<p>With MLS Season Pass, Major League Soccer and Apple have created a streaming service ahead of its time. No other soccer league worldwide has a deal that’s as revolutionary. The 10-year partnership, unheard of in soccer circles, ensures anyone can sign up and pay to watch games on a single platform. No blackouts. No headaches. Hundreds of soccer games every season until the end of 2032. Given its promising start as a service, how do we grade MLS Season Pass thus far?</p>



<p>MLS has invested enormous amounts of money into producing games on <a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=wst_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l35s4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">MLS Season Pass</a>. It has arguably created the best soccer whip-around show, <em>MLS 360</em>. Plus it invested in production facilities, talent, and improving the visuals and audio of all of its games. On top of that, last year, it hired approximately 90 commentators and co-commentators to call games on-site at every stadium.</p>



<p> Here are the pros and cons of MLS Season Pass for 2024:</p>



<h2>Where Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass passes the grade</h2>



<p><strong>1) MLS 360</strong> – New host Kevin Egan has made the show so much better with his energy and enthusiasm. The chemistry between Sacha Kljestan, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Kaylyn Kyle, and Egan is much better than last season under previous host Liam McHugh. Sure, there are a lot of commercial breaks, but <em>MLS 360 </em>is now the best part of MLS Season Pass, which is an incredible achievement in such a short amount of time.<br><br><strong>2) MLS Countdown</strong> – Major League Soccer’s pre-game show on MLS Season Pass is much improved this season too. Host Liam McHugh, along with his guests, provides a really good preview of what games and storylines to watch out for every Saturday night.</p>



<p><strong>3) It looks and sounds fantastic.</strong> Production of games, both in visuals and audio, is much improved compared to pre-MLS Season Pass. The picture quality is outstanding across the league.</p>



<p><strong>4) Star power </strong>– Knowing that Messi and/or Suarez are playing most weekends is a major plus for neutrals wanting a reason to tune into watching a game on MLS Season Pass. That makes a huge difference.</p>



<p></p><table class="table5" style="border: 5px solid red;">
<tbody>
<tr class="table5" style="width:100%">
<td style="width:70%">
<center><h4>Our Pick:</h4>
Includes: Every regular season game, MLS Cup Playoffs, Leagues Cup, &amp; More</center>
</td>
<td rowspan="2" style="background-color:black; vertical-align: middle;">
<center><a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=wst_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l35s4&amp;ct=rvo" target="blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow"><figure class="image"><img src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240417_WST_494562_MLSSPRVO_e8e51284.webp&amp;width=200&amp;height=100" alt="MLS Season Pass" width="200" height="100"></figure></a></center></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><center><a class="button" style="background-color:red" href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=wst_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l35s4&amp;ct=rvo" target="blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow"><span style="color: white;"><strong>Sign Up</strong></span></a></center></td></tr>
</tbody>
</table><p></p>
&nbsp;



<h2>Areas of improvement needed</h2>



<p><strong>1) Unfulfilled promises of additional content </strong>– When MLS announced its deal with Apple in 2022, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said, “We could not be more excited to bring our fans MLS Season Pass, a new home for all MLS matches and a wide variety of league and club content they can’t get anywhere else.” Unfortunately, that promise of a “wide variety of league and club content” has been largely ignored. </p>



<p>MLS Season Pass is the ideal platform to launch a series of must-see content that drives people to watch the service on non-gamedays. To date, however, there hasn’t been any series or content worth mentioning.<br><br><strong>2) Price</strong> – There’s no avoiding it. MLS Season Pass is expensive compared to other streaming services offering a greater quantity of games and other programming. If you’re a hardcore MLS fan, you’ll understand the value of getting everything included for that price. For casual or curious fans, however, the price is certainly an obstacle. </p>



<p>MLS Season Pass is a fun watch but an expensive one. At $14.99 per month (or <a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=wst_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l35s4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">$99 per season</a>), it’s the most costly of all soccer-related streaming services. For $5.99/month, you get more than 2,000 live soccer games per month on <a href="https://paramountplus.qflm.net/c/330866/1007330/3065" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Paramount+</a>.<br><br><strong>3) Android</strong> – You have to be an Android user to understand this one. In the United States, 40% of consumers have an Android phone. Worldwide, that number climbs to 70% Android adoption. While it’s possible to watch MLS Season Pass on an Android phone, you have to watch it through your phone’s web browser. There isn’t an Apple TV app. Simply said, the user experience is less than ideal for Android users.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="MLS SEASON PASS: Pros &amp; Cons 🏆" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oBo8uuRRv-c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<p>Not only is the experience less than ideal for Android users but sometimes MLS Season Pass is way too over-the-top for Apple. For instance, a couple of weeks ago, one of the segments on <em>MLS 360 </em>asked viewers a trivia question on-air. To find out the answer, viewers were told to ask Siri the question. Seriously. In doing so, you’re alienating your audience who are Android users.<br><br><strong>4) Lack of quality commentators and co-commentators</strong> – One of the biggest issues with MLS Season Pass is the lack of quality commentators. This season, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mls-and-apple-make-mls-season-pass-budget-cuts-20240215-WST-489728.html">MLS has made budget cuts</a> and removed a lot of quality broadcasters who have tremendous experience in the business. In doing so, MLS has replaced many of them with several announcers who don’t have the experience of calling big soccer games.</p>



