MLS will be continuing a unique initiative designed to convert young soccer fans into viewers of the league.
Last season, MLS partnered with EA Sports FC Mobile, the popular mobile game with over 500 million downloads on the Google Play Store, to simulcast four matches to players directly on the app. This season, MLS and EA Sports are extending that partnership, this time expanding to five games.
The first simulcast will be available on Wednesday night for a game between Real Salt Lake and Inter Miami at 9:30 p.m. ET.
EA Sports FC Mobile players will be able to play the matchups within the game and earn in-game currency for watching the live broadcasts. Additionally, players will also be able to redeem a one-month free trial for Apple TV, the streamer which holds exclusive broadcast rights to MLS games.
MLS has been intentional about creating new avenues for fans to discover the league in recent years. Perhaps its biggest move to date happened prior to this season when the league and Apple opted to eliminate MLS Season Pass, the $100 per year add-on to Apple TV previously required to watch every game, and instead made all MLS games available to any Apple TV subscriber at no additional cost. The league has also created marquee standalone windows, like with Sunday Night Soccer, and struck deals to integrate its games into channel guides for DirecTV and Xfinity subscribers.
The five EA Sports FC Mobile simulcasts will span the entire season: one in April, another in May, one in July, and two in October.
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.