Apple Kicks off the 2024 MLS Season with an Immersive Vision Pro Experience
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Alongside the launch of its new Apple Sports app yesterday, Apple is ushering in the 2024 MLS season exclusively on Apple TV with featured content across its products and services, including something for early adopters of its spatial computing headset.
Although it’s not available just yet, Apple Vision Pro users will soon be able to relive the highlights of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs in Apple Immersive Video. “Viewers will feel every heart-pounding moment in 8K 3D,” Apple says, “with a 180-degree field of view and Spatial Audio that transports them to each match.”
While that was mostly a footnote in Apple’s MLS 2024 announcement, it’s certainly the most interesting, as it represents what will likely be only the first of many sports-related content announcements we see for Apple’s headset.
Apple is working on much more ambitious sports experiences, but an MLS highlight reel is as good a place to start as any, considering its tight and exclusive relationship with the North American soccer league.
We’re thrilled to kick off the 2024 season and build upon this game-changing partnership, which is bringing Major League Soccer to its largest global audience ever while showcasing the next-level athleticism and electric fandom of the league
Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services
During the Vision Pro’s launch event, Disney CEO Bob Iger also hinted as much when he took the virtual stage in June to talk about his company’s plans for the headset, suggesting that “fans would be able to watch an NBA game as if they were sitting courtside.” This would presumably be through ESPN, which is part of the Disney empire.
Those who participated in the launch demos also experienced both a courtside NBA scoring play from right behind the basket and an at-bat from a baseball game at Fenway Park. In July, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told the New York Post that the league was working with Apple to bring a “tech-enhanced viewing experience” to the Vision Pro.
It’s unclear what form any of that will take, but for now, Vision Pro users will get to enjoy Apple’s first-ever Apple Immersive Video sports film, and the good news is that they can do so without a subscription to MLS Season Pass.
Of course, serious MLS fans will want to jump in again for the second season, and it looks like everyone will have to pay up this year, as there aren’t yet any free trial offers, and T-Mobile, which included the MLS Season Pass in its Magenta Max and Go5G plans last year, won’t be repeating that for the 2024 season.
The good news is that Apple hasn’t increased the price, so you’ll still be able to enjoy an MLS Season Pass for 2024 for the same $100/year or $15/month. Apple also offered a mid-season price drop last year, but it’s unclear if it will do that again or if it will expect customers to pay monthly if they join later.
In addition to the Vision Pro immersive experience, Apple is also offering a curated list of shows in Apple Podcasts “covering the exciting world of American soccer,” plus an exclusive playlist from Lionel Messi and a guide for Messi fans on the App Store.
