Apple wants NFL Media, the NFL Sunday Ticket package, and livestreaming of games on mobile devices in a multibillion dollar deal, according to a report from Michael McCarthy and A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports.
Michael McCarthy and A.J. Perez for Front Office Sports:
The NFL is currently fielding offers for three assets: an equity stake in NFL Media, the “NFL Sunday Ticket” package for out-of-market games, and livestreaming games on mobile devices.
Apple wants to bundle them all into one sweeping deal, said sources. That would instantly make the tech giant, which has long avoided sports, one of the NFL’s biggest business partners.
It would send a shot across the bow of rival Amazon, the frontrunner to buy up to 49% of NFL Media (which includes NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and NFL.com) — as well as create must-see content for Apple TV+, which doesn’t have much live programming.
“Apple is thinking very big. They want to roll them all up into one big NFL package,” said a source…
The NFL’s intrigued about getting into business with the world’s most valuable company, said sources.
MacDailyNews Take: The league’s not likely to make a decision until summer, so we’ll have to wait a few months to find out if Apple can land an NFL deal, but bringing exclusive live sports to Apple TV+ is a genius idea, even if we suggested as much, nearly eight years ago:
Cook should consider bidding for and winning NFL Sunday Ticket away from Direct TV, buying rights to Premiere League and La Liga games, etc. and making them Apple TV exclusives. Go directly to the sports leagues with boatloads of cash. — MacDailyNews, May 6, 2014
Once again, near-perfect prescience is our cross to bear. 😉
TGIF! Interns, TTK! Prost, everyone! 🍻
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Tim is thinking of Colin being the “public face,” if the deal materializes. BLM might be a partner (if China ok’s).
Like me shopping for Doritos.
Why are people who hit, kick and throw balls paid 100s of times what people who actually perform vital jobs are paid? Same with singers and actors?
Basic economics. Supply and demand.
As with, for example, precious metals, the rarer the talent, the more it’s worth.
Why are people who troll, insult and whine paid anything? What jackass thinks he knows what is vital? Same with his online alter egos.
When will the NFL stop its racists and sexist “goof ole boy” policies that prioritize physical performance over equality? How many asian Americans have ever started in the NFL? How many American Indians and Alaska Natives Females have ever been the head coach of an NFL franchise ? How many women have ever started has QB in one single NFL game? It seems the NFL has prioritized the “capitalistic” priority of winning at all cost over the “progressive” priority of equality of outcome. The NFL dose not represent the communities that support the league. Can you imagine the outcry if the health care industry or tech industry had ZERO diversity representation amongst the top positions? The racist and sexist policies of the NFL are seemingly more concerned with winning a non essential sports game than they are of practicing social justice. Imagine all the children of excluded cultures and all the girls that grow knowing there will never have a chance of making the starting lineup of the NFL just because they lack the physical “privilege” of speed and strength. What message dose it send to the future generations, that wining is more important than equality? Is this the message apple wants to promote ? Is the NFL really an organization that Apple needs to partner with?
If they buy this, will the Microsoft Surfaces and Bose headsets be replaces with iPads & Beats?
If Apple funded a major switch the NFL might consider it. Not likely though.
Every problem of Surfaces is just as bad or worse for iPads. iPads can’t run Windows software that real pros use, no PadOS app comes close. Nobody in their right mind would use iOS mobile devices for serious number crunching.
If all a sports team wanted was a dumb terminal for messaging, display, or limited data input to the main workstations and servers, then why pay the huge Apple premium?