What you need to know
- A new report says Apple has indeed submitted a bid for NFL's Sunday Ticket.
- It is vying for the rights with Disney and Amazon.
- All three are waiting to find out who has landed the package, which is worth more than $2 billion.
A new report says that Apple is one of three companies that have submitted a bid for NFL Sunday Ticket and are awaiting a response.
From CNBC on Friday:
Disney, Apple and Amazon have all submitted bids to become the new broadcast rights owner of the National Football League's out-of-market Sunday Ticket package. They're just waiting to find out who wins.
The report says that all three companies submitted bids "weeks ago" and are in discussions with the NFL as the league tries to make its decision.
The report says the NFL wants more than $2 billion for the package, more than the $1.5 billion DirecTV paid for its current deal. Apparently, there has been some delay in proceedings:
Many observers, including some of the bidders themselves, have expressed surprise a deal hasn't gotten done by now. The delay has to do with the mix of assets and associated partnership conversations wrapped up in the deal talks, two of the people said. If the discussions centered on Sunday Ticket only, an agreement probably would have already been reached, one of the people said.
As the report notes, there's no rush because DirecTV is already locked in for the upcoming 2022-23 season, but bidders are anxious to get the deal done so they can announce it.
According to the report, the condition that Sunday Ticket owners become subscribers to the holding platform is being dropped. Currently, you must buy a DirecTV customer to get Sunday Ticket, however, it seems that users won't have to Apple TV+, Disney+, or Amazon Prime subscribers in the future if they want the package. It could mean a deal very similar to the MLS Apple TV deal the company announced a few weeks ago.
Apple announced a $2.5 billion deal that will see it host all streaming for MLS for the next 10 years without blackouts or local restrictions. These games will however be shown on local stations, in what appears to be something of an altruistic deal.
That deal and Apple TV+ are available on all of Apple's best iPhones, iPads, Macs, and the Best TVs for Apple TV 2022.
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