Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Reportedly Quits NFL Sunday Ticket Streaming Negotiations

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
67,830
38,469


Apple has quit negotiations for the NFL Sunday Ticket package after having once been regarded as the frontrunner for the streaming rights, claims a new report.

nfl.jpg

According to Dylan Byers at Puck News, Apple has backed out of negotiations because it no longer sees the deal as worthwhile given the limitations that would be placed on it.

Rumors have suggested for months that Apple would be the "likely winner" of the NFL Sunday Ticket package, but signs of negotiation issues emerged earlier this year when CNBC reported that Apple wanted more contractual flexibility than the NFL was interested in providing.

Apple was said to have had no interest in simply acting as a conduit for broadcasting games, and instead was seeking more comprehensive partnerships with sports leagues.

In June, for example, Apple announced that its TV app will exclusively stream every live MLS match beginning in 2023, without any local blackouts or restrictions. MLS highlights, analysis, and other content will also be available across the TV app and Apple News.

In contrast, restrictions on the NFL Sunday Ticket package deal would have included local blackouts and no global rights. Pricing is also said to have been a sticking point, with Apple wanting to fold Sunday Ticket access into the $6.99 cost of an Apple TV+ subscription.

However, NFL reportedly considered that price point too low, given it needs to "protect the interests" of CBS and Fox, its Sunday afternoon broadcast partners.

Apple has been ramping up its sports offerings in recent months in an effort to draw more subscribers to ‌Apple TV+‌. The company partnered with the MLB for "Friday Night Baseball," and it has inked a 10-year deal with Major League Soccer that is set to kick off next year. As things stand, it appears NFL Sunday Ticket streaming won't be added to the list.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Quits NFL Sunday Ticket Streaming Negotiations
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/12/19/apple-quits-nfl-sunday-ticket-negotiations/
I wonder if Apple will try and land some of the streaming rights for MLB that could become available soon. Should be a lot cheaper to acquire. Not that Apple has financial issues, but easier to rationalize that kind of purchase.

Friday Night Baseball was a good start.
 
  • Like
Reactions: uecker87, joshuabeg, NMBob and 2 others
This was being reported by other outlets over the weekend. I can't say that I'm surprised - the NFL is less concerned about protecting the interests of the networks, but rather extracting the maximum value of a contract.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: michaelnugent, Huck, dustin_ and 13 others
ProfessionalFan said:
I wonder if Apple will try and land some of the streaming rights for MLB that could become available soon. Should be a lot cheaper to acquire. Not that Apple has financial issues, but easier to rationalize that kind of purchase.
Click to expand...
The apple tv mlb games this year looked great. They used awesome cameras for the interviews at the end.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DEXTERITY, JapanApple, Gator5000e and 1 other person
andrew8404 said:
I'm not buying Apple wanted to include it in the 6.99 price. Thats just stupid. The MLS deal isn't included in the 6.99 price so why would they want the NFL to be included in that. Terrible rumors with no substance.
Click to expand...
It makes zero sense, I agree. Also I don't see why the NFL would realistically care if Apple did want to do that. NFL gets their billions regardless, it'd be Apple taking a massive loss with this strategy. I don't believe the reason being mentioned, about it somehow harming their partners. Whole thing doesn't add up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LlamaLarry, Huck, gweedo and 4 others
Apple obviously wanted to get this, so if they quit, its almost certainly because the NFL was asking way too much and putting way too many restrictions on things. Good on Apple for saying nope, can't do that.

The NFL organization is something that exists principally to make the teams ~36(?) super rich owners as much money as possible, so probably not a bad thing they didn't get whatever outrageous amounts they were asking for.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FriendlyMackle, salz4life, StrongArmmed and 4 others
maflynn said:
This was being reported by other outlets over the weekend. I can't say that I'm surprised - the NFL is less concerned about protecting the interests of the networks, but rather extracting the maximum value of a contract.
Click to expand...
I think it is just being repeated not independently reported, they are all going off this one report
 
  • Like
Reactions: SnappleRumors
DelayedGratificationGene said:
Yes especially when it comes to acknowledging brain injuries.
Click to expand...
Football is a dangerous sport but they absolutely have taken a lot of steps in that department. Ask any Dolphins fan. They have been extremely cautious this season with players who got hard hits and potential concussions. Yes, it still can get better, but it is a fallacy to act like they haven't done anything.
 
