NEW YORK (Thursday, September 4, 2025) – To elevate the fan experience, MLS Season Pass broadcasts on Apple TV will launch exciting new vantage points and immersive perspectives this season.
"We’re constantly looking for new ways to bring fans closer to the game, and these broadcast innovations do exactly that," said Chris Schlosser, Senior VP of Emerging Ventures, MLS. "With Ref Cam giving viewers a live front-row seat to the referee’s perspective and the TikTok Player Spotlight putting fans at the heart of the action, we’re redefining how soccer is experienced—making it more immersive, more engaging, and more personal than ever before."
After extensive behind the scenes testing, the Ref Cam will debut live during the San Jose Earthquakes vs. Los Angles Football Club match on September 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium. The Ref Cam is a compact, body-worn camera that offers a first-person, real-time view of the action—allowing fans to see the referee’s view on the field. This immersive perspective will provide fans with unique insight into match dynamics and officiating decisions, while also providing new training tools for referees from the Professional Referee Organization. The Ref Cam will be available as part of the broadcast on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Following its debut, Ref Cam will be featured during Sunday Night Soccer broadcasts on Apple TV and linear distribution partners for the remainder of the season. Prior to its official rollout, the June 7 match between D.C. United and Chicago Fire served as a test run. Additional testing during the New York Red Bulls vs. Columbus Crew match on August 30 and the Houston Dynamo vs. LA Galaxy match on September 6 will provide footage for studio programming, including MLS Countdown/La Previa and MLS Wrap-Up/El Resumen. Starting this weekend, every Sunday Night Soccer match will also include graphics in Spanish.
MLS was an early innovator in this space, becoming one of the first professional soccer leagues to implement Ref Cam technology during a live match broadcast. The concept premiered at the 2013 MLS All-Star Game, when referee Hilario Grajeda wore a camera during the match against A.S. Roma. At the time, it was a groundbreaking advancement in soccer broadcasting. While other sports had begun experimenting with similar technology, MLS was the first major soccer property to showcase Ref Cam footage in a high-profile televised event. Since then, the technology has evolved significantly—most recently featured during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup—and MLS continues to lead the way in delivering immersive fan experiences.
Additionally, on September 16, MLS will also bring back the Player Spotlight: Inter Miami CF — a special TikTok LIVE broadcast that offers fans an all-Inter Miami viewing experience during the Inter Miami CF vs. Seattle Sounders match at 7:30 p.m. ET from Chase Stadium. This alternate stream features a dedicated camera focused exclusively on Inter Miami throughout the match, providing a player-first perspective that brings fans closer to every moment.
The Player Spotlight stream made its debut during Inter Miami’s 2024 playoff opener and drew over 6.4 million live views across @MLS and @InterMiamiCF — setting a record for the largest live U.S. sports audience on TikTok. This season, Player Spotlight will return for four select matches, continuing to deliver a fresh and engaging matchday experience for fans. Two more Player Spotlight streams are scheduled to follow this broadcast, rounding out the four-match series planned for this season.
