistic is chosen and each player draws cards. The player who draws the card with the highest chosen statistic wins that round. Each card has eight statistics, ranging from speed to temper. The statistics are ranked from one circle to five, and in the case of a few, five and a star (which is the highest). The second game type, “Evolution,” adds a few tricky rules to the “Traditional” game type. But what really interests me is “Revolution.” Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, this game type is still being beta tested and isn’t available. It does promise a deeper game with more strategy than the first two.</p>
<p>If you’re reading this and finding that you too need this (and didn’t even know it) I encourage you to check out <a title="kampioncardgame.com" href="http://www.kampioncardgame.com">kampioncardgame.com</a>, print off some cards, and play with your friends. If you like it, and want to help support, give these guys a follow on social media (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/kampioncardgame" target="_blank">@kampioncardgame</a>), or join their mailing list. They’ll let you know when crowdfunding officially begins. Whether you’re a card geek, like me, or just a lover of the beautiful game, this is a really cool idea that could become a bit hit.</p>

Kampion: A New Competitive Card Game Featuring Famous Soccer Players Now Available For Download

Kampion: A New Competitive Card Game Featuring Famous Soccer Players Now Available For Download - World Soccer Talk

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MLS has lost its visibility due to Apple deal, says Alexi Lalas

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Kampion: A New Competitive Card Game Featuring Famous Soccer Players Now Available For Download