<p>MLS has become over-reliant on putting Jake Zivin and Taylor Twellman on all marquee games. There isn’t anything wrong with that, but it does send the message that if Zivin and Twellman aren’t calling a game, it isn’t a marquee matchup. </p>



<p>Last but not least, MLS’ decision not to rehire Christina Unkel as a referee rules analyst was poor. This season more than any other one, MLS Season Pass desperately needs a rules analyst, and Unkel is the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/story/2023-06-27/soccer-christina-unkel-mls-broadcasts-referee-rules-expert" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">best in the business</a>.</p>



<p><em>Photo: IMAGO / SOPA Images</em></p>



<div style="background:#f9e4ea;padding:10px;">
<h3>Guide to Major League Soccer</h3>
<div style="padding:10px;">
Here are some resources to help you get the most out of MLS Season Pass!</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/"><strong>TV Schedule:</strong></a> All the info on <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/">where and when to watch</a> every game</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mls-season-pass-faq-20230203-WST-413216.html/"><strong>Season Pass FAQ:</strong></a> We <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mls-season-pass-faq-20230203-WST-413216.html/">answer your questions</a> about MLS Season Pass</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/how-to-get-mls-season-pass-20230203-WST-417725.html"><strong>Sign up:</strong></a> Learn <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/how-to-get-mls-season-pass-20230203-WST-417725.html">how to subscribe</a> to MLS Season Pass</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mls-season-pass-announcers-and-analysts-for-apple-deal-20230203-WST-416042.html"><strong>Commentators:</strong></a> Check out <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mls-season-pass-announcers-and-analysts-for-apple-deal-20230203-WST-416042.html">who&apos;s</a> calling the action for the MLS season</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/how-to-watch-mls-season-pass-on-android-20230203-WST-416910.html"><strong>Android users</strong></a> Tips for fans <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/how-to-watch-mls-season-pass-on-android-20230203-WST-416910.html">Android users</a> on how to watch MLS Season Pass</div></div>

How to grade MLS Season Pass: Roaring success or messy failure?

If soccer fans were to give MLS Season Pass a grade, what would it get? We take a look at the pros and cons of the Apple TV service.

How to grade MLS Season Pass: Roaring success or messy failure? - World Soccer Talk


<p>The year 2023 is a whole new ball game for Major League Soccer. With the launch of <a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=wst_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l35s4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MLS Season Pass</a>, it means a brand-new pre-game, post-game and whiparound show for fans of MLS teams. It’s all part of the new <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/06/14/mls-signs-10-year-deal-with-apple-tv-in-global-deal/">Apple-MLS deal</a>. And we have all of the details.</p>



<p>Without the talent, MLS Season Pass’ new shows wouldn’t be possible. So far, the league has hired <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-season-pass-announcers-and-analysts-for-apple-deal-20230203-WST-416042.html">80 talent members</a> ranging from commentators to co-commentators, hosts, analysts and more.</p>



<p>All MLS and Leagues Cup live matches are produced at MLS stadiums, including on-site talent, using a fleet of production units to produce simultaneous coverage of up to 14 matches each game night. Live studio programming is created at a newly rebuilt production facility in New York City with a trio of state-of-the-art studios that serve as the central hub for all MLS Season Pass studio programming.</p>



<p>Here’s what MLS has come up with for 2023 and beyond.</p>



<h2>MLS Season Pass pre-game: MLS Countdown</h2>



<p>In the past, the constraints of television sometimes meant that there was little to no MLS pre-game coverage. That ends now. With <a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=wst_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l35s4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MLS Season Pass</a>, where games are mostly on Saturday or Wednesday nights, the pre-game show starts 30 minutes before kickoff. So, for example, for games kicking off at 7:30pm local time (whether that’s in the Eastern, Central, Mountain or Pacific timezones), expect 30 minutes of pre-game coverage before your game starts.</p>



<p>Debuting with the 2023 MLS season, the pre-game show is entitled <em>MLS Countdown</em>. There’s a version in English-language, and a different pre-game show in Spanish-language.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="672" height="672" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20230215_WST_419874_MLS-COUNTDOWN.webp&amp;width=672&amp;height=672" alt="" class="wp-image-419894" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-COUNTDOWN.png 672w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-COUNTDOWN-300x300.png 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-COUNTDOWN-150x150.png 150w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-COUNTDOWN-560x560.png 560w" sizes="(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px"></figure></div></figure>



<p>On English-language broadcasts, Jillian Sakovits and Andrew Wiebe are the hosts. They are joined by analysts Nigel Reo-Coker, Calen Carr, Shep Messing and Matt Doyle.</p>



<p>Spanish-language broadcasts of <em>MLS Countdown </em>feature Tony Cherchi and Stefano Fusaro as hosts. They are joined by analysts Diego Valeri, Melissa Ortiz, and Chelsea Cabarcas.</p>



