By Rory Carroll
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – LAFC will look to get their bid for back-to-back MLS championships off to a winning start when they battle crosstown rivals LA Galaxy in front of an anticipated record crowd at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday night.
LAFC prevailed in the most thrilling final in league history against Philadelphia last season when Gareth Bale’s stunning extra time goal tied the rollercoaster affair 3-3.
The home side then broke the hearts of the Union in a one-sided penalty shootout to claim their first MLS Cup and cap a season where they also won the Supporters’ Shield for having the best regular-season record.
With the win, LAFC delivered on the high expectations that came when the team launched in 2018 with a celebrity ownership group and a glamorous new stadium.
That investment has more than paid off. Earlier this month Forbes announced that LAFC was the first MLS club to reach $1 billion in value.
Despite Bale’s retirement, oddsmakers like LAFC and veteran captain Carlos Vela to hoist the Cup again with the Union, NYCFC and Austin FC also in the mix.
APPLE TV ERA BEGINS
Saturday’s supersized edition of the “El Trafico” derby is expected to draw more than 75,000 to the historic Rose Bowl and help launch a new era for MLS, which entered into a blockbuster 10-year partnership with Apple TV during the offseason.
The deal, which is reportedly worth $2.5 billion, is a bet by the tech giant that the league and its youthful, diverse and tech-savvy fanbase will contend with the NFL, NBA and MLB in the years to come.
“We talk about how we want the league to continue to grow and bridge the gap in comparison with other leagues, and I think having this Apple partnership is a step in the right direction,” LAFC midfielder Kellyn Acosta told reporters last month.
“Leading into the World Cup in 2026, you want to build momentum and gain more exposure, and I think this partnership is going to truly be beautiful.”
While Fox and FS1 will still carry some games on traditional cable, the bulk of the matches will be streamed on Apple TV through its MLS Season Pass at a price of $79 a year for Apple TV+ subscribers and $99 for those without.
Season Pass subscribers can watch matches on Apple and non-Apple devices. Broadcasts will be available in English and Spanish, with all matches involving Canadian teams also available in French.
LEAGUE EXPANSION
The season could also be pivotal for the continued growth of the league, which began in 1996 with just 10 teams but will boast 29 this season with the addition of St. Louis City SC.
MLS commissioner Don Garber is widely expected to announce yet another expansion franchise before the year’s end, with the goal of fielding 30 teams when the United States co-hosts the 2026 World Cup.
“Those people who don’t even know that they love the game will love the game when they experience the World Cup, because that’s the nature of the pageantry and the passion and the uniqueness of so many countries coming together and playing this almost life-or-death tournament,” Garber told Reuters.
He said while San Diego and Las Vegas were the well-publicized frontrunners to get the nod to host a team, it was still very much up for grabs. He also pointed to Sacramento as a potential candidate.
“We’ve said that in the past … a city was a front runner. Then somebody swooped in and it ended up going someplace else,” he said.
(Additional reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Sonali Paul)