  • Like
  • Disagree
Reactions: decypher44, gweedo, lyngo and 4 others
Same story ends this way almost every time. Apple is interested… Apple is front runner for… Apple is demanding too much… then some other player announces they actually made the deal. Our fans here rail against both the almost (media) partner (in spite of showing huge enthusiasm when it seemed Apple was going to get them) and whoever actually strikes the deal… then rumors move on to the next media opportunity and it all repeats.

See Warner library, Fox, AAA game studios, MGM, NFL Thursday Night Football, the infamous all-inclusive TV subscription service, etc. I suspect either Apple’s name is used to get others to bid more or Apple values other content about like we seem to value it… where a $1 price hike for huge amounts of content access will get 400 posts of complete outrage.

If Apple actually wants these deals, they need to help the partner see what’s in it for them… and by that I mean how the partner will make more money partnering with Apple vs. mostly just further enriching Apple. If anyone digs into the story via non-Apple-biased press, the general theme seems to be (to paraphrase something I once read shared by the head of a major network): “Apple wants everything” (leaving only scraps for the “partner” who actually owns the content). Role reversal: how quick is Apple to give away the farm for only scraps?

Someone else will get the paying subscriber pop that will come from NFL ST. And, back in Appleland, we’ll still be spinning how the handful of things to watch on AppleTV+ are worth far more than the mass volume of content + NFL ST on the other player’s service…. until the next big content deal comes up and “Apple is interested in…” flies yet again.

Too bad about this one too. It prob would have sold a LOT of AppleTVs and a LOT of AppleTV+ service to brand new households. There are plenty of rusting dishes hanging off houses all across North America that were primarily put there to get NFL ST. One reason DirectTV and then AT&T paid so much for it for all those years was that it was effective at motiving new purchases and retaining existing sports fans year after year. The winner of this contest will likely appreciate the lift in paying subscribers NFL ST gets them.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Wow
  • Disagree
Reactions: gusmula, Unami, Sl4ck3r and 18 others
Sasparilla said:
Apple obviously wanted to get this, so if they quit, its almost certainly because the NFL was asking way too much and putting way too many restrictions on things. Good on Apple for saying nope, can't do that.

The NFL organization is something that exists principally to make the teams ~36(?) super rich owners as much money as possible, so probably not a bad thing they didn't get whatever outrageous amounts they were asking for.
Click to expand...
Realistically both apple and nfl are jugganauts in their respective fields and both have a history of being control freaks simply because they can bully smaller guys into it. MLB used to be the juggernaut of the sport field but the nfl has claimed that title which is why mlb is much more willing to give apple a try.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bcollett, CarAnalogy, TroyJam and 3 others
ProfessionalFan said:
It makes zero sense, I agree. Also I don't see why the NFL would realistically care if Apple did want to do that. NFL gets their billions regardless, it'd be Apple taking a massive loss with this strategy. I don't believe the reason being mentioned, about it somehow harming their partners. Whole thing doesn't add up.
Click to expand...
The NFL and Teams get far more from each of the broadcast partners. The local stations too, not to mention the cable rights etc. They see streaming as an additional source of revenue and don’t want to alienate their bread and butter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobcomer, JapanApple and zarmanto
NFL just won’t learn - it’s loosing fan base in drives, it’s dead-last in streaming service ofering, SundayTicket is pure garbage with each week more games you CAN’T watch than you CAN, way over priced and the quality is like AVI’s from 2000, so far from HD, on it’s highest quality setting the football actually turns translucent when thrown the bit rate is so low.

GOOD - Apple caught on what a dumptster fire the NFL is, it made offers to bring it into modern technology and make net-net MORE money for both Apple & NFL… and NFL couldn’t see it…

The NFL is the Metalica of music streaming in the napster days.
 
  • Like
  • Love
  • Haha
Reactions: slamtennis, FriendlyMackle, Rookbird¥ and 10 others
Don't forget that broadcast TV rights pay for 100% of the teams expenses (player/staff salaries and all venue expenses). The ticket, beer and hot dog revenue is gravy to the team(s) ownership, costs them nothing it's all profit! No way that will be jeopardised just to bring another transmission medium into the mix, where 90+% of the viewership is already satisfied with how they watch the games today. Not to mention the local bar's that love the local out of town group viewing experiences where they already have all the games anyways.

In short, nothing will change around local blackout restrictions, that a major revenue stream in itself!
 
  • Like
Reactions: IG88 and Alfredo_Delgado
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back