Zuhosky’s Take #25: Sakovits Brightest Star on Apple’s MLS Season Pass

Many fans of the league took to social media when the 10-year, $2.5 billion (USD) deal between MLS and the tech titan was launched, expressing uncertainty over how everything would work out. It was a troubled production at the beginning.

A producer hired to work the MLS Season Pass telecasts didn’t even make it to the 2022 MLS offseason, instead resigning their post just six days into the new job.  In the months since, especially in the past few weeks with the whirlwind signing of Lionel Messi in time for the Leagues Cup, the service has corrected itself.

Recently, news broke that MLS Season Pass was nearing the crucial 1 million subscriber plateau. These new viewers now have access to every remaining Leagues Cup match and a host of other programming.

Jillian Sakovits Leads the Charge in the Studio

On Jan. 10, just a few weeks before launch day, Major League Soccer announced the first wave of broadcasters hired for Season Pass on Apple TV. Among the names listed was veteran sportscaster Jillian Sakovits, who splits English-language studio anchoring duties on MLS/ Leagues Cup Countdown and MLS/ Leagues Cup Wrap-Up with Andrew Wiebe.

Absolutely thrilled to be part of this monumental team & moment. #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV https://t.co/mjlnmAlTAk

— Jillian Sakovits (@JillianSakovits) January 10, 2023

A familiar name to MLS fans, Sakovits was the final sideline reporter for MLS on ESPN as well as the local sideline reporter on Bally Sport South’s coverage of Atlanta United telecasts. Both packages ended after last season due to the Apple deal.  In addition to those duties, she co-hosted The Call-Up podcast with her friend, Susannah Collins every week through the 2022 season, ending when Collins departed for CBS.

Outside of MLS, Sakovits has also worked as a reporter on Big Ten Network, providing gameday previews for football games and as a host for the NHL’s digital channels during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Sakovits is a Versatile Talent

While she’s known primarily as a studio talent, Jillian Sakovits is someone who can do just about anything the job requires of her and do it well. Just last week, she served as the sideline reporter on Season Pass’ English-language coverage of the MLS All-Star Game.

This was a turning point for the package. Prior to the ASG, MLS Season Pass had abstained from utilizing a sideline reporter on its telecasts for the entirety of the season.

A few weeks back, Sakovits traveled to Columbus to emcee the official announcement that Lower.com Field, the home grounds of Columbus Crew SC, would serve as the host venue for next year’s All-Star Game. Any network and/or service needs a versatile broadcaster to make its coverage come to life. Sakovits is that for MLS Season Pass.

Humble Beginnings for Sakovits

Jillian Sakovits’ on-air career began at News 12, a local station in Long Island, in the sports department. MLS wasn’t on their radar, as she explained in an interview with the MLS UK Show back in April.

“We didn’t even cover the Red Bulls,” Sakovits recalled. “We didn’t even cover New York City (Football Club) coming into the league. We covered the Knicks, the Rangers, the Mets, the Yankees, all of that, the New York Giants, the Jets. Access is normal. You can have Aaron Rodgers, who’s making $200 million a year. MLS players, some of them are $200,000 a year.”

Sakovits mentioned that she didn’t get that kind of access in MLS when she first began.

“What is normal in the soccer world is normal for us, but what’s normal in the United States is so different,” she said. “So, I’d say to myself ‘Why is it easier to talk to Carmelo Anthony than it is, this is an exaggeration, but (Tommy McNamara) on New York City FC? Why is it easier for me to contact the Knicks and get their superstar than it is through New York City FC?'”

Sakovits Pleased With Relationships MLS Has Forged

In that same interview, she mentioned that MLS Season Pass was a long time coming and that the service is beneficial for all parties involved.

“We’re all figuring it out together,” she said. “Something I’ve really loved is how committed everybody is. We get the good people from IMG. Their work is very well-known in England and we know the name here, and we just know they put on the really big events. That’s been great to have their expertise, and then to have Apple and what they bring. and then MLS. We know soccer, right? We know the league, but it’s been really nice to see it so unfragmented. It was so fragmented for so long with the regional sports networks and multiple national broadcast partners and 63 different start times last year.”

The high number of day and time combinations for MLS matches made it daunting to follow along last season. Having a consistent day/time combination of Saturday at 7:30 pm makes MLS more accessible. Having the Apple deal is a match made in heaven for the league.

The Sky is the Limit For Her

If there’s one star to keep your eye on in sports media over the next several years, it would have to be Jillian Sakovits. Think about this one for a minute: She’s covered some of the world’s top athletes ranging from a Power 5 conference to the international ranks.

When Apple and MLS hired this talented reporter, they knew what they were doing and what they were getting. Even though the earliest days of MLS Season Pass were rocky behind the scenes, nobody watching the games and studio shows on a given Saturday night would have ever known it.

Sakovits tuned out the backstage turmoil and has been a guiding light for MLS Countdown. She took a position for an unproven streaming product that had a number of questions about it leading up to opening night and has thrived.

Final Thoughts

What else can be said about Jillian Sakovits that hasn’t already been said? This person is a bona fide superstar.

It is in this writer’s opinion that she is as every bit as good as Katie Witham, if not moreso. In watching Sakovits work on the air over the past several years, be it on the former ESPN package or on MLS Season Pass, she possesses a number of Witham’s traits.

If you tune into MLS Season Pass throughout the rest of the Leagues Cup and the balance of the regular season, Sakovits will be there. You’ll see a true talent at work.