Apple and Major League Soccer (MLS) have announced a groundbreaking partnership that will bring the iPhone 17 Pro into the live broadcast of the highly anticipated Inter Miami vs. Vancouver Whitecaps final.
This collaboration marks one of the most prominent uses of smartphones in professional sports broadcasting, highlighting Apple’s growing influence in advanced video production.
According to MLS, four iPhone 17 Pro units will be strategically positioned alongside more than 30 professional broadcast cameras during the championship match.
These devices will capture unique angles from behind the goal and throughout the crowd, focusing particularly on fan reactions and immersive stadium moments. Whenever footage comes directly from one of the phones, viewers will see a “Shot on iPhone” tag on their screens, reinforcing Apple’s signature branding.
MLS has reportedly spent months testing the iPhone 17 Pro to ensure it meets the technical demands of a major sporting event. Engineers evaluated critical aspects including latency performance, heat management, wireless connectivity stability, and frame synchronization with existing broadcast equipment. After extensive validation, the league determined that the iPhone 17 Pro was reliable enough to integrate seamlessly into its production environment.
One of the key reasons behind this decision is the iPhone 17 Pro’s built-in ProRes video workflow, which allows MLS teams to color-match the smartphone’s footage with the output of traditional high-end cameras. This capability ensures consistent quality across all angles, despite the difference in hardware.
While no smartphone can fully compete with the professional-grade sensors and broadcasting gear used by major sports organizations, the iPhone 17 Pro offers an attractive blend of flexibility, cost efficiency, and strong brand impact. It also provides fresh, dynamic viewpoints that are difficult to capture with larger equipment.
For Apple, the partnership serves as a powerful marketing opportunity. Featuring “Shot on iPhone” during one of MLS’s biggest events amplifies the device’s reputation for industry-leading video capabilities. For MLS, it offers an innovative way to showcase fan engagement and bring audiences closer to the action.
As the final approaches, viewers can expect a broadcast enhanced with unique, smartphone-captured moments that combine professional production with Apple’s consumer technology.