Major League Soccer and Twitter announced a three-year agreement to stream weekly games and produce additional content, including near real-time highlights and programming on teams, players and major events such as the All-Star Game.
This deal includes at least 25 matches per season produced by Univision networks for their Spanish language television audience but will now include an English simulcast for streaming on Twitter, produced in a studio in Miami. The games will be available on the @UnivisionSports and @MLS Twitter handles. Facebook had carried this package of games for MLS last season.
“We are excited to collaborate with Major League Soccer to bring live soccer matches and video highlights to Twitter,” Twitter’s VP and global head of content partnerships, Kay Madati, said in a statement. “Passionate MLS fans will now have live match-day action alongside real-time commentary from experts and fellow fans all in one place on Twitter.”
After announcing its sports streaming intentions with the NFL’s Thursday Night Football package two years ago, Twitter has carried live content from the PGA Tour, MLB, NHL, WNBA, NASCAR, National Lacrosse League and more than a dozen esports tournaments.
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The MLS package began with a Saturday matinée between Real Salt Lake and expansion club Los Angeles Football Club and continues next Saturday afternoon with a match between NYCFC and Orlando. The broadcast schedule includes primarily Saturday afternoon games with one Sunday afternoon in May, a Friday night doubleheader prior to Memorial Day weekend and a Thursday night game in August.
“MLS constantly strives to connect with fans in new and innovative ways,” MLS SVP of media, Chris Schlosser, said in the release. “Our fans are the youngest and most socially engaged in pro sports, which is why we are excited to partner with Twitter to feature live matches on their platform.”
You can see the full schedule of matches streaming on Twitter here.