Apple plans to heavily push its advertisements at Major League Soccer games, starting next year. The move is a part of the tech giant’s larger objective to expand its advertising business and achieve double-digit growth in revenue.
Apple to heavily focus on advertising in the coming years
Apple already displays ads in its streaming service Apple TV+ for its “Friday Night Baseball” deal with Major League Baseball. Now, the tech giant plans to expand its advertisement business by displaying ads during next year’s soccer games.
In the latest edition of his “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman revealed that Apple working closely with advertising partners and MLS sponsors to display ads during MLS games when the season kicks off in late February. Along with displaying ads at the physical games, Apple will also run ads in a dedicated subscription package, the paid Apple TV+ service, and for free in the TV app on Apple devices.
Apple is building an ad network that will accompany its MLS programming when the season kicks off in late February. The company’s ad chief has begun negotiating deals with sponsors and other advertisers for the service. The partnership will see MLS games stream in a dedicated subscription package, the paid Apple TV+ service and for free in the TV app on Apple devices.
Gurman also reiterated that Apple is going to expand its advertising business into Apple Maps and the storefronts for Apple Podcasts and Apple Books.
Apple is aiming to push ads to all three of those. Looking into the future, the company also is eyeing an expansion of ads into Apple Maps and the storefronts for Podcasts and Books. Another place that would theoretically make sense (in light of its new ad network): an ad-supported version of TV+ that could rival Netflix, Hulu and Disney+.
Just last month, Apple started displaying more ads in its stock iOS apps like Stocks, News, and TV+ as well as in the App Store. Gurman also believes that Apple TV+ could benefit from an ad-supported tier, similar to Netflix’s “Basic with Ads” plan and the upcoming Disney+ tier with ads.
