Apple in negotiations to expand Apple TV+ with live sports, more movies
According to a report on Thursday, Apple is considering making deals with Pac-12 and MGM to acquire content to bolster Apple TV+.
While there are presently no large studio catalogs or live sports on Apple TV+, if Thursday's report is accurate, Apple may be looking at acquiring some. According to the Wall Street Journal executives at Apple had meetings with MGM and Pac-12 officials.
It isn't yet clear how far along the meetings were, beyond "preliminary." The meetings were reportedly attended by Apple's head of mergers and acquisitions Adrian Perica, according to the Wall Street Journal report on Thursday. The meetings were said to have been held in February 2019, when MGM was looking for a distribution parter for its cable channel Epix.
MGM's Epix was founded in April 2008, in a joint effort between Paramount Pictures, MGM, Lionsgate, and Showtime. The network launched in October 2009, with a heavy promotional push by Verizon. It has since expanded to most of the cable networks
In 2016 and 2017, business complications and mergers threatened Epix. MGM bought out Paramount/Viacom's and Lionsgate's shares for just over $1 billion, giving it sole control of the network.
After months of promotion, Apple's first foray into video streaming, Apple TV+, launched on November 1. Apple TV+ is available in more than 100 countries and regions, with originals subtitled or dubbed in nearly 40 languages, including Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (SDH) or closed captions, Apple says. Audio descriptions for select series and movies will be available in eight languages.
Customers who have purchased an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or iPod touch after Sept. 10, 2019, are eligible for a year of free Apple TV+. Signing up is as simple as opening the TV app on the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, macOS or tvOS, and agreeing to Apple's terms and conditions. The app might request a valid Apple ID for redemption and initiation.
While there are presently no large studio catalogs or live sports on Apple TV+, if Thursday's report is accurate, Apple may be looking at acquiring some. According to the Wall Street Journal executives at Apple had meetings with MGM and Pac-12 officials.
It isn't yet clear how far along the meetings were, beyond "preliminary." The meetings were reportedly attended by Apple's head of mergers and acquisitions Adrian Perica, according to the Wall Street Journal report on Thursday. The meetings were said to have been held in February 2019, when MGM was looking for a distribution parter for its cable channel Epix.
MGM's Epix was founded in April 2008, in a joint effort between Paramount Pictures, MGM, Lionsgate, and Showtime. The network launched in October 2009, with a heavy promotional push by Verizon. It has since expanded to most of the cable networks
In 2016 and 2017, business complications and mergers threatened Epix. MGM bought out Paramount/Viacom's and Lionsgate's shares for just over $1 billion, giving it sole control of the network.
After months of promotion, Apple's first foray into video streaming, Apple TV+, launched on November 1. Apple TV+ is available in more than 100 countries and regions, with originals subtitled or dubbed in nearly 40 languages, including Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (SDH) or closed captions, Apple says. Audio descriptions for select series and movies will be available in eight languages.
Customers who have purchased an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or iPod touch after Sept. 10, 2019, are eligible for a year of free Apple TV+. Signing up is as simple as opening the TV app on the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, macOS or tvOS, and agreeing to Apple's terms and conditions. The app might request a valid Apple ID for redemption and initiation.
Comments
I mean I’ve got it free with a new iPhone so it’s not costing me anything. It’s not expensive really once you have to pay but they really will need to get more content fast for it to be worth even the price they want at the moment.
Edit: Apple's website confirms "New Apple Originals Every Month": https://www.apple.com/apple-tv-plus/
Sorry. Bad investments.
I think Apple should stay away from live sports.
And the "hamsters running through a maze" comment is little more than dismissive babble. The comment isn't witty, creative or the slightest bit original. To call something you don't understand or don't like as you did instead of just saying you don't care for it makes a person look pretty stupid in view of the easy obtainable and verifiable facts. I'm sure you are deeply in like with plenty that a lot of people would view even more unkindly than you do football and probably wouldn't look nicely upon what you would see as their ignorance if they expressed it with dismissive language.
In 2018 the average number of viewers for a single NFL game was 15.8 million. 16 games per week. That is 252.8 million viewers in a week. That is 4.3 Billion viewers over a 17 week season not including three rounds of national and international broadcasted playoffs and Super Bowl. The NFL dominates television among ALL sources of content. 46 of the top 50 telecasts during the regular season were NFL games. There is no more successful product other than perhaps Soccer - another live sport.
BTW, contrary to what you may think, I'm not much of a football fan, but I am a business man and Apple thinking about this (live sports) move is about business and their customers.
Most people on tech blogs (myself included sometimes) are out of touch with the general populace when it comes to tech. They are the least flexible or tolerant when it comes what does fit into their normally narrow view.
So Apple getting into sports broadcasting too is pretty much a no-brainer IMHO. Those that don't follow sports don't have to watch it, but having it certainly won't be a detriment to Apple TV+ subscription numbers so of course they're considering it.
BTW I think I remember reading just a few days ago that YouTube TV is now the biggest streaming TV provider, but I'd have to double-check that.
edit: Yes I did read it, but after reading it again not sure I trust the reporting.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/google-youtubetv-might-be-your-next-cable-provider-51563891177
You can get 6 months of Apple Music at no charge, 100% free, via the now Apple-owned Shazam app. There's even a workaround for existing Apple Music subscribers.
https://www.macworld.co.uk/news/apple/music-free-3778978/
US, UK and Canada only.