Apple fails in bid for Big Ten Conference streaming package

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in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV
Sports streaming rights for the Big Ten conference will be shared between CBS, NBC, Fox, and Peacock through the 2030 season, leaving Apple without any access.

Big Ten Conference rights deal missed by Apple
Big Ten Conference rights deal missed by Apple


The Big Ten Conference has reached distribution agreements with CBS, Fox, NBC, and Peacock. This places conference football, women's and men's basketball, and Olympic sports across over-the-air linear television and streaming.

The deal breakdown is complex, with multiple networks working in tandem on broadcast days. According to a report from The New York Times, the landmark deal averages out to about $1 billion per year -- the richest-ever television agreement for a college athletic league.

Apple isn't the only company being left out of this complex deal. ESPN is losing its rights to stream the Big Ten Conference and will focus on the SEC and ACC.

"The Big Ten Conference media rights agreements are more than just dollars and deals. They are a mechanism to provide stability and maximum exposure for our student-athletes, member institutions and partners during these uncertain times in collegiate athletics," Big Ten Conference Commissioner Kevin Warren said. "We are very grateful to our world-class media partners for recognizing the strength of the Big Ten Conference brand and providing the incredible resources we need for our student-athletes to compete at the very highest levels, and to achieve their academic and athletics goals."

More details about the new schedule can be found on the Big Ten website.

Apple has its eyes set on other sports streaming rights, with the NFL Sunday Ticket's rights up for grabs. The company has already landed rights for the next decade of Major League Soccer streaming starting in 2023.

Friday Night Baseball is currently the only sport being streamed regularly by Apple. It can be viewed, for free, via the Apple TV app for a limited time, while other content like pre-game shows and historical games are available to Apple TV+ subscribers.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    Not much of a loss. The mega conference era of NCAA sports is going to be a disaster. 
    beowulfschmidtpulseimagesdanoxiOS_Guy80dewmeFileMakerFeller
  • Reply 2 of 7
    jimh2jimh2 Posts: 614member
    It’s sports, which is a colossal waste of time and money and a great gift to the for-profit NFL who gets to cherry pick the best players and discard the rest like garbage. 

    danoxiOS_Guy80dewmeFileMakerFeller
  • Reply 3 of 7
    danoxdanox Posts: 2,844member
    Good Apple was saved temporarily from itself, pay the workers more, make servers, make that XDR sized iMac……In short useful stuff. And where’s the Mac Pro?
    edited August 2022 lkruppiOS_Guy80
  • Reply 4 of 7
    if Apple or Amazon still have any interest in getting into college basketball with PAC 12 or Big 12
  • Reply 5 of 7
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    jimh2 said:
    It’s sports, which is a colossal waste of time and money and a great gift to the for-profit NFL who gets to cherry pick the best players and discard the rest like garbage. 

    The amount of bullshit you managed to cram into this single sentence is admirable. I also enjoy going into internet forums to comment on subjects that I find to be a waste of time. 
    edited August 2022 M68000entropysmuthuk_vanalingamFileMakerFellerCloudTalkin
  • Reply 6 of 7
    It’s a hobby, right? Apple is not a player in TV and/or video. 
  • Reply 7 of 7
    What a waste of money to spend on college sports. Apple will do well spending that money on something more useful.
    dewme
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