Apple TV Partners With Yahoo Sports for Free MLS, MLB Alt-Casts

Apple has entered into a new partnership with Yahoo Sports to promote its live sports offerings on Apple TV. Over the next two months, Yahoo Sports will provide alternate broadcasts for a total of four games that are also being streamed on Apple TV. These games include two Major League Soccer (MLS) matches and two Major League Baseball (MLB) "Friday Night Baseball" contests. The collaboration aims to draw attention to Apple's expanding sports content library by leveraging Yahoo Sports' reach.

The alternate broadcasts, referred to as "alt-casts," will be available for free through Yahoo Sports. However, a significant limitation has been imposed on these streams: they will only cover the first two innings of each game. This means viewers will not be able to watch the entirety of the selected MLS and MLB games through this Yahoo Sports offering. The limited scope of the alt-casts suggests a strategy to provide a taste of the live sports experience available on Apple TV rather than a full alternative viewing option.

This initiative by Apple TV follows its previous investments in sports broadcasting rights. The tech giant secured exclusive rights to stream MLS games through 2023 and beyond, a deal valued at approximately $250 million per year. Additionally, Apple TV has been broadcasting MLB games through its "Friday Night Baseball" package, which also began in 2023. The partnership with Yahoo Sports, a platform with a substantial audience interested in sports news and streaming, is intended to amplify awareness of these existing rights and encourage subscriptions or engagement with Apple's sports content.

The limited two-month duration of the Yahoo Sports alt-casts, running through the current MLB and MLS seasons, indicates a promotional campaign rather than a permanent fixture. The focus on the initial innings of the games may be a tactic to capture initial viewer interest and potentially drive them to the full Apple TV broadcast for the remainder of the game. This strategy could be a response to the competitive landscape of sports streaming, where attracting and retaining viewers requires innovative promotional efforts. The exact start and end dates for this two-month promotional period were not specified in the announcement, but it is expected to align with the ongoing MLB and MLS schedules.