Major League Soccer (MLS) is set to revolutionize fan engagement with its new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered mobile application. This move, in conjunction with third-party digital platforms and a global streaming partnership with Apple, aims to strengthen its direct-to-consumer (DTC) relationships, expand the fanbase, and deepen engagement.
The new MLS App offers an array of features including news updates, in-depth stats and insights, live game data, video highlights, interviews and original content. It also facilitates match ticket management through integration with Ticketmaster.
However, the standout feature of this app is its AI capabilities. The app serves up personalized content by predicting what fans want based on their behavior patterns. It then issues custom alerts based on these insights. Fans can even view live scores on their iPhone lock screens.
Third wave of AI technology
Speaking at an event recently held in North America's soccer league’s 30th season launch event; John Nicastro - CTO of MLS described the new app as an example of 'agentic AI' at work.
John Nicastro, CTO of MLS, said:
“With our new mobile app, one of the things we set out to do was to create a space to augment the DTC relationship, make sure that its bidirectional and that we can engage our fans in new ways, adding agentic AI to content discovery and recommendation has been very effective. Instead of personalising the experience based on demographic [profile], favourite clubs or individual behaviour, we measure context in real time.
“[Agentic AI] isn’t just putting content in front of you, it’s also measuring the engagement and learning through that process. [The model] penalises itself if you’re not engaging with the content. But if the content does engage you, it rewards itself through reinforcement learning and it will try other content.
“Instead of personalisation, we like to call it contextualisation because we’re trying to get into the fabric of human emotion. We’re trying to see if you’re happy or if you’re sad. Are you engaged in some kind of sporting event that just happened because you lost or because you won? If you lost, then we might capture that sentiment and remind you of the good times and serve up a highlight of a victory or a clip of a player doing something special.”
Agentic AI models are autonomous decision-making systems designed to achieve goals and solve complex challenges with minimal human intervention. They are considered the third generation of AI technology following predictive and generative models. One such feature within the app is the 'MLS Sidekick', an innovative personal assistant that provides real-time updates answers fan queries while suggesting novel ways for fans to interact with their favorite sport.
Strengthening DTC strategy through Apple deal
In 2022, MLS inked a ten-year US$2.5 billion deal with tech giant Apple marking it as one of the first major sports properties to sell its entire inventory to a streaming platform. This strategic move was aimed at offering digitally-literate audiences a superior product through digital distribution, thereby enhancing the DTC relationship and expanding its global fanbase. This partnership with Apple is not just a traditional media rights agreement but a joint business venture. MLS can tap into Apple's wider technology portfolio to provide an immersive experience for fans. A prime example of this collaboration is the dedicated MLS experience on the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset.
Despite these advancements, there have been concerns that moving games away from linear television may alienate new and casual fans. To address this, MLS has augmented its DTC approach by partnering with third-party platforms like OneFootball and Yahoo Sports. These partnerships aim to drive interest by sharing highlights and other engaging content.
Through strategic partnerships, innovative AI technology applications, and a focus on digital-first approaches; MLS is poised to redefine fan engagement while expanding its global reach.
