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Apple TV+ Reportedly Abandoning MLB Coverage
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You forget that Apple as a company is really cheap/stingy when dealing with others. This is impacts everything from content suppliers to AI talent acquisition.
I've been wondering the same thing. Always had fun playing wiffleball or softball with friends. And any time we went to a baseball game, we never actually sat in our seats and watched the game, it was more about socializing on the various decks and having a good time.
My father in law will watch baseball on tv, he is 70. I can't fathom anyone under 40 watching baseball on tv. It's brutally slow and so boring. If you look at Forbes list of highest paid athletes, while baseball players can make a lot on the field. Their endorsement money off the field is practically non existent (with the exception of Otani). I think that speaks to the lack of popularity of baseball players.
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Huh. I feel exactly the opposite about it and wish it appeared on the phone app as well. Here's hoping they add it to an update.
I still like Severance, Silo, and For All Mankind, and I still get it free through T-Mobile. Seems like a great reason to subscribe. I also want to see Slow Horses one day, whenever I get around to it.
I was always skeptical they were going to get a large MLB audience on Apple TV+. It’s just not a service that sports fans think of first when looking for content.
Make that “No one is subscribing to AppleTV+”, period.
The commentators mostly sucked, but the production was superb.
You can say that about anything if you’re not interested in it.
The Peacock deal was not lucrative for NBC because it was non-exclusive. Those games aired on MLB.TV.
And ESPN is rumored to be the leading bidder to purchase MLB.TV, much to the chagrin of most of us.
MLB has very little interest outside of the USA and Canada. Not only that but it’s on at a time when the majority of the rest of the world is sleeping.
In saying this, since Apple took over the MLS rights, the games seem to be on later, often the earliest is 00:30 U.K. time. Now currently the MLS has a late part of its schedule during the European off season, so there was potential for them to pick up viewers back when you could get evening MLS games in the U.K. & Europe. You can’t now, and it has totally killed whatever international audience they may have got.
With the Premier League, the trouble is that English football is too involved with Sky TV here and Apple want worldwide rights, so U.K. as well as USA.
There is no way the Premier League will drop Sky, they already only give the other broadcasters here the minimum that they have to provide.
Sky pretty much made the Premier League.
It’s even deep rooted with the EFL (lower tiers of English football). Just over a year ago the EFL were looking into selling the broadcasts to every single match, which would have changed a self imposed rule or not allowing any football between 2:45pm-5pm on Saturdays (when the majority of fixtures are played) from being broadcast on TV. Apple and DAZN were very interested in the bidding process. The EFL chairmen though ended up taking a lesser deal from Sky because of his previous links with Sky, which also kept the Saturday 3pm blackout rule.
The chairmen of one of the EFL clubs came out on one of national radio stations and said that he was not happy that they didn’t take the Apple deal and that Apple were offering more money.
Most football fans here would love for all the games to be broadcast on a streaming provider for a reasonable charge, especially considering that Premier League tickets in particular are getting harder and harder to get a hold of.
There has been various studies behind the increase of piracy in the U.K., and the main driving factor is the inability to watch any match that you want too here in the U.K., when other countries have that access. I worked with a woman who was doing a criminology masters degree, and she was looking into for a study, and she came across a rare statistical phenomenon where 100% of the people asked said the same thing, and that was that they have one in order to watch football.
They have to scoop up all the live sports they can because the rest of what they offer is repulsive (studio shows, even the latest 30 for 30 offerings have been meh).
I think Apple should've gone for the EFL (League Two up to the Championship). With the popularity of Wrexham AFC, I think that could've done well.
Thought Apple would use the games to really highlight the Vision Pro and give unique access/views.
Tim going to try NHL next!?
Tim going to try NHL next!?
They did, like I said the EFL are too much in bed with Sky her in the U.K., and Apple won’t buy it without worldwide exclusive rights. So basically they turned down more money with Apple, to sell to Sky.
Google Rick Parry, and you’ll realise why that was.
The Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthoy talked about it on Talksport saying that he and other club owners were not happy about it and that they wanted the Apple deal.
Nah, not really a fan of tennis or soccer, but I totally understand the appeal of it. Baseball is a head scratcher though.