ESPN May Offer Major League Soccer Online, No Proof-of-Cable Required: Nightly Soccer Report

Despite initial reports that ESPN would make available its MLS games starting next season on ESPN3.com via authentication, where the soccer fan would have to log in to prove s/he has a TV subscription to ESPN, the latest reporting is that ESPN may offer Major League Soccer online without authentication, so no proof of cable would be required.

The idea is being seriously considered by ESPN, according to tech website VentureBeat. And it’s quite possible that down the road the service could be offered as a standalone subscription fee.

“We’ve just got to think about other business models,” Skipper said. “We’re not far along on any them, but we do think about how we might capture more money direct from consumers.”

With ESPN having the rights to MLS under the new TV/Internet deal (along with FOX Sports and Univision), ESPN could sell video subscriptions of the games directly to soccer fans via the web and mobile devices. Under the new deal, ESPN has the rights from 2015 to 2022.

Here are tonight’s world soccer news headlines:

Major League Soccer

• ESPN may offer Major League Soccer online, no proof-of-cable required — VentureBeat
• Mayor Gray: $300 million soccer stadium deal completed — NBC4

Premier League

• Brendan Rodgers signs new long-term LFC deal — Liverpool FC
• Is Mario Balotelli attracting interest from Liverpool and Arsenal? — Pro Soccer Talk
• Ashley Williams looks to leave Swansea as Napoli and Lille wait in wings — The Guardian
• Manchester United Danny Welbeck hits back at David Moyes — Manchester Evening News
• Cardiff close in on Federico Macheda after Man Utd release — BBC Sport
• Hammers New Zealand fixture set for sell out — West Ham United
• Manchester City overtake Arsenal to become the world’s 5th biggest brand for football clubs — Brand Directory

Serie A

• Tom Ince due for talks with Inter Milan over transfer from Blackpool — Daily Mail
• Tottenham misfit Erik Lamela on radar of Inter Milan, admits Italian club’s president — Daily Mail

La Liga

• I want to be a No. 1, says Real Madrid assistant Paul Clement — ESPN FC
• Barcelona confirm signing of Croatia wonderkid Alen Halilovic — The Guardian

International soccer

• European players union asks UEFA to ease FFP sanctions — Pro Soccer Talk
• Phil Jones confident he will make England squad after recovering from shoulder injury — Telegraph
• Paolo Di Canio puts himself forward for Celtic manager’s job — The Guardian

The Nightly Soccer Report is tomorrow’s news today. It’s often tomorrow morning’s worldwide newspaper headlines that are published the night before. We do all the work for you, combing the Internet and aggregating the news for you. Read The Nightly Soccer Report on World Soccer Talk every night before bed, so you can stay on top of all the news that matters.