Sky Sports Lands MLS Broadcast Rights

25 Feb 2015 | sigadmin

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Sky Sports has secured the exclusive rights to broadcast live Major League Soccer from the US for the first time.

The new four-year MLS deal, negotiated with IMG, begins when the season kicks off in March. Former England captain Steven Gerrard recently announced he will sign for LA Galaxy in July, with his former international midfield partner Frank Lampard set to join the newly formed New York City franchise this summer.

The latest news follows recent deals for international and domestic cricket with the ECB and exclusively live coverage of the Open Championship from 2017, as well as the much publicised, record-breaking Premier League football deal from 2016.

Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis commented: “Football in the US and Canada has enormous potential for growth and we can’t wait to bring this competition to our viewers for the first time. Thierry Henry has joined us, he created fantastic memories in MLS, and we look forward to seeing more of those great stories from across the Atlantic.

“We offer an unrivalled range of sport across our seven channels and we are always looking to offer more choice. After recently adding football from Holland, Italy and UEFA European qualifiers, we are delighted to now add MLS to that list.”

Gary Stevenson, president and managing director, MLS Business Ventures, said: “As MLS continues to grow into a global brand, we are excited to partner with Sky Sports, a leader in the UK TV market, to bring the sport to millions of soccer fans.

“2015 is a milestone year for MLS including new stars, new clubs and a new brand. Sky Sports will help continue to grow the League and its Clubs worldwide.”

David Beckham, a Sky Sports ambassador who spent five years with LA Galaxy, commented: “This is another important moment that shows the continued growth of MLS. I have seen first-hand how popular soccer has become in America. Having fantastic partners such as Sky Sports on board will not only add to the coverage of the game, it will also broaden its appeal outside of US.”

Fellow ambassador Thierry Henry, who scored 51 goals in his four years at New York Red Bulls, added: “I will never forget my time playing in MLS – it gave me some great memories and I was proud to play a role in growing the game.

“I saw the passion of the fans in the US. They have always had it for other sports but they also have it for football now and it’s going to be huge in years to come. Sky Sports is the best place for the game, to bring it closer to fans in the UK and build MLS even more.”

MLS has seen significant growth in recent years – allied with the improving performance of the national team – creating a growing profile around the sport in the US.

MLS was originally launched in 1996 with ten teams, just two years after the FIFA World Cup was hosted in the US. Over the years it has expanded to the current system with 20 teams, and in the future will see further franchises added in New York and Orlando beginning this season, with Atlanta and Los Angeles in 2017.