Apple is preparing to make live sports history by broadcasting a full Major League Soccer match using only iPhone 17 Pro devices throughout the entire game.
The special broadcast will take place during the match between Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo on May 23. It also arrives before MLS takes a long 7-week break to make room for the FIFA World Cup, which will take place across North America. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
For this match, Apple will not simply use the phone for extra shots or short cinematic angles. Instead, the company plans to rely on iPhone 17 Pro devices 100% for the full professional sports broadcast. According to the source article, this will become the first major live sports event to use a smartphone-only camera setup for the entire production. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Apple Will Use 15 iPhone 17 Pro Devices
The production team will use up to 15 iPhone 17 Pro units to capture different parts of the match.
These devices will record everything from player warm-ups and walkouts to goals, net-side angles, and fan reactions from the stands. The goal is to give viewers a more dynamic and immersive sports broadcast without relying on the usual large professional cameras for every shot.
This makes the setup especially interesting because the phone’s smaller size allows the camera team to place devices in spots that bigger broadcast equipment cannot easily reach.
Smaller Cameras Could Create Better Angles
Apple says viewers can expect new angles that feel more flexible and more exciting than traditional sports coverage.
Because the iPhone 17 Pro is compact, the production team can mount it closer to the action. This could create shots that make fans feel closer to the field, especially during key moments such as goals, player entrances, and crowd reactions.
For a sport like football, where movement can shift quickly across the field, smaller cameras may also help capture more natural and intimate moments.
Apple Already Tested iPhone Sports Production
This is not Apple’s first time using iPhone devices in sports production.
The company previously used iPhone 17 Pro units during a Major League Baseball broadcast between the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers in September last year. However, that earlier test only used the phones for selected angles and cinematic shots, not the full match coverage. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
After that test, Apple continued adding iPhone-shot footage into Friday Night Baseball and MLS broadcasts throughout the year. Now, the company appears ready to push the concept further by letting the smartphone handle the full live sports production.
THIS IS our take
Apple’s MLS iPhone 17 Pro broadcast could become a huge moment for smartphone filmmaking. If the full-match setup works well, it may prove that premium smartphones can support serious live sports production, not just casual video or social content. Big broadcast cameras will not disappear anytime soon, but Apple may show that smaller devices can unlock angles, movement, and intimacy that traditional setups struggle to capture.
SOURCE: Engadget
