Why Apple Should Punt on NFL Sunday Ticket Rights

Unlike other NFL rights, this package, which includes coverage of all televised regular-season games on phones, tablets and computers, is underpriced at $500 million. VIP+ estimates the new package will double in value, to $1 billion, but this would still be a steal when compared withTrue, