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This is an interesting take. It reads like the NFL wants to protect the interests of CBS and Fox, who only air games in a market that is designated by the particular game in question. Then, that game is blocked out of that broadcast area on Sunday Ticket. So CBS and Fox would not be losing any money.

Example: I am from Massachusetts. I live in the Jacksonville, FL broadcast area. My team is the New England Patriots. Yesterday, that game was not available to me in my local market. So I would have been able to watch on Sunday Ticket. Fox (who oddly was airing a game of two AFC teams when they normally handle NFC) did not have an afternoon game on in my local market.

The Tampa Bay game on CBS was aired here. So I could watch that. If I had Sunday Ticket, I would not have been able to watch that game on Sunday Ticket instead of over-the-air.

So what I REALLY think they mean is one of two things.

The less likely? Not having Sunday Ticket, I can only watch the Jaguars game when it is airing. I can't make a choice to watch an "out of market" game (say I wanted to watch Colts/Vikings) instead of the Jags/Cowboys. Well, Sunday Ticket would allow me to do that now, so that doesn't pass the "protect the interest" of CBS/Fox. My options today (watch no game if I don't want to watch the Jags, watch the Jags, or subscribe to Sunday Ticket and watch an out-of-market game) would be identical next season if Apple picks up Sunday Ticket, no matter how they charge customers.

The more likely? The NFL wants to "protect the interests" of their contracts with CBS and Fox. They don't want Apple to "give Sunday Ticket away" on their $6.99/mo service, thus devaluing what CBS thinks is worth paying for the rights.

That is what I think is the real "protect the interests" - you know, like "protect the shield" means that the Ideal Gas Law, and laws of physics do more harm to the "integrity of the game" than rape, domestic violence and concussions.
You just explained why I have given the league and its partner (Direct TV) over 13 thousand dollars in the last 27 years.
 
I’m happy to just watch the highlights on youtube the following morning. Watching the highlights for a few good games is a far better experience than watching a whole 3 hour match with interruptions and advertising. I find it so dull to watch adverts, it nearly turned me off tv in general.
 
This is the saddest news of the weekend. I believe that the NFL has made a very big mistake. Apple was the perfect partner for them. The biggest problem that the NFL has had with Sunday Ticket is that they have a limited number of subscribers due to the very high price. I have been a subscriber for over 20 years. It’s very hard to send 500 dollars a season to them just so I can watch one team play out of my home city. Especially when you are a fan of one of the most popular teams and have many of your games on national free tv. Apple offered the perfect deal. The league would get its three billion dollars a year ( yes that’s three billion a year) and the fans would get it for free. All as long as you subscribe to Apple TV+. Who would not be happy to pay 7 dollars a month not 500 dollars a year. And you would get whatever Apple can come up with for shows in addition. There shows are starting to get more popular and are getting awards for their quality. It’s a win win for everyone. But the NFL says no. They are just like so many people are today. They just don’t know what is good for them.

Meanwhile in the alt universe, NFLrumors fans write...

This is the saddest news of the weekend. I believe that Apple has made a very big mistake. NFL was the perfect partner for them. The biggest problem that AppleTV+ has is a very limited number of subscribers due to offering so little popular content. I have been a NFL ST subscriber for over 20 years and would buy the subscription wherever it is offered. Rather than spending upwards of $500-$1000 to attend even one game each season, only $500 dollars for almost ALL of the games is the biggest bargain in sports. NFL offered Apple the perfect deal. The league asks only three billion dollars a year ( yes that’s three billion a year, equiv to the BEATS purchase), the fans would enjoy it on the best hardware platform available and AppleTV+ could attract millions of new subscribers to make it much more successful. Who would not be happier enjoying ST on high-quality Apple hardware vs. the crummy, buggy experience via AT&T/DirecTV apps. And all these new NFL customers would get a good taste of the Apple experience and likely result in flipping Android owners to iOS, Windows owners to macOS, etc (halo effect). It’s a win:win for all involved: Apple, Fans and NFL. But Apple demands too much, forcing the NFL to go with someone else willing to strike a better win:win deal. They are just like so many greedy corporations today. They just don’t know what is good for them.

;)
 
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Seeing that TV+ is likely the biggest loss leader in human history, seems like someone at corporate finally woke up and said enough is enough
 
Yes, once again, NOT adding some of the most popular programming in North America is the solution here. Let's just keep making our own... a little at a time... and in a few hundred years we'll have a vault of fantastic programming to fully compete in this streaming business contest. Perhaps Kirk, Spock & crew will enjoy our streaming service more than Disney, Amazon, Netflix, et all? ;)
 
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.
Yes they will take baby steps over many years so as to make sure it doesn’t effect the bottom line. Doesn’t really matter as less and less kids are playing tackle football. High school teams can barely get enough kids to play. Many programs are forced to close. So many other sports to play in the Fall. Volleyball, track, soccer etc. NFL yup Not For Long
 
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.
Maybe it wasn’t the NFL but CBS and Fox? Especially if Apple demanded rights to in-market games?
 
