The sight of Formula One cars racing down Las Vegas Boulevard two months ago proved the power of streaming. More specifically, it highlighted the popularity of Drive To Survive, the Netflix docuseries that has transformed F1, particularly in the United States. November’s Las Vegas Grand Prix was attended by almost every celebrity and public figure with a Wikipedia page – and Major League Soccer was clearly watching.
MLS will be the subject of its own Drive To Survive-style show – produced by the same film-makers (Box To Box Films) – in 2024 with an eight-part series promising to offer “a definitive, never-before-seen insider’s view into the league.” MLS players and coaches can now look forward to becoming reality TV stars.
If done right, this could be just as big for MLS as the signing of Lionel Messi. The Argentinian’s arrival at Inter Miami last summer was a landmark moment for a league that has been open about its desire to become one of the world’s best. There were already going to be more eyes on MLS this year than ever before with Messi Mania taking hold across the US. The new series will provide another prism to view the league though.
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Content is king in the modern age of sports and MLS has recognised this, both through its partnership with Box To Box Films and the record $2.5bn broadcast deal it struck with Apple TV. MLS, however, needs captivating, must-watch content to make the whole thing worthwhile. Its series must stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Every other sport is chasing the Drive To Survive effect. Box To Box Films has also made golf (Full Swing), cycling (Tour de France: Unchained) and tennis (Break Point) equivalents while Amazon’s All or Nothing franchise has followed Arsenal, Juventus, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur as well as the Brazilian and German national teams. And that’s just in soccer – it has also documented the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, Toronto Maple Leafs and All Blacks.
ESPN even produced a docuseries focusing on Los Angeles FC in 2019. However, We Are LAFC was so bland it was as if had been directed by a boardroom of marketing executives. The same could be said of the Messi Meets America show on Apple TV that was so dull it barely registered.
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