You just explained why I have given the league and its partner (Direct TV) over 13 thousand dollars in the last 27 years.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
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
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
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.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
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.
Last edited:
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
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
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?
Get off the NFL crack pipe. It's a garbage product.
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
Maybe it wasn’t the NFL but CBS and Fox? Especially if Apple demanded rights to in-market games?
this is correct and apple does not like being painted into a corner by someone that they are negotiating with for big buck ... this makes the NFL product a lesser value in their eyes and they moved on... what does this do to other bidders???
One would think Apple would have learned a little more about how show biz works by now…
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
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.
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.
@JoeShades - precisely.
Iger Expectations & The ESPN X Factor
News and notes from across Hollywood and Wall Street, about whether Apple will buy Disney, why MLB needs Netflix, and more.
puck.news
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.
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 $$$ for games as well.
Has nothing to do with resistance to change. Has everything to do with $$$$.
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 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.
Maybe apple should switch to college. I bet ACC would like a new contract.
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?
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.
