Watching Minnesota United on Apple TV: How to get it and how much you'll pay

Minnesota United kicks off its seventh MLS season Saturday at FC Dallas with a new way to watch games, a new playoff format that will expand the field by four teams and a new international tournament meant to build a bridge to Mexico.

How do you like that Apple?

Apple TV's 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with MLS will allow almost anyone, almost anywhere, almost anytime worldwide to watch every MLS regular season, MLS Cup playoff and new Leagues Cup game — with no blackouts.

Anyone with the money, that is.

Gone is each team's own cable or over-air broadcasts, including the Loons' Callum Williams/Kyndra de St. Aubin combination. Both now are part of Apple TV's new coverage that costs Apple TV-Plus subscribers $12.99 a month or $79 for the "MLS Season Pass" while non-subscribers pay $14.00 a month or $99 a season.

Select games — including Minnesota United-FC Dallas and all other opening weekend games — will be shown free through the Apple TV app.

Minnesota United and other MLS season-ticket holders get one season pass subscription free per account. The Loons will continue to broadcast games on radio, 1500 AM.

Fox Sports will air 34 national games on linear television — 15 on FOX and 19 on FS1.

The Loons will play three of those nationally televised games: an April 30th Sunday night home game against FC Dallas, an Aug. 27 Sunday afternoon home game against Seattle and an Oct. 4 Wednesday night game at Los Angeles F.C.

Playoff series return

MLS has revised its MLS Cup playoffs by combining single-elimination rounds with best-of-three series.

Seeds 1-7 in each conference qualify for a first-round, best-of-three series played home-away-home among seeded teams. Seeds 8 and 9 will qualify for the first round in a play-in game. If games are tied, there will be no extra time. Penalty kicks will decide the winner.

The first play-in game is set for Oct. 25, the MLS Cup final for Dec. 9.

Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath approves, saying any team that reaches the playoffs should get at least one home game.

"I think it will keep everybody in the game," Heath said.

Competing for another Cup

The new Leagues Cup is coming this summer to North America — and to MLS and LIGA MX, too. It's the next step toward building a relationship with Mexico's top division. The tournament featuring all 29 MLS clubs and all 18 LIGA MX clubs creates a five-week break in the regular-season schedule, from July 21 to Aug. 19.

"There's some massive names down there and to see them playing MLS teams in the U.S. will only be great for the game," Heath said. "The level with MLS and the best teams in LIGA MX is as close as it has ever been. I think it looks like a really exciting competition."

The inaugural Leagues Cup 2023 will be played in Canada and the United States during those five weeks.

There will be 15 groups divided into West, Central, South and East regions. Each team plays two group-stage games and the top two teams from each group, based on points, advance to the knockout round of 32 teams.