NFL looks for new Sunday Ticket deal, Apple may be in early talks
DirecTV's Sunday Ticket deal is due to expire after 2022, and the NFL is reportedly looking for a streaming partner -- potentially including Apple TV+.
![](https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/43068-83676-000-lead-NFL-xl.jpg)
Apple has long been rumored to want to add live sports to Apple TV+, but now an opportunity may be arising to get it the NFL's Sunday Ticket games. All that is certain is that the broadcast rights to those games expire at the end of the 2022 season, but some sources are claiming Apple is in early talks.
The Information, which reports the claim, also says that Apple is not really considered a serious contender, It cites Apple's reported reluctance to invest heavily in entertainment programming, such as sporting or series known as "shiny floor shows," such as as "Dancing with the Stars."
Nonetheless, The Information says that there are indications Apple is looking closer at live sports, and posits that NFL Sunday Ticket would be a boon for the service.
Reportedly, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is focused on getting a new television contract for the games. They've been a loss leader for DirecTV, and unspecified sources said that Goodell is keen to moving to streaming.
Neither Apple nor the NFL have commented.
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![](https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/43068-83676-000-lead-NFL-xl.jpg)
Apple has long been rumored to want to add live sports to Apple TV+, but now an opportunity may be arising to get it the NFL's Sunday Ticket games. All that is certain is that the broadcast rights to those games expire at the end of the 2022 season, but some sources are claiming Apple is in early talks.
The Information, which reports the claim, also says that Apple is not really considered a serious contender, It cites Apple's reported reluctance to invest heavily in entertainment programming, such as sporting or series known as "shiny floor shows," such as as "Dancing with the Stars."
Nonetheless, The Information says that there are indications Apple is looking closer at live sports, and posits that NFL Sunday Ticket would be a boon for the service.
Reportedly, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is focused on getting a new television contract for the games. They've been a loss leader for DirecTV, and unspecified sources said that Goodell is keen to moving to streaming.
Neither Apple nor the NFL have commented.
Keep up with everything Apple in the weekly AppleInsider Podcast -- and get a fast news update from AppleInsider Daily. Just say, "Hey, Siri," to your HomePod mini and ask for these podcasts, and our latest HomeKit Insider episode too.If you want an ad-free main AppleInsider Podcast experience, you can support the AppleInsider podcast by subscribing for $5 per month through Apple's Podcasts app, or via Patreon if you prefer any other podcast player.
Comments
Say what now?
https://www.cultofmac.com/738633/apple-tv-is-almost-certainly-a-money-loser-right-now/
I guess everything is relative, but if spending single digit billions on original content isn't "investing heavily" then what is?
I mean yeah, to get the NFL, Apple would probably need to spend approximately as much as they spend on everything else on ATV+, but I don't think it's totally crazy. Having the NFL is kind of like having several guaranteed hit TV shows every year. The NFL is also *the* thing that keeps some people from cutting the cord.
The younger generation is watching a lot of this on their phones or smart TVs, not through legacy television technologies like OTA terrestrial broadcast or satellite TV. Major sports leagues need to go where the audience is. And I write that as an old fogey. It's not a "cable versus satellite" discussion anymore.
My guess is that the NFL is shopping this around to many of the streaming content players: Amazon, Google, Apple, Roku, Netflix, etc.
We've seen other professional sports leagues dabble with online streaming broadcasts of individual games in some regions. I know the hometown baseball team has broadcasted some games on Facebook, YouTube, and Peacock. The under-30 demographic is not going to sign up for cable/satellite TV to watch one league anymore.
Sunday Ticket is a $300 season pass for end users. Apple certainly isn't going to subsidize that and make Sunday Ticket a part of ATV+.
Direct TV will not attempt to renew the contract. Direct TV is basically dead man walking. AT&T wants that service gone in the worst way. They tried to sell it but had no takers. Direct TV has been bleeding customers and money for a while. The Sunday Ticket was a loss leader on Direct TV that didn't help gain the subs they hoped. DTV is an anchor around AT&T's neck.
DirecTV like broadband Internet (DSL, cable TV, cellular data) is just another dumb pipe.
And satellite TV services are hampered with massive infrastructure costs. Want to jump from NTSC resolution to FHD? Launch a bunch of satellites and tell your subscribers that they need expensive new hardware (including new dishes). Same with the jump to 4K UHD. Will be the same with 8K transmissions.
But as I mentioned before, the younger audience is watching this on their phones.
The achilles heal of MLB, are the nonsensical blackouts. If I pay for a service for the season, I want to be able to see EVERY GAME. With less people subscribing to a Cable provider, watching local teams has become more difficult. In my case in NY both Yankee and Mets games are always blacked out, so I can’t watch them even though I am subscribed to the MLB package.
If NFL made their own service and made it, where they can watch any game they wanted, people would be all over it.
Even in the US, with DAZN I just sign into Express VPN Canadian server and catch all the Premier League or Champions League games I want. NFL games (all of them) are also on Canada’s DAZN stream.
Lamentably, even in 2021 some people here are still too narrow minded to realize that Apple's market extends beyond US borders.
Streaming the World Cup tournament or the Summer Olympics Games would be something more in line with Apple's efforts to offer to its international audience. I realize that some people here can't see the forest for the trees.
Which is why the NFL is looking for a new big sucker in town with deep pockets the content of the NFL is not worth any price it is a bottomless pit, just make the Apple hardware and software better the iPad and Mac selling more in last three years is due to better hardware/software not TV movie content, focus Apple on the things that really matter.
Apple’s gaming ecosystem building hardware/software and dev tools have been woeful (GPU and Memory size), and I don’t mean buying out existing gaming companies which Apple doesn’t need to do, I’m talking about the back of house foundational stuff building the hardware and software tools to allow for great games to be made. With the M series CPU’s the excuses are gone but does Apple have the will the next batch of CPU’s will tell all.
Having your own app doesn't change previously signed contractual obligations re: streaming.
Writing your own mobile app code doesn't suspend legal agreements.
To be honest, I am tired of subsidizing the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, etc. I do not watch Pro sports and a big chunk of your TV bill is subsidizing them - like it or not.
I watch a few College FB and BB games in a year but otherwise have little to no use for sports TV.
I would gladly do PPV for the games I want to watch but this is nothing many of us care about.
For the foreseeable future streaming is going to be supplemental income for the major sports worldwide. Being the most profitable sports league in the world the NFL knows what generates money. Broadcast rights. Everything on this page is guaranteed money. https://www.nfl.com/ways-to-watch/