Rumors have been circulating about Apple bidding on the massive NFL Sunday Ticket package for out-of-market games, with a report just a few weeks ago stating that Apple, Amazon, and Disney were all in the running.
According to Dylan Byers at Puck News, Apple is now regarded as the “most likely winner” as Disney has dropped out of the bidding that could approach $3 billion per year.
“As I learned at Sun Valley, and in subsequent conversations this week with sources close to the talks, the deal will likely come in significantly higher than $2 billion a year—some sources with insight into the talks believe it could come in close to $3 billion. This has effectively removed the cautious, ever-disciplined Disney from consideration, since its own bid came in under $2 billion. (Disney declined to comment.) Existing media partners, like Fox, Comcast and CBS, are also not in contention, I’m told. The race for the Ticket has therefore come down to Apple and Amazon, and while nothing has been signed or agreed to, I have been given ample reason to believe that Apple is the most likely winner of the sweepstakes—and not merely because I was told that Apple’s Tim Cook and Eddy Cue met with Goodell in Sun Valley.”
Byers says that Apple and Amazon are also considering bids for a domestic package of UEFA Champions League games that could cost up to $2.5 billion over six years.
Last week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed longtime speculation that the league’s Sunday Ticket rights will be going to a streaming service after nearly 30 years on DirecTV.
“I clearly believe we will be moving to a streaming service,” the commissioner told CNBC.
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The current DirecTV deal for Sunday Ticket, which gives subscribers access to every game played on Sundays no matter where they live, runs through the end of the 2022 season.