Mls International Media Rights Update

[413Blue]

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...er-partner-img-market-media-rights-until-2022
MLS/USSF has reached an agreement with IMG to market media rights outside US/Canada from 2015-22. Not sure what will happen, but it does include digital rights. Hopefully they provide an MLSLive type of product to folks worldwide.
Do folks in the UK have any familiarity with IMG and who they have relationships with? I know I remember them from the dark ages of Soccer in the US as they put together a bunch of PPV's of US matches and maybe even the EPL before Setanta came along.

 

[Falastur]

IMG have the contract to sell Premier League rights for broadcast on flights and international shipping. They've got a few other contracts for sporting events but they're not exactly a household name here. That said, with the Premier League usually the league doesn't need an intermediary to sell its rights as the international TV companies are queueing up outside the door, so it may not mean much that I've barely heard of them.

 

[Vinjay]

Its certainly an issue I've brought up on here about a month ago. People have suggested MLS Live and at least one even said NYCFC could buy the rights. Now I doubt that but there's absolutely no reason not to have a MLS worldwide subscription. I don't know a thing about this company marketing the rights but the only important question is where. Its something that's of far greater importance to international followers perhaps but hopefully the club will take note that its an issue. This club will probably have more international followers than any other in the long run.

 

[MagnusPax]

As it is planned now MLS Live will shut down for USA and Canada use starting for the '15 season. ESPN and it's apps will take over here.

Not sure what will happen in other countries.

 

[Kjbert]

Interested to see, locally, if YES or someone else picks up all of the games

 

[MikeDatTiger]

As it is planned now MLS Live will shut down for USA and Canada use starting for the '15 season. ESPN and it's apps will take over here.

Not sure what will happen in other countries.

Right, but we still haven't gotten a straight answer as to whether or not all of those matches will be free. If they're free, I imagine ESPN will use its existing Watch ESPN app. If not, it's not clear whether ESPN will be launching a new app just for MLS.

Worth noting that the MLS Live app includes not just live matches but also replays of matches going back 3 or 4 years, as well as highlights, and condenses replays. Watch ESPN holds a replay for maybe 24 hours, so if MLS is just shoved onto the Watch ESPN platform they might lose a lot of stuff.

 

[MagnusPax]

Very true and very dis-concerning.