Don Garber and MLS trust Apple TV to help secure global reach

With the 2023 MLS season underway and with the launch of the MLS Season Pass deal with Apple TV, League Commissioner Don Garber spoke to The Athletic and offered some insight as to his vision for the future of Major League Soccer.

Initially, Garber expressed his opinion about the competition model and the need for patience: “We must not stray away from having the courage to evolve the league over time. As we continue to grow and evolve, and our fan base and market continue to grow, I see no reason why we would be thinking about new structures”.

Garber was challenged about a lack of a promotion-relegation structure which is an alien concept to many non US soccer fans but dismissed that as being a negative: “I’m not sure I completely agree with the premise that you’re not going to get an international soccer fan to get involved with an MLS club, or the league, because there’s no promotion and relegation.”

On Apple TV+ and MLS Season Pass

Garber is pleased with the agreement with Apple and believes that the initiative will be instrumental in increasing the reach and profile for the league overseas: “I think the real question is, can MLS create a global audience with a global partner that will make our game more accessible than ever and possibly more accessible than any other league in the entire world?”.

Concacaf Champions League

The 65-year-old also offered his thoughts on he Concacaf Champions League with the Round of 16 set to get underway this week and the commissioner lamented: “We still don’t have value. If that value existed here, if the Concacaf Champions League was paying what the UEFA Champions League is paying, and the race to qualify was so high, then we would have the drama that exists in the rest of the world in relation to major competitions”.