MLS-OneFootball deal seeks to expand global audience

Major League Soccer is teaming up with German digital media platform OneFootball to bring highlights, stats and other content to a global audience. As part of the deal OneFootball will have access to highlights of hundreds of MLS matches each season.

MLS will also take a stake in OneFootball, joining a long list of financial investors and European soccer clubs that are shareholders, including Real Madrid., FC Barcelona and Manchester City, among others. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

The deal comes as MLS continues to look for ways to expand its audience and capitalize on its newfound popularity since superstar Lionel Messi joined the American league a year ago.

“As we think about ways to capture new fans and new eyeballs and make consumers more engaged, we’re always looking for creative and innovative partners to work with,” said Seth Bacon, executive vice president of media at MLS. “OneFootball certainly ticks those boxes, and has a huge reach and a very creative way of approaching the market, but also the way it covers football.”

Since joining Inter Miami, Messi has boosted MLS attendance and viewership, and there has been an increase in sponsorship revenue, according to data from the league. This continues despite Messi missing part of the season due to injury.

Global social media engagement is also growing for MLS, particularly on YouTube and TikTok, according to data from the league.

OneFootball, which is available to fans as a mobile app, TV streaming app and website, will offer new content internationally as well as through a brand partnership and content hub with Yahoo Sports in the US.

The MLS deal with OneFootball is not exclusive, so MLS content will still live on other sources.

For OneFootball, adding MLS is because the US is already one of the fastest growing soccer markets, said OneFootball CEO Patrick Fischer.

“In the US, with the arrival of Messi, the game has changed in terms of participation, in terms of awareness and in terms of fan interest,” Fischer said. “It’s a completely different ball game. And expect there to be a FIFA World Cup (in 2026).”

MLS, which was founded in the US in the 1990s, still lags behind other famous and mature professional sports leagues in the country, such as the National Football League and the National Basketball Association, in terms of audience and ticket prices.

The league distinguished itself from its disbanded peers when it signed a media rights deal Apple. While the NFL, NBA and other leagues have multiple media rights partners in the US and globally, MLS has signed an exclusive global deal with Apple.

The MLS Season Pass on Apple TV is available as a separate subscription alongside the tech giant’s Apple TV+ streaming service. All MLS games are available through the monthly service, although some are also broadcast on traditional broadcasters.

Since the $2.5 billion, 10-year deal with Apple began last season, viewership statistics have been hard to come by for MLS. Apple does not release ratings. However, Apple executives say that the audience has grown, especially since Messi arrived. During last November’s conference, Apple TV executives reportedly said that some of the biggest games of the past season drew more than a million viewers.

MLS is often looking for ways to create subscriptions for the Apple TV platform.

“We’re constantly looking at different distribution methods and platforms that we think can expand the reach and awareness of our league, players and club,” Bacon said.

OneFootball’s Fischer said the company’s partners and investors also benefit from the data coming from the platform.

“We know that this kid follows Messi on OneFootball, so we give him highlights, updates and the whole system. Then we work with the club strategically when it comes to lead generation, customer data, things like that,” said Fischer. “While social media platforms do not share relevant data with content creators.”