As Larry Berg answered his first round of questions as MLS commissioner-elect, he outlined an ambitious plan to move the league forward. However, when the topic turned to future broadcast arrangements, he deferred to Don Garber, seated beside him, whose 28-year run as commissioner will end later this year.
“As the incoming commissioner, I can still pass that question to the current commissioner,” Berg joked while leaning back in his chair at the league’s Manhattan headquarters. “But only for a few more months,” Garber replied.
Following MLS means watching both a wide-ranging soccer competition and an organization that describes itself as a “challenger brand”. Nearly every decision is shaped by the league’s continuing effort to earn more attention and credibility. Berg will take charge of that mission on 1 January, with a long list of priorities awaiting him.
Define the league’s broadcasting future
Berg will eventually need to explain what direction MLS intends to take after its current agreement with Apple ends following the 2028-29 season.
MLS’s streaming partnership with Apple appeared risky from the outset. The league initially secured $250m annually by joining forces with a highly respected technology company, but one with limited sports broadcasting experience and a smaller reach than established television networks. Now in the fourth year of the arrangement, additional programming beyond live matches and occasional pregame coverage has largely disappeared. Several industry sources have also noted that fewer cameras are being used at MLS games than during the partnership’s first season in 2023.
There is little public information showing how audiences have reacted to the partnership. In July 2025, Garber said MLS games were “drawing an average of 120,000 unique viewers”, an uncommon piece of concrete data at a time when streaming services rarely disclose detailed audience figures. MLS is unlikely to attract the same level of interest as a World Cup, but the record-setting soccer audiences seen around the 2026 tournament demonstrate that substantial growth remains possible.
Media-rights agreements are central to the financial health of any sports league because they generate considerable revenue that is distributed among its clubs. A weak broadcasting contract can create serious long-term problems even for major competitions, as Ligue 1 has discovered. MLS cannot afford to lose ground, but it must decide whether another exclusively streaming-based arrangement is truly the strongest path forward.
Explain how the on-field product will develop
Berg strengthened his candidacy through his leadership of the sporting and competition committee. Garber said Berg had been chosen for that responsibility well before expressing interest in becoming commissioner. The influential committee oversees the gradual revision of MLS roster regulations with the aim of raising playing standards. Berg made his ambitions clear on Tuesday.
Berg said the league still has considerable work ahead despite having a strong foundation, adding that progress must begin with the quality of play. Clubs want to capitalize on the momentum created by the World Cup, but they disagree about how to achieve that goal. His responsibility, he explained, is to consider the different perspectives, develop a workable strategy and find creative solutions where necessary.
The existing system is certainly complicated, with frequently criticized regulations such as discovery rights and rigid squad classifications. These rules prevent ambitious clubs from distributing spending across their rosters as freely as they might prefer. Teams focused on developing and selling players are also restricted in how much transfer income they can reinvest in new talent.
The forthcoming calendar change will align MLS with the transfer periods used by many leading competitions around the world. Owners have therefore begun discussing possible revisions to the roster regulations. Since sporting considerations were the main justification for changing the calendar, anything short of a substantial overhaul of squad-building rules would raise questions about the purpose of the switch.
Close the gap with Liga MX, the Americas and the world
Toward the end of his media appearance, Berg acknowledged that the league must improve public awareness of the Leagues Cup, the annual summer tournament featuring MLS and Liga MX clubs. The competition expanded alongside the start of the Apple agreement, yet four years later it has still not become essential viewing for many supporters.
The Leagues Cup can still provide value by allowing MLS clubs to measure themselves against leading Mexican opposition, although the tournament remains unevenly staged, with most matches held at MLS venues. At least one MLS side has reached the Concacaf Champions Cup final every year since 2022, interrupting a long period of overwhelming Mexican dominance. Even so, roster structures often leave the strongest MLS clubs at a disadvantage against teams such as Monterrey, Club América and Chivas.
The issue could eventually extend beyond North America. Conmebol president Alejandro Domínguez has suggested that the possibility remains open for MLS and Liga MX teams to participate in the Libertadores in the future. Under the current MLS squad restrictions, however, even its top clubs would struggle to compete consistently with River Plate, Palmeiras or Flamengo.
The challenge also reaches beyond the Americas. Inter Miami generated the kind of international recognition MLS wants to achieve more regularly by defeating Porto, recording the league’s first competitive victory over European opposition. The wider picture was less encouraging, however, as Berg’s LAFC performed poorly at the Club World Cup after entering the tournament through a late qualifying playoff.
Regular qualification for the Club World Cup should be a major objective, particularly because clubs receive substantial prize money simply for taking part. To make that possible, Berg and the MLS leadership must help teams improve enough to compete more successfully for regional championships.
Strengthen clubs within their local markets
Berg and his former ownership partners achieved something significant by establishing a successful second club in Los Angeles, particularly so soon after the failure of Chivas USA.
The ownership group also built a strong relationship with the club’s supporters, collectively known as the 3252, whose presence creates a distinctive matchday environment. LAFC secured a stadium location within the city, constructed an impressive venue and became a recognizable part of the local sports scene. The support feels closely connected to the region, and images of the supporters’ section frequently appear in league promotions.
MLS needs more clubs to develop the same combination of local identity, strong facilities and passionate support. LAFC’s success contrasts with the continuing difficulty of gaining prominence in important markets such as Colorado, Houston, New England and Dallas. These long-established clubs have progressed with the league in certain areas but remain behind in others. Garber also treated this as a priority, yet much more work is required.
Negotiate the next CBA
All these issues will influence one of Berg’s most urgent responsibilities: the approaching labor negotiations. MLS and the MLS Players Association revised their previous agreement in 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, extending it through the end of 2027. With that deadline drawing closer, Berg’s handling of his first collective bargaining process will be closely watched. Instead of contributing as one of 30 ownership representatives, he will now need to balance the interests of every ownership group. The outcome could shape relations between the league and its players throughout his tenure.
MLS has changed significantly since the revised agreement was approved in 2021. Along with the calendar adjustment, the introduction of the Leagues Cup and the appointment of a new commissioner, the league has altered its playoff structure by adding a best-of-three opening round and a wild-card stage, although Berg indicated that further changes may be coming. It has also launched MLS Next Pro to connect club academies with senior teams and welcomed four additional franchises.
Much of this period will be associated with Lionel Messi’s performances in the United States, but the 39-year-old will not play at MLS stadiums indefinitely. The upcoming negotiations will establish the league’s priorities and operating structure for its next phase under Berg’s leadership. There is currently no clear sign of an impending work stoppage, but a prolonged and contentious bargaining process could create that risk and seriously damage the league’s momentum.
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