MLS and Apple Broadcasting Deal
- Thread starter Fantazma
- Start date
I don't know if that has generally been true. I never noticed it before. But I agree it was a problem last night. The guys last night did their homework and interviewed people from both teams. That's good, if used well, but it was all they talked about for large stretches of the game, and they didn't describe what was happening.
ETA: On a user interface note, Apple is not doing so well. Having selected NYCFC as my favorite team, every new NYCFC game should automatically appear in "Up Next," just like ATV does for new episodes of a series you watch. But I have to go looking for it, and it's easier to find the tile for next week's game than last night. Plus I watched part of the game on an iPad last night, then went to bed. That definitely should have put the game in my Up Next section, but it did not. Plus it did not offer to have me pick up where I left off.
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Not to get into this conversation, but it definitely felt like not enough to consider an over turn of the call on the field. Felt more revisionist instead of following the written rules of VAR.
Anyone watch the mls round up show? The tension between Nigel and Wiebe is a bit uncomfortable. I can’t tell if Nigel is rude or if Wiebe is soft and can’t handle the banter, but something is brewing between those two and this week it was more obvious then in previous weeks.
I watched enough to see what you are referencing. I can't tell if Nigel is very awkward when he tries to banter, specifically doesn't respect Wiebe, or is just a jerk.
It is a bit of both. He can also feel awkard on "House of Champions podcast".
has anybody noticed apple adding a "hide scores" native functionality yet?
they have not on non-apple devices. instead they have added a content security policy directive to their code which prevents my override CSS from running. so the scores are back and it pisses me off.
they have not on non-apple devices. instead they have added a content security policy directive to their code which prevents my override CSS from running. so the scores are back and it pisses me off.
Dave Johnson, the longtime voice of @DCUnited, on the new era of MLS broadcasting. @davejsports
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www.socceramerica.com
Paywalled. Posting because Johnson says he was not invited to the Apple broadcast team, which is interesting because most other broadcasters who did not join have not been forthcoming about whether they were invited. Johnson has been broadcasting DC United since the beginning and takes the rejection personally. "Quite frankly, it was the biggest hurt of my professional life because I think I performed at a high level - and either that or I'm the biggest con man in the world after doing this for more than 30 years."
Johnson is still doing the radio call.
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Poor guy is starting to suffer from imposter syndrome.Dave Johnson, the longtime voice of @DCUnited, on the new era of MLS broadcasting. @davejsports
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Paywalled. Posting because Johnson says he was not invited to the Apple broadcast team, which is interesting because most other broadcasters who did not join have not been forthcoming about whether they were invited. Johnson has been broadcasting DC United since the beginning and takes the rejection personally. "Quite frankly, it was the biggest hurt of my professional life because I think I performed at a high level - and either that or I'm the biggest con man in the world after doing this for more than 30 years."
Johnson is still doing the radio call.
No Nigel this week on wrap up. Instead we got Shep Messing and Kljestan with Wiebe. Wonder if the Nigel/Wiebe drama boiled over or if they’re rotating personalities so that Red Bull can take over every single second of coverage the league presents.
Edit: Wiebe the first 90 seconds into the show directed at Shep and Kljestan “just call me mls cup. These two cannot get me” lmaooo
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Behind the scenes of MLS Season Pass
With MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, fans can now feel each stadium’s energy every week as they follow the league’s 29 clubs right from their couch.
www.apple.com
I think they're behind on their targets. I read somewhere they're at about 40 percent of their projected subscriptions. Probably that's because of the "wait and see" syndrome, but still.Behind the scenes of MLS Season Pass
With MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, fans can now feel each stadium’s energy every week as they follow the league’s 29 clubs right from their couch.www.apple.com
This may sound crazy, but maybe they should have bitten the bullet and made the first season free for everyone to gain traction. Then in the second year introduce paid subscriptions (at $7.99/mo. or $79/year). That would have given everyone a chance to really get into it, and you can always make a little more smack with advertising.
I think they should contemplate having a daily show similar to ESPN FC every day, too. And some specials like interviews and profiles and whatnot. Content is king.
They do need to really improve the non-game selection of offerings. They had some nice one-off content pre-season, but I haven't had any interest in engaging with the app outside of match windows since.
And that 40% projection rumor came from some random fan Twitter account which has no credibility.
I've been digging around trying to find some confirmation but haven't found anything like a solid number. The rumor among the tech journos I know is they've been falling short. But it's tough to know by how much.
Initial projections can also be really rosy. PR, really, if they're public, wishful thinking if they're not. What matters is the revenue. Whether they could have gotten by the first year on advertising alone, I have no idea. It may have been worth the gamble, though.
They also could have opened up a fan feedback forum of some kind to get a direct read on the audience. Soccer fans love to express their opinions. Something like a poll-plus-comment format would have brought the fan base in: "We're building our network for our league in our sport in our country. JOIN US. "
Use an email signup to participate and boom, you have a pool of potential subscribers to hit in the second season when it all goes paid.
It’s not a rando account but not an established reporter either, and anonymous sources are always suspect.
Apple is not worried. A. You think Don Garber is clever enough to outwit Apple and their lawyers and got a sweetheart deal. B. You think Apple and their lawyers didn’t negotiatiated clawbacks or early opt outs if the league didn’t meet expectations. The MLS deal is a rounding error for Apple. Apple now has a platform for MLB, NHL and NBA when those leagues buy the rights back from Diamond Sports when they are unable to pay for the fees. Plus I will actually take these Apple stories serious when either SBJ or Sportico report that it’s an issue.
Is Apple going to be able to back out if this doesn't pan out as they expected? Or are they stuck now until the deal is over?
Yeah, that's where I saw it (actually, it was Tac quoting it to do some MLS bashing LOL).
To be honest, it sounds like ballpark to me. Initial projections for something brand new are always soft -- guesswork, really -- especially if it's something unique. I'd be a lot more interested in knowing the gross number of subscribers. But Apple isn't releasing any info.
In my own personal experience, I was part of a non-profit startup building off a 5,000-plus email base. We figured to pull 300 members for the new organization at $60/yr. We got 50.
Oh well.
Anyway, I caught this earlier while snooping around. I think Fleming is right, it's way too early to be pushing any panic buttons:
Rumors of slow subscription growth for MLS Season Pass make sense, but Apple won't care (yet)
The reported troubles aren't really surprising, but Apple being "very worried" has to be BS.
the18.com
Also in this is "in a set timeframe".
Now I would imagine that less than a year of this deal being finalized falls within the "set timeframe". I would be surprised if the "set timeframe" was even within two years.
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