So glad the DTV contract is finally ending. Don't care on what service, but I just want to stream it. DTV won't let you do that if you have the ability to have a dish...or are a college student. Will be fun to see who gets slices of this pie.
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Apple in Talks With NFL for Sunday Ticket Streaming
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Apple is interested in streaming rights for the National Football League's "Sunday Ticket" package, reports The Information. Apple has had discussions with NFL executives, but the NFL is also speaking with TV networks and other tech firms as well.
Sunday Ticket streaming content currently airs on DirecTV, but it is up for auction and should Apple acquire the rights, out-of-market fans will be able to watch non-prime time games from all 32 NFL teams on Apple TV+.
DirecTV pays somewhere around $1.5 billion to broadcast the Sunday Ticket games, but its deal with the NFL expires in 2022, paving the way for other networks to bid on the package. The NFL is looking to get more money when establishing a new deal.
ESPN parent company Disney is said to be interested in acquiring the rights for the ESPN streaming service, and according to The Information, Apple is not seen as a serious contender for the rights because it has been reluctant to invest money in entertainment programming.
That said, Apple has an ongoing relationship with the National Football League, and in 2020, hired James DeLorenzo to run a sports division for Apple TV+. DeLorenzo previously negotiated Amazon's deal with the NFL to stream live games.
Apple previously held talks with the Pac-12 conference about live streaming college sports, but nothing ever came of those talks and there continues to be little sports-related content on Apple TV+.
Acquiring the rights to the NFL's Sunday Ticket package would draw a wider audience to Apple TV+, appealing to those who live away from their favorite football teams.
Article Link: Apple in Talks With NFL for Sunday Ticket Streaming
If Apple has a relationship with the NFL, how about getting the rights to Scott Hanson's Red Zone Channel. I can get it through Youtube TV, but if they can't get Sunday Ticket, getting Red Zone would be the next best thing.
You can only get the streaming version if you:
A) already have Sunday Ticket with a DirecTV subscription
B) live in a location that is unable to install a satellite and can prove it
C) are a college student
The most Apple has spent is $3B. That was on Beats, and that was for ownership. I don't see Apple potentially spending close to that for what's essentially a lease of Sunday Ticket.
They’d happily do it if it created a halo effect for their streaming service.
I don't think they would. If nothing else Apple is prudent with its money. They don't keep money losers around too long. And as the previous poster mentioned, their big splash M&A is thin compared to peers.
Read the caption below. That's not the right to air all games (like Sunday Ticket minus local broadcast games), that's for select games. Not even Apple is going to pay that kind of money without a return/significant increase in subscription cost to watch it.
My guess is Apple is hoping to offer PPV for selected games? If the NFL is seeing decreasing DirecTV numbers, they may want to go this route. Maybe hoping to air 4 pre selected Friday night games? Otherwise this Apple "story" is more likely the NFL using planted media stories to strong arm DirecTV or Disney, or wherever it lands, to pay more. (NFL and Player agents use these planted stories all the time in contract negotiations).
(2021) "Fox, CBS and NBC are (each) paying around $2 billion annually, basically doubling the amounts they are paying in their current deals. ESPN, which currently pays around $2 billion for its Monday Night package, will pay around $2.7 annually in the new pact. Amazon will pay around $1 billion for its right to stream Thursday night games."
"The NFL televised one game exclusively on Amazon last season, which drew around 4 million viewers, much less than the average game on linear TV."
lol EXACTLY!! and why would anybody give the richest company in the WORLD( 2.1 TRILLION DOLLAR COMPANY) a bargain?? lol I love Apple tech and software, but they only grab bargains lol that's why they turned down Paramount+ when it was 15 billion, Time Warner when it was 50 billion and Disney when it was 100 billion.
I've gotten Sunday Ticket through the standalone AppleTV app the last couple years... after cancelling my DirecTV. They may say you can't get it without DirecTV, but they'll definitely still take your money for it.
There's already a Sunday Ticket app for AppleTV that works fine. Apple wouldn't need to change anything. It would basically just mean that the Sunday Ticket app would be the only way to watch it.
You may be a bit out of touch with reality. The NFL took the top 5, 7 of the 10, and 28 of the top 100 most watch shows in 2020. That's an annual occurrence and the numbers have been basically the same for years. Probably gonna continue for years to come.
There isn’t any path to profit for apple with atv+ anyways. It’s all about that app and selling channels.
Spending billions on original programming is more or less the same thing. The nfl would definitely be more bang for the buck. In 2019 apple had already spent 6 billion on its initial lineup.
I just wanna pay for a single streaming subscription to RedZone so I don’t have to deal with crappy servers from illegal streams. Just give me a RZ app for like $20 a month and I’ll be more than happy to pay it.
I get this most years, and while the service works great the NFL's contracts with local broadcasters and stadiums mean that any game being broadcast locally can't be watched on Sunday Ticket. I would say there is at least 3 games a month blacked out that I wanted to watch.
I see the appeal of RedZone, but the endless gameplay makes me tired.
And I gotta ask. WHEN DO THEY PEE!? They don't stop all day.
You just gotta squeeze it in! But also, RedZone is the only way I can even watch football anymore, just way too many ads and breaks nowadays and I need that constant action. It’s great to watch RZ and follow my fantasy teams too side by side as each big play is happening.
you know what makes me tired? The same commercials over and over again. They show a punt and quick go to another commercial that we have seen 100 times already. Red Zone really did change how I consume football and it’s probably Sports’ best innovation in the last 20 years.
I can see why people like it, especially if you are into fantasy (or Vegas). My favorite teams are out of market and I like to watch the complete games so ST is really my only option. I also knew a few players who got drafted and I like to see them play when I can, but as hard workers as they are, they don’t always get to run red zone plays. At least not yet.
There are workarounds to get it, but the official stance is that you can only get it standalone if you live somewhere that can’t get satellite.
No original programming they get would drive viewership like the NFL. I think the question for Apple is how many of those NFL subscribers would branch out into other content and prop up their services. I don’t think AppleTV+ currently offers a ton else that would appeal to hardcore sports fans. ESPN makes a lot more sense.
Apple just…has no idea what to do with their streaming platform.
They’re not offering it for FREE if subscribers are PAYING for their streaming service. Also unlikely Apple would ever charge an a la carte price. The business model is to get and maintain subscribers so they get income even when no one’s watching. It‘s seems near certain, though, that whomever ends up with the streaming rights will want (or need) to place the service into some sort of enhanced tier in order to recoup the massive, massive, massive amount the NFL is going to charge for the privilege.
