Author: staff

Sports

MLS and Apple announce 10-year streaming partnership that allows fans to watch every game without local blackouts

Apple’s foray into live sports took a big step forward Tuesday.Apple and Major League Soccer have announced a 10-year partnership on a streaming service that will allow fans to watch every game without local blackouts or restrictions. The service will be available exclusively through the Apple TV app beginning next year.AdvertisementThe deal is Apple’s second venture into streaming professional sports. In April, it began airing “Friday Night Baseball,” an exclusive weekly doubleheader of Major League Baseball games.“The opportunity to partner with a sports league, and truly build the product together with them is very, very unique,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services. “We can bring the things that we do really well with the things that they do really well and really make the product, which I think will be significantly better for the fans. We want to create a great experience for fans to be able to watch and experience MLS like they’ve never had before.”AdvertisementThe details of the streaming service will be announced in the coming months. The package will be included for fans who have full-season ticket packages for their club.Some MLS and Leagues Cup matches will be available at no additional cost to Apple TV+ subscribers, with a limited number of matches also available for free.“We really couldn’t have found a better partner to embark on this new journey together to capitalize on the momentum that exists in MLS today,” league Commissioner Don Garber said. “We can use this deal as rocket fuel as we build towards the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico in 2026 and thinking about what the sport of soccer, what Major League Soccer could look like, in the years beyond.”Currently, most MLS games are streamed on ESPN+, but there are blackout restrictions due to some local rights agreements. The league’s deals with Fox Sports and ESPN expire at the end of the year, but Garber is hoping the league can reach a deal with a broadcast partner.Even with the Apple deal, MLS does have the opportunity to simulcast some games nationally.Streaming is already built into soccer fans’ DNA. The league said it has found in various studies that 83% of MLS fans watch sports on streaming devices or recorded TV in a typical week, much higher than the general average of 52% for all TV viewers.What also makes the deal intriguing for Apple is that MLS has the youngest and most diverse audience compared to the other four major professional North American sports leagues.Besides all regular-season and postseason matches, the package includes all Leagues Cup matches — the competition between MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX — as well as select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches.AdvertisementApple will also partner with MLS on presentation of the matches as the league takes over production. This is another step forward for the league, but is similar to the way European soccer leagues do business. All matches will be called in English and Spanish while those involving Canadian clubs will also be available in French.All matches will also be available in Full HD (1080p) for the first time. Previously, matches were broadcast in 1080i or 720p.Garber said the league will have a more streamlined schedule beginning next season, with most matches taking place on Saturday evenings and some on Wednesdays. The only time that might change is for a national broadcast or stadium conflict. The league will expand to 29 teams in 2023 with the debut of St. Louis CITY SC.The deal comes as Apple is also exploring opportunities with other sports. The company has been pursuing streaming NFL games when the league’s “Sunday Ticket” expires at the end of the upcoming season.

Sports

WNBA star Brittney Griner to remain in custody for at least 18 more days: Russian state media

WNBA star Brittney Griner will remain in custody for at least 18 more days, according to Russian media.A Russian court extended Griner’s detention through at least July 2, ABC News reported citing Russian state media outlet TASS.AdvertisementThe seven-time WNBA All-Star center for the Phoenix Mercury was arrested by Russian authorities in February after hashish oil was allegedly found in her luggage at an airport in Moscow.She was accused of smuggling large quantities of a narcotic substance, an offense that can carry a sentence of up to 10 years behind bars.AdvertisementBrittney Griner (Rick Scuteri/AP)In May, the U.S. State Department determined that Griner was being “wrongfully detained by the Russian government.”On Monday, State Department officials met with Mercury officials to discuss Griner’s detention.“There is a lot involved in getting her back home and safe, they’re working relentlessly,” Mercury star Diana Taurasi said after the meeting, according to The Associated Press.“We’re here to do whatever we can to amplify and keep BG at the forefront, which is more important than any basketball game and anything else that’s going on in our lives. We want BG to come home as soon as possible, it’s number one on our list,” she added.A social media campaign has been pushing the White House to “please free your friend,” as the player’s family, friends, fellow players and fans post messages on Twitter using the hashtags #WeAreBG and #FreeBittneyGriner.Despite all efforts, however, the openly gay athlete will remain in Russia — a notoriously anti-LGBTQ country, where public discussions or positive messages about LGBTQ issues are illegal — until at least early next month.

News

The dark visions of David Hauptschein

Writer and artist David Hauptschein has been working in Chicago since the 80s, curating live performances, writing plays, and working in visual arts, but his work…