LaSource monthly insights: MLS, Kitman Labs build fully centralised data system & LFP votes to end DAZN deal as dispute rumbles on
MLS, Kitman Labs build fully centralised data system
Our Take:
Major League Soccer’s youth development platform, MLS NEXT’s partnership with Kitman Labs to build an integrated system designed to support league-wide operations and player development signals more than just an investment in technology; it is a strategic move to reinforce the league’s long-term vision of building a stronger, more competitive product on the pitch.
Over the past year, MLS has made a series of moves that align closely with this philosophy. It has positioned MLS NEXT as a testing ground for innovation, notably partnering with companies like CAMB.AI to experiment with multilingual live streaming technologies that enhance accessibility. More importantly for player development, MLS NEXT partnered with Taka, a technology company specialising in advanced performance tracking and quality of play analytics. These initiatives demonstrate that MLS is not only investing in innovation off the pitch but is also actively utilising technology to elevate the standard of play at the foundational level.
Centralisation has become a central theme in the way MLS operates. On the media side, the league consolidated its distribution model by signing a 10-year global deal with Apple, moving away from fragmented local broadcasters to a unified platform with international reach. The partnership with Kitman Labs mirrors this approach on the sporting side, creating a standardised and centralised system to collect, manage, and utilise player performance and operational data across more than 140 clubs and 13,000 players.
In today’s sports landscape, data has proven to be the backbone behind success for organisations. It is shaping on-pitch outcomes, fueling new sponsorship evaluation models, enhancing fan engagement strategies, and driving player valuations and broader commercial decision-making. MLS’s decision to prioritise a unified, scalable infrastructure for sports performance reflects a deeper understanding that sustainable growth requires building intelligent systems behind the scenes, not just expanding the fan base.
Beyond simply investing in systems related to commercial growth, MLS is investing in its future product - a.k.a the quality and level of the league. Through MLS NEXT, the league is focusing heavily on its youth and elite player pathways to nurture the next generation of talent that will elevate the level of competition in the years ahead. It is applying a North American-style, closed-league playbook: centralising talent development to maximise upside at every level, monitoring and benchmarking performance across all clubs, providing services and best practices, and reducing the costs individual teams would otherwise bear. This approach allows MLS to have complete visibility over its development ecosystem and to actively manage the quality of the pipeline feeding into the first teams.
With the FIFA World Cup approaching in 2026, MLS is preparing not just for the immediate boost in visibility, but for the decade that will follow. By building scalable, centralised structures now, across media, operations, and sporting development, MLS is working to emerge stronger, more valuable, and more globally competitive well beyond the World Cup moment.
At LaSource, we see this trend playing out across sports organisations globally. The most forward-thinking rights holders are adopting holistic strategies that help them regain control, both on and off the pitch. In many cases, the on-pitch side is underinvested, even though it forms the foundation for much of the commercial success seen off the pitch. Media rights deals, sponsorship storytelling, and fan engagement initiatives all ultimately rely on the quality of what happens on the field. Without strong, data-driven investment into on-pitch performance, the commercial side eventually suffers.
We see this dynamic firsthand across projects such as turfcoach, where leagues often hesitate to invest in benchmarking and improving playing surfaces, even though pitch quality directly impacts the spectacle and value of the football product.
In our work with clubs, leagues, and federations, we emphasise the importance of investing in both sporting and commercial infrastructure as interconnected pillars of sustainable growth. Building future-proof systems on the field and behind the scenes is essential for any sports organisation looking to create a meaningful, lasting impact.
LFP votes to end DAZN deal as dispute rumbles on
The LFP board of directors want to end the league's relationship with DAZN at the end of the season
Our Take:
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) has voted to terminate its media rights agreement with DAZN after months of unresolved dispute. The deal, initially hailed as a solution to Ligue 1’s ongoing broadcasting challenges, has unravelled, leaving the league once again without a stable, long-term media partner for its domestic rights.
Last year, the league launched a new domestic rights tender with high expectations, seeking to significantly increase its broadcast revenues. However, the market response fell short of expectations and was a counterproductive move for the league as CANAL+, historically Ligue 1’s broadcasting home since 1984, opted out of the bidding process entirely, a major blow that reflected growing scepticism around Ligue 1’s media valuation and commercial strategy. With no major broadcasters willing to meet its ambitious revenue targets, the league found itself facing the new season without a confirmed broadcasting plan, a situation that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
We covered this broader trend of media rights fragmentation in an article we wrote last year, pointing to the increasing volatility in the traditional sports broadcasting landscape. Rights holders across Europe and beyond are facing a new reality: legacy broadcasters are more cautious, digital entrants are selective, and overinflated media valuations are harder to justify in a market that demands clearer ROI. The collapse of the DAZN deal fits squarely into this wider narrative.
For LFP, the termination creates more short-term uncertainty at a time when stability is crucial for clubs, sponsors, and the league’s broader ecosystem. It also highlights the importance of adopting more flexible, multi-platform distribution strategies that balance financial ambition with market realities, a transition that many rights holders are now being forced to navigate.
At LaSource, we continue to advocate for a pragmatic and future-focused approach when advising rights holders. As traditional models start reaching their glass ceiling, successful organisations are those that prioritise diversified distribution strategies, realistic market positioning, and long-term audience-building efforts over short-term valuation peaks. Ligue 1’s ongoing situation is a clear reminder that in today’s environment, a successful media rights partnership is much more about long-term strategic and commercial alignmentco-investment into the product and sustained audience growth, than it is about immediate financial returns.
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