How many more years do i have to use **** stream sites. Get with it nfl. Just launch a solo streaming app, that’s available on every platform.
And charge $300 less than how much insane nfl ticket costs now.
Get as far away from directv as possible.
I wish all sports would just get their own streaming, so there could be more non-sports one for way cheaper. So ridiculous how much more having sports raises the price
 
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.
the networks i.e. CBS, FOX pay the NFL billions of dollars in order to broadcast games on Sunday. If Apple is able to show every game with no blackouts and offer it for free to Apple tv+ subscribers... Then what incentive would a fan of say the Jets living in NY have to watch the game on CBS? they will just watch the game on an Apple device because its more convenient.. CBS and FOX viewership numbers drop dramatically and then they can't charge advertisers as much..... Then they can't recoup the billions of dollars they are paying the NFL for the broadcast rights.

Hope that makes sense.
 
Sounds similar to the Hollywood talks that Eddy Cue used to have prior to giving up on the TV-package Apple was working on.

Whatever. I'm sure the cable companies love the bed they're in now. Those college kids sure do love their cable boxes don't they?

I get it--change is jarring. But lord---with the exception of Apple News (nothing saving THAT industry), Apple will make you a TON of money while also pulling you out of the damned Stone Age. CBS & FOX are so lazy they cannot even upgrade their cameras or infrastructure---LET THEM GET PISSED OFF.

OR maybe Apple could throw their R&D team a new project and try to perfect OTA radios for the Apple TV-- and just switch it to that for local games? THAT would really show some engenuity.
 
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.

I think it is just being repeated not independently reported, they are all going off this one report

@JoeShades - precisely.

 
the networks i.e. CBS, FOX pay the NFL billions of dollars in order to broadcast games on Sunday. If Apple is able to show every game with no blackouts and offer it for free to Apple tv+ subscribers... Then what incentive would a fan of say the Jets living in NY have to watch the game on CBS? they will just watch the game on an Apple device because its more convenient.. CBS and FOX viewership numbers drop dramatically and then they can't charge advertisers as much..... Then they can't recoup the billions of dollars they are paying the NFL for the broadcast rights.

Hope that makes sense.
If they're watching the game--what difference does it make what platform it's on? Can't Apple just give the stream #'s to Nielsen and be done with it?

Why would the advertisers care if the audience watched OTA, cable box, or streaming? HECK--you could probably make MORE money as (App Store) studies showed that they covet the Apple audience more as they SPEND MORE.
 
The NFL doesn’t like change.
It's about the local blackouts. That's how the NFL gets to double dip, by selling Season Ticket to the highest bidder alongside the TV networks bidding huge $$$ for games as well.

Has nothing to do with resistance to change. Has everything to do with $$$$.
 
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I don't care for Handegg, but does the NFL at least offer any way of buying access to watch ONE game instead of a monthly subscription or some season pass?
 
I’m happy to just watch the highlights on youtube the following morning. Watching the highlights for a few good games is a far better experience than watching a whole 3 hour match with interruptions and advertising. I find it so dull to watch adverts, it nearly turned me off tv in general.
I can stand ads that are for products that aren't super annoying or repetitive. Do you really have to play the same as 2-3x in a row??
 
as a huge football fan in a black out area I gave up a few years ago and just don't do those BS NFL+ whatever subscriptions. Hey you can watch your favorite team's game the next day! Or maybe you can listen live but not watch! And only replays from this season, blah blah. They kept changing it until I could not longer figure out stuff.

Maybe apple should switch to college. I bet ACC would like a new contract.
 
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.
Not sure I understand the point of your last statement. Every business exists principally to make the owners super rich. Some are better at it than others. You think Apple is in the phone business for altruistic purposes?

MLS will also, not as big of an impact but MLS is popular even if it is not talked about by talk radio dopes.
Do you mean the US major league soccer? Because I've never, ever, never, heard any one mention that league in public before.

I have been in many discussions over the years reminiscing the MISL. That is a league they need to bring back. I'd watch the hell out of that. 😁
 
Might as well focus on MLB and maybe MLS building off hype from the world cup and us hosting the next one? I feel a gradual shift of casual sports fans looking to soccer for entertainment, and with there being some pretty good hype on the contracts being signed over this MLB offseason.
 
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