A major domino may soon fall into the streaming service wars. According to Dylan Byers from imp news (Opens in a new tab)Apple is the frontrunner to acquire the NFL Sunday Ticket starting in 2023 in a massive deal worth more than $2 billion.
This report is based on a meeting reportedly held between Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple Services President Eddy Cue and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last weekend during the Sun Valley conference in Idaho.
If Apple wins the NFL broadcast rights tender, Apple will outperform Disney, Amazon and DirecTV (AT&T). Not only does this represent a huge win for Apple, but it could solidly lift the Apple TV Plus over its streaming competition.
Apple TV Plus is already on our list The best streaming servicesBut the ability to stream NFL games live will make it a contender for the number one spot overall. This is a win for consumers if Apple can properly implement the rollout.
Apple TV Plus: the world’s sports flagship?
Apple has been incredibly aggressive in following live sports content in recent months. Aside from a potential deal with the NFL that could include Sunday Ticket, NFL Channel, Redzone and a stake in NFL Media, they’ve also pursued another huge deal for the UEFA Champions League broadcast rights in the US. This deal is rumored to be worth between $2-2.5 billion and is likely to go to Apple or Amazon at this time.
But these are just potential deals. Apple has already made great inroads into live sports streaming, striking deals with it MLB And the MLS. Apple already broadcasts two Friday night MLB baseball games on Apple TV Plus each week. From next year, Apple will become the “exclusive” destination for watching MLS football matches, although MLS is still negotiating with other networks over potential media rights.
A deal with the NFL would make Apple TV Plusa a destination for three of the top five sports in the US — baseball on Friday nights, a selection of MLS games on Apple TV Plus, a separate MLS streaming service available only through the Apple TV app And now potentially NFL games.
I expect the NFL rollout will be similar to what Apple is planning with the MLS. It’s possible that some games will be available to Apple TV Plus subscribers (maybe even Redzone) and then Redzone and Sunday Ticket will be available separately – exclusively through the Apple TV app.
Apple TV Plus: What subscribers get right now
Apple TV Plus has steadily risen to the ranks of our top streaming services. While the programming has taken a hit or miss, at $4.99 a month, it’s hard to complain about not getting your money’s worth with Apple TV Plus. Besides programming it seems to be on the rise – I recently got an Apple TV Plus at the start of the year and between Pachinko, to cut And Slow Horses, they already have some Best TV Shows I’ve watched all year.
Earlier this year, Apple made history this year when CODA became the first film produced by the streaming service to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. This wasn’t the only movie to win an Academy Award on Apple TV Plus; Denzel Washington was nominated for Best Actor for his role as Macbeth in Joel Coen’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous play.
Again, all of this is available for just $4.99 per month, which is one of the best values in the streaming world. Time will tell if Apple can keep that price down if it seals more deals worth billions of dollars for live sports rights.