Lionel Messi is hooking his fans up with a pretty sweet deal.
On Sunday, the Inter Miami superstar shared a promotion on his social media accounts that allows fans to redeem a one-month free trial of MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The deal is good for both new and eligible returning customers worldwide. At the end of the promotional period, customers will be charged the normal $14.99 monthly (or $12.99 monthly for Apple TV+ subscribers).
Apple and MLS have been making concerted efforts this season to make MLS Season Pass more accessible for customers. The league has made its games available through Xfinity and DirecTV cable and satellite systems, re-upped a promotion with T-Mobile to give customers free Season Pass access, and introduced a new Sunday Night Soccer package available to Apple TV+ subscribers outside of Season Pass.
Despite these efforts, the league still has a long way to go before some see the deal as a success. With limited visibility outside of the Apple TV platform, one MLS team executive said the league needs to “end the deal with Apple” and try to get more linear exposure. MLS recently struck a number of linear television deals in international markets to try to convert more fans into Season Pass subscribers.
Messi’s free trial promotion should provide substantial exposure for the league. The global sensation boasts over 500 million followers on social media, and if even a fraction of those followers end up as Season Pass subscribers, that will amount to a nice boost for MLS.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.