<h2>Whip-around show: MLS 360</h2>



<p>Featuring show hosts Liam McHugh (from NBC Sports) and Kaylyn Kyle (from beIN SPORTS), MLS has coined their whip-around show <em>MLS 360</em>. McHugh and Kyle are flanked by analysts Sacha Kljestan and Bradley Wright-Phillips as well as rules expert Christina Unkel.</p>



<p><em>MLS 360 </em>is the newest whip-around show for soccer. It’ll be similar in concept to the popular <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/01/02/how-to-watch-goal-rush-the-premier-league-whiparound-show/">Goal Rush</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2020/12/02/cbss-golazo-show-expands-to-include-europa-league-whiparound-on-thursdays/">The Golazo Show</a>. In <em>MLS 360</em>, it’ll provide live look-ins from every game, so you can see all of the goals and major incidents from the games happening concurrently.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="672" height="672" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20230215_WST_419874_MLS-360.webp&amp;width=672&amp;height=672" alt="" class="wp-image-419896" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-360.png 672w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-360-300x300.png 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-360-150x150.png 150w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-360-560x560.png 560w" sizes="(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px"></figure></div></figure>



<p>It’s the ideal way to watch MLS games if you just want to be entertained, and don’t have any interest in one specific team (or matchup).</p>



<p>While not available in Spanish-language, the concept is easy for Spanish-language viewers to follow along with just as English-language viewers experience when they watch <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/zona-futbol-dream-come-true-champions-league-coverage-20191022-CMS-281487.html">Zona Futbol</a> in Spanish on TUDN.</p>



<h2>Post-game: MLS Wrap-up</h2>



<p>Last but not least, the <em>MLS Wrap-Up</em> airs for 30 minutes after the game ends, bringing you the analysis as well as post-match interviews with players and coaches. Coverage will be available in both English- and Spanish-language.</p>



<p>During the season, we can expect almost all of the games on Saturday nights to start at 7:30pm local time. That’ll number 29 Saturday nights throughout the regular season, and six Wednesday nights. So, expect the East Coast post-game shows to air approximately from 9:30pm to 10pm ET. And then the final Pacific Coast games will have post-game wrap-up coverage approximately between 9:30pm to 10pm PT. However, <a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=wst_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l35s4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MLS Season Pass</a> has no time constraints. So if there’s a huge talking point after a game, coverage can run longer than 30 minutes.</p>



<p>The hosts and analysts of <em>MLS Wrap-Up </em>are the same as <em>MLS Countdown</em> (see above <em>MLS Countdown </em>section).</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="672" height="672" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20230215_WST_419874_MLS-WRAPUP.webp&amp;width=672&amp;height=672" alt="" class="wp-image-419895" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-WRAPUP.png 672w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-WRAPUP-300x300.png 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-WRAPUP-150x150.png 150w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/MLS-WRAPUP-560x560.png 560w" sizes="(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px"></figure></div></figure>



<p>We’re on the precipice of an exciting chapter in the history of soccer broadcasting in the United States. Imagine if your favorite league, no matter what league it is, was given a clean slate, to create its own pre-game, post-game and whip-around show. What would it look like?</p>



<p>With <a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=wst_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l35s4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MLS Season Pass</a>, MLS pre-game and post-match coverage begins February 25. That also includes the whip-around show, which will be available free (<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mls-offers-32-free-games-to-watch-from-feb-25-to-march-19-20230214-WST-419022.html">along with the games</a>) during the opening weekend.</p>


<div style="background:#f9e4ea;padding:10px;">
<h3>Guide to Major League Soccer</h3>
<div style="padding:10px;">
Here are some resources to help you get the most out of MLS Season Pass!</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/"><strong>TV Schedule:</strong></a> All the info on <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/">where and when to watch</a> every game</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mls-season-pass-faq-20230203-WST-413216.html/"><strong>Season Pass FAQ:</strong></a> We <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mls-season-pass-faq-20230203-WST-413216.html/">answer your questions</a> about MLS Season Pass</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/how-to-get-mls-season-pass-20230203-WST-417725.html"><strong>Sign up:</strong></a> Learn <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/how-to-get-mls-season-pass-20230203-WST-417725.html">how to subscribe</a> to MLS Season Pass</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mls-season-pass-announcers-and-analysts-for-apple-deal-20230203-WST-416042.html"><strong>Commentators:</strong></a> Check out <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mls-season-pass-announcers-and-analysts-for-apple-deal-20230203-WST-416042.html">who&apos;s</a> calling the action for the MLS season</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/how-to-watch-mls-season-pass-on-android-20230203-WST-416910.html"><strong>Android users</strong></a> Tips for fans <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/how-to-watch-mls-season-pass-on-android-20230203-WST-416910.html">Android users</a> on how to watch MLS Season Pass</div>
</div>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="MLS SEASON PASS: All the details 🏆" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yArO2_WJA8w?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>


We've got all of the details about the MLS Season Pass pre-game, post-game and whiparound shows for 2023 through 2032.

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How to grade MLS Season Pass: Roaring success or messy failure?

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MLS Season Pass pre-game, post-game, whip-around details