The event will be streamed free and broadcast live in three languages
Table of Contents
In what has been called the MLS’s “Caitlin Clark must-see-TV moment,” this weekend’s MLS Cup production will be the largest in the league’s history.With global icon Lionel Messi taking the pitch at Fort Lauderdale, FL’s Chase Stadium on Saturday, MLS, Apple, and production-services partner NEP are pulling out all the stops – including deploying iPhones for game coverage – in what’s expected to be one of the league’s most-watched games ever.
“Without question,this will be the biggest production we’ve ever had on an MLS match – MLS Cup or otherwise,” says Seth Bacon,EVP,media,Major League Soccer. “The number of cameras and level or production resources we’re deploying is an indication of the growth that we’ve had, both as a league and as a production company. We want to take all the innovations that we’ve built over the course of the year and make them come to life in the biggest moment here at MLS Cup.”
The busy MLS Cup compound at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale,FL
In addition to streaming free on Apple TV,the match will be broadcast on FOX,FOX Deportes,RDS in canada (in french),and TNT in Mexico. With Messi leading Inter Miami against one of the league’s other major stars, Thomas Müller, and the Vancouver Whitecaps, manny expect record viewership numbers for the most expansive MLS Cup presentation to date.
“We will be lucky enough to have the eyes of the entire soccer world on us, with the FIFA World Cup Draw on Friday and Messi going out to win a trophy on Saturday in a phenomenal matchup,” bacon says. “This is a huge moment for a league and one we’ve all been waiting for.and, as of the infrastructure and momentum and team that we’ve built [at MLS Productions], we are going to be ready to capitalize on it.”
Onsite in Ft.Lauderdale: Studio Shows, 30+ Cameras, NEP Mobile Units
The 38-camera complement at chase Stadium is headlined by a quartet of iPhone 17 Pros, wich will capture live game footage in a historic first for an MLS broadcast. Also on hand are two Ronin RF steadicams (one of which is equipped with an iPhone 17 Pro), in-goal robots in the nets on both sides of the field, four super-slo-mo systems, a referee cam, and a drone. The production team will also have more than 50 EVS record channels at its disposal.
“We had plans to make the show as big as we could irrespective of the participant,” Bacon notes when asked if the production levels increased as a result of Messi’s participation. “We were confident in the important production levels we put together. Certain
MLS cup 2025 production to Leverage iPhone 17 Pro, AT&T GVS
Behind the scenes with the MLS Cup onsite production crew
The English- and Spanish-language line cuts and 5.1 audio mixes will be produced onsite in Fort Lauderdale and sent via AT&T GVS network to MLS’s production facility in Stamford, CT. All graphics will be integrated there (a new workflow that MLS launched this season),and multiple versions will be created for distribution: a clean feed,English sponsored and unsponsored,Spanish sponsored and unsponsored,Canadian French sponsored and unsponsored,Mexican Spanish sponsored and unsponsored,and Sportradar/IMG Arena betting feeds.
In addition, FOX Sports broadcast will be produced out of NEP M14, handled largely by the MLS/NEP crew that produces all of FOX’s MLS regular-season and playoffs broadcasts remotely at NEP’s South Florida REMI production facility.
iPhone Impact: Four iPhone 17 Pros Will Play Big Role in Coverage
In a first for a live MLS broadcast, MLS cup 2025 will integrate live game footage captured on an iPhone 17 Pro, with four devices positioned throughout Fort Lauderdale, FL’s Chase Stadium.
“We’re always looking for ways to innovate and test new technologies with our partners, including Apple,” says Bacon “We’ve been testing [the use of] iPhones about four months now and have been looking at diffrent ways to utilize them. In our tests, we’ve tried several different setups, rigs, and locations and played around with zoom, speed, colour, and other technical and creative aspects. We think we’ve found the ideal setup going into [MLS Cup this weekend].”
The four iPhones will consist of a wired high-end-zone camera and three wireless systems: a pitch-side DJI Ronin gimbal rig, a supporter cam focused on the fans in the stands, and a sideline camera shooting coaches’ reactions throughout the game. Whenever an iPhone camera feed is shown during the broadcast, it will feature a “Shot on iPhone” overlay graphic.
MLS worked closely with
Keep reading