DAZN takes on MLS Live in Canada, signs Pac-12 deal

DAZN, the OTT service operated by digital sports-media company Perform, has agreed a carriage deal in Canada for Major League Soccer’s MLS Live out-of-marketing streaming package, while it has also signed a rights partnership with Pac-12 Networks, the content and multi-platform media company for the Pac-12 US college sports conference.

DAZN Canada’s three-year agreement with MLS covers the 2018 to 2020 seasons of the North American competition.

As part of the deal, a minimum of 262 regular-season matches will be made available live on DAZN Canada through MLS Live. An additional 129 matches involving all three Canadian MLS teams will be made available in full and also in a condensed form on a 48-hour delay.

The deal was signed ahead of the start of the 2018 MLS season on Saturday. Last month, MLS agreed a similar deal with US sports broadcaster ESPN, which will host MLS Live on its new OTT service, ESPN Plus.

Meanwhile, DAZN Canada’s multi-year deal with Pac-12 Networks will provide subscribers with access to a range of live events, highlights and original programming.

The deal covers live events from all 12 universities, including American football and basketball fixtures, Olympic events and Pac-12 Championships, as well as fixtures from the Pac-12 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

The deal also includes original programming such as ‘The Drive: Pac-12 Football’ and ‘Inside Pac-12 Football’.