Kevin Egan – Building the MLS brand for Apple TV
By Chris Rivett
One of the defining voices of Major League Soccer’s modern media era, Kevin Egan, the host of Apple TV’s MLS coverage, brings an abundance of energy and sharp storytelling to every match round. Behind his polished and punchy presenting style is a journey built on persistence, adaptability, and an understanding that great sports broadcasting is ultimately about people.
Speaking on the CIPR Sports Network show, Dubliner Egan reflected on the unique demands of hosting MLS 360 – Apple TV’s whip-around live show that covers every major moment of action. The role requires him to guide viewers through more than five hours of live television, balancing breaking action, analysis, and entertainment as it happens.
“It’s high-octane, full of energy,” he explained. “We're bouncing from game to game with analysts in studio on the desk alongside me.”
Preparation for success in that environment goes far beyond statistics and team news. Egan described a process that includes monitoring press conferences of the league’s 30 teams, assessing social media sentiment and the wider view around clubs across the league. For Egan, who has worked for both Chicago Fire and Atlanta United previously, understanding the heartbeat of a club is more important than knowing how they might line-up.
But while knowledge matters, storytelling remains central to his approach – something shaped heavily by his time working in WWE.
“The first thing I’ll do on my [prep] page is ask myself: ‘What is the story of the match?’
“I want to find the emotional beat in that moment.”
That philosophy has helped Egan evolve from the commentary booth to one of the game’s leading studio hosts in North America. After joining Apple TV as a match commentator when the landmark rights deal launched in 2023, Egan quickly moved into the main host role, where he now facilitates debate among analysts such as Bradley Wright-Phillips, Sacha Kljestan, Dax McCarty, and Kaylyn Kyle.
His role today reflects a career path that was anything but straightforward.
While studying journalism in Dublin, Egan, a keen Gaelic footballer, suffered a serious ACL injury that forced him to reconsider his future. Determined to break into broadcasting, he worked as a runner at RTÉ during the 2004 Olympics, making tea and coffee while quietly building relationships and learning from some of Ireland’s most respected broadcasters.
“When you get a little lucky break, understand the luck you’re getting and capitalise on it.”
That mindset eventually took him from Ireland to the United States, where he worked his way through local and national media, club broadcasting, beIN Sports, and eventually WWE and Apple TV.
Turning from his broadcasting journey, Egan also spoke passionately about communication skills and the importance of human connection in an increasingly digital world. He believes authenticity, curiosity, and genuine engagement will become increasingly valuable as technology continues to evolve.
“It’s so important today to understand the value of being able to have a conversation, look someone in the eye, ask a question, listen, and then follow up with another question and genuinely care,” he said.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup finally here, MLS is on a break throughout the tournament, but Egan believes that when it returns, it will enter a transformative period. Amid the sport's rising profile, his focus will undoubtedly remain the same: sharing the stories that connect people.
Please click here to listen to the interview in full:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HTFCp9-ylI&list=PLTecrfLaYcBdFLzMrQhizhzH31XhVC6dU
