The DC United’s television deal comes to an end at the conclusion of this MLS season. Currently, the team’s games are shown locally on Sinclair Broadcasting stations NewsChannel 8 and WJLA. The deal is only two years old, but it seems that it won’t go much further.
The team’s future may be digital. Hulu, Verizon and YouTubeTV have all expressed interest in becoming the local media rights holder for the team next season. MLS teams traditionally have a lot of freedom in how they structure their local TV rights deals. Digital rights deals are usually negotiated at the league level, so it is unclear how this would be handled if the team decided to partner with a streaming service, although there are models to follow. Seattle Sounders FC, Orlando City SC, and LAFC all have deals with YouTubeTV. The Chicago Fire has a deal with ESPN+.
MLS senior vice president of media, Seth Bacon, says he wants to help DC United understand the digital marketplace in making its decision. Certainly the team’s rights are more valuable with the addition of British star Wayne Rooney, and Bacon says he wants the franchise to explore all of its options before settling on a TV partner for the future.
