Lionel Messi has dramatically changed the landscape of MLS – and he could soon help revolutionize how soccer fans are able to watch the league.
MLS has been partnered with Apple since it signed an exclusive 10-year, $2.5billion streaming deal ahead of last season.
And fans may soon be able to watch Messi on more than just a traditional broadcast, as a tech expert has predicted fans could be able to use Apple’s Vision Pro headset to get a stunning close-up view of the action within weeks.
‘There’s a pretty good chance that in a few weeks or at least a year when [Lionel] Messi takes a free kick, I’m going to get to be able to wander onto the field and stand right beside him at the box and watch or take the keeper’s position,’ Matthew Ball, author of the bestselling book ‘The Metaverse’ told Yahoo! Finance.
‘And that I think [that] is going to be remarkable and probably push this device in a way that we could never have imagined a year ago.’
Lionel Messi’s arrival in MLS has had massive ramifications for the league and Inter Miami
And fans may soon be able to watch him with an extremely close-up view on Apple’s Vision Pro
According to Apple, its Vision Pro headset, can ‘transform any room into a personal theater for sports, TV shows.’
Using their eyes, hands and voice, users of the product are able to do things like browse Safari, FaceTime friends and even virtually tour houses.
Ball, as noted by Yahoo!, predicted in a Stratechery podcast interview that sales of the Vision Pro headset will benefit from the Apple MLS deal.
Nonetheless, the league has evidently seen a boost in viewership since Messi joined Inter Miami in July.
Apple’s Vision Pro headset can ‘transform any room into a personal theater for sports’
According to a tweet from Miami owner Jorge Mas, subscriptions to MLS Season Pass doubled after Messi’s debut on July 21.
Additionally, Sports Business Journal reported earlier this month that the league surpassed 2million subscribers by the end of the 2023 season – though that includes season-ticket holders who get the service for free, and others who had received free promotions.
Messi notched his first goal of the season on Sunday as Miami salvaged a 1-1 draw at the LA Galaxy.
The Argentine combined with Jordi Alba to poke in an equalizer in the 92nd minute.
In Miami’s opener, Messi assisted Robert Taylor as the Herons began their season with a 2-0 win in South Florida.