As Apple kicks off its second season as Major League Soccer’s rightsholder, the tech giant is finding another way to reach sports fans.
On Wednesday, the company introduced its new app, Apple Sports, which “delivers real-time scores, stats, and more, all designed for speed and simplicity.” The free app is now available for download in the App Store in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.
“We created Apple Sports to give sports fans what they want — an app that delivers incredibly fast access to scores and stats,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services said in a release. “Apple Sports is available for free in the App Store, and makes it easy for users to stay up to date with their favorite teams and leagues.”
As of Wednesday — which doubles as the start of the 2024 MLS season — the following leagues are available to be followed on the app:
- MLS
- NBA
- NCAA basketball (men’s and women’s)
- NHL
- Bundesliga
- LaLiga
- Liga MX
- Ligue 1
- Premier League
- Serie A
Apple also noted that the app will add other leagues, including MLB, NFL, NCAAF, NWSL, and WNBA, ahead of their respective upcoming seasons.
To be honest, it’s somewhat surprising that Apple didn’t already have a sports app considering the success of its other apps, such as Apple News. While there are already apps that allow users to track scores and follow teams — ESPN, CBS Sports and Bleacher Report, to name a few — each has its faults, particularly when it comes to actually tracking live games.
What’s more is that such an app serves as a natural extension of Apple TV+’s MLS package, and it’s hardly a coincidence that the app launched on the first day of the MLS season. And as the streamer continues to add to its live rights portfolio, it should only strengthen Apple Sports’ viability as a potential leader in the market.
[Apple]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.