Apple TV+ still the frontrunner for NFL Sunday Ticket; negotiations proceeding slowly

Apple TV+ is still the front-runner to land NFL Sunday Ticket, but negotiations are proceeding slowly enough that the announcement of the expected partnership is expected in months, not days, according to a new report.

Daniel Kaplan for The Athletic:

“I would have expected by now that this would have been done, you know, it would have been easier,” said an individual close to the NFL who requested anonymity because the talks between Apple and NFL are confidential.
The individual said part of the problem is the contract: Apple expected that categories not specifically excluded would belong to them, while the NFL way of doing business is only what is mentioned in the contract is given as rights.
“Because you have to think about, not the way things are today, not just the way things are tomorrow,” the individual said. “But the technology that has never even been invented, delivery systems that have never even been invented yet, ways people want to consume that have never been invented yet.”
“What the conversation is, is Apple’s like, ‘OK, we can’t sell internationally. OK, that was important to us. And we can’t sell it exclusively against Fox and CBS. Well, OK. Well, that changes its value.’”
The notion of selling against Fox and CBS means Apple may have inquired about rights to in-market games that the traditional broadcasters own exclusively. Apple’s deal with MLS is for all games.
In other words, Apple wants rights to the unknown.

MacDailyNews Take: When you watch sports on AR/VR goggles or AR glasses, it’s a whole different animal.
It’s too great of an idea not to get done:
Cook should consider bidding for and winning NFL Sunday Ticket away from DirecTV, buying rights to Premiere League and La Liga games, etc. and making them Apple TV exclusives. Go directly to the sports leagues with boatloads of cash. — MacDailyNews, May 6, 2014
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