Apple is in talks with FIFA to acquire the global broadcast rights to 2025’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. If the deal between FIFA and Apple goes through later this month, the FIFA Club World Cup could be the rocket fuel that MLS (Major League Soccer) needs to drive subscriptions to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
The New York Times indicates that FIFA has had difficulty selling the Club World Cup rights to the competition. The 2025 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup is the biggest ever featuring 32 teams. However, FIFA’s $4 billion valuation of the rights could be sold for a quarter of that, roughly $1 billion.
“FIFA was hoping that the tournament, which will feature a mix of successful teams from across the globe, including 12 from Europe, where most of the world’s top talent plays, would create huge demand from broadcasters and commercial partners,” wrote reporter Tariq Panja. “But a combination of poor planning and delays prompted broadcasters to balk at the figures FIFA had sought.
“A global deal with a major company like Apple may give the tournament the veneer of high quality that Infantino has been trying to secure.”
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How MLS fits into the Apple and FIFA Club World Cup deal
The clubs already qualified for the 2025 Club World Cup include several headline acts. Those are Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Palmeiras. Unfortunately, Arsenal and Barcelona didn’t qualify. Elsewhere, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami team is out of the competition after losing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Yet, Inter Miami could still reach the competition if they win MLS Cup 2024.
So far, Seattle Sounders is the only MLS team in the Club World Cup. Regardless, if Apple acquires the exclusive global rights to the Club World Cup, this could be the rocket fuel that MLS…
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/apple-adding-fifa-club-world-cup-could-help-mls-season-pass/
Author : Christopher Harris
Publish date : 2024-04-22 20:46:50
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