A game-day guide for Atlanta United supporters:
Q: Where will the supporters tailgate?
A: The lot for the supporters’ groups has been moved to an area behind a church near the corner of Northside Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The supporters will assemble there and march into Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Q: How many games will the stadium be open to full capacity?
A: Two, for now. The first was last week’s opener against San Jose. The second will be Aug. 26 against Nashville. The two are the fewest since 2017, when the stadium opened. There may be more instances of full capacity this season depending upon how the team is performing.
Q: If I don’t go, how can I watch?
A: MLS and Apple announced a 10-year, $2.5 billion partnership last year for the league’s games to be streamed by the tech giant starting this season.
Q: So, I can’t just turn on the TV and flip through the channels until I find a game?
A: Technically, yes. There will be a few games broadcast by traditional networks. At least six Atlanta United games will be carried by either Fox or FS1.
Q: What about the others. How do I watch?
A: You must sign up for the MLS channel on Apple TV+. The channel is on the home page of Apple TV+.
Q: What’s the cost?
A: $14.99 per month, or $99 per year, if you don’t already have a subscription to Apple TV+, or $12.99, or $79 per year, if you do have a subscription. If you have a season ticket to Atlanta United, the MLS channel is free. You should have already received a redemption code.
Q: What do I get for my money?
A: In addition to being able to watch games, you will get unique content produced by each club, as well as replays of pregame and postgame interviews. There are already 10 videos about Atlanta United on its channel. There will be 15 more uploaded soon. They will range from important moments in club history to profiles of important people involved with the club. They range from three to six minutes. There is a club profile that lasts 15-17 minutes.
The production quality for most of the videos is quite good.
Additionally, each game day there will be a whip-around show focusing on the big plays. The show is the product of Apple and MLS working to establish consistent game days and times for each match week. Most games will start at 7:30 p.m. in each time zone.
The package includes every regular-season game, Leagues Cup game and playoff game.
Q: What if I’m out of the country for vacation or work and want to watch?
A: The MLS channel can be watched in more than 200 countries.
Q: What if I miss a game?
A: They can be replayed.
Q: What if I don’t have a TV?
A: Any device that has the capacity for Apple TV can be used. The operating systems need to be updated.
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