Apple has been striking a deal with NFL to secure the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket, but reports say that they decided not to continue with the negotiations. Apple was said to be leading in with the negotiations before they decided to back out.
What Happened?
According to Dylan Byers from Puck, Apple did not see the logic in acquiring the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket. It was also made clear that the tech giant dropped the deal not because they weren't able to afford the $3.5 billion asking price, as mentioned in The Verge.
It was because of certain factors that apple wanted in the contract but aren't. They were also concerned about certain limitations of the football deal like how it's incapable of streaming the games internationally. There's also the issue of geographic blackouts.
There are other bidders in the ring like Amazon and YouTube, which aren't new to the sports scene. Amazon Prime Video has Thursday Night Football and YouTube with various sports networks available.
NFL Sunday Ticket rights are on the market due to its current owner not renewing the deal. DirectTV had the rights to the Sunday Ticket for nearly three decades. The right will expire by the end of football season and will be owned by a different company by 2023.
Apple Isn't New in the Sporting Industry
Apple already has something sports-related under its belt. The tech company finalized a deal with MLS just this November, which is a 10-year deal. Apple will be paying $2.5 billion to show MLS matches.
Soccer fans can subscribe to the MLS Season Pass for $14.99 per month on the Apple TV app. They can also opt for the $99 subscription cost per season starting on February 2023. It will be available in 100 countries and regions.
The subscription will give viewers access to regular-season matches, entire playoffs, and the Leagues Cup. It can be viewed using the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com.
The deal also includes a small change in the athletes' jerseys. An apple TV patch will be seen on all 29 clubs in different colors, according to Apple. The clubs' jerseys will be shown weeks before the start of soccer season.
Eddy Cue, Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, it was the perfect time to introduce the MLS Season Pass, especially since MLS is the fastest-growing soccer league in the world. He also expressed that fans can enjoy the Season Pass anywhere with no blackouts.
Fans will have the option to choose between English or Spanish broadcast crews, and listen to a club's home radio broadcast via the Apple TV app. Matches, where Canadian teams will play, will also provide the option to listen to the broadcast in French.
The live broadcast will include pregame coverage which will start 30 minutes before the match. The start time for most matches will be at 7:30 PM local time mostly on Sundays and Wednesdays, but also Sundays.
