MLS Commissioner Don Garber told CNBC’s Alex Sherman he has no regrets about the league’s landmark Apple streaming deal. He does, however, admit the added paywall and timing wasn’t right for the market.
What We Know: MLS signed a 10-year, $2.5 billion exclusive deal with Apple in 2022 — the first of its kind for a global sports property. For three seasons, most games were locked behind the MLS Season Pass paywall, an added $99-per-season cost beyond Apple TV’s base subscription. Average viewership fell sharply. Before the 2026 season, MLS and Apple eliminated that second paywall, making every game available to standard Apple TV subscribers at no extra charge. The deal was also restructured to end after the 2029 season.
What They Said: (all quotes via CNBC)
MLS Commissioner Don Garber doesn’t regret the Apple media rights deal with MLS: “It was a great idea. You’re running a business, particularly one that’s got to be bold and innovative. Shame on us if we didn’t go and take the risk of being the first global property to ever go and stream their games. Honestly, it wasn’t about money. Because when you’re dealing with the amount of money they were paying in a multi billion dollar business, it was about the idea of what Apple could do to bring us to a global audience with easy access on any internet of device. Plus to have the promotion, energy, innovation, and technology of Apple behind us, and focusing it on us.”
MLS Commissioner Don Garber believes the MLS rights deal with Apple may have taught lessons: “I’m really happy where we are today. The experiment of a paid subscription didn’t work. Do I think we’re going there at some point in the future? Maybe five years, maybe 10 years? I agree with that, but we were early.”
MLS Commissioner Don Garber believes media rights will continue to grow with streaming platforms: “I’m a big believer in the digital transformation. A big believer that the world is moving to Netflix airing sports. When I was out in the market, they said never. I think they are very smart in what they do, their event strategy. Bella [Bajaria] and Ted [Sarandos] are doing a great job, but times change. A couple years ago they weren’t in sports at all. A couple years ago, Amazon, YouTube wasn’t doing sports. Today, they have Sunday Ticket and all the other things they’re doing. Years from now, this business is going to look dramatically different than it did when we went out to market. So, what it looks like when we’re negotiating our new media deal two and a half years from now, I can’t say.”
What Remains Unclear: MLS’s revised Apple deal now runs through the 2029 season. The league’s limited linear package with FOX Sports expires at the end of this season. Furthermore, exactly which streaming platforms — and at what rights value — will be in play when MLS returns to market remains to be seen.
What It Means: Garber’s comments reflect a commissioner at peace with a bold bet that arrived ahead of its time. And the changes that needed to be made with it. The streaming landscape he described — Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube all now active sports players — validates his long-term thesis. Even if MLS paid a viewership price in the short term. With the 2026 World Cup generating soccer momentum across North America, the league’s next media rights negotiation could land in a far more favorable environment than the one it left behind. Especially one that fits Garber’s feelings that streaming is the future over broadcast.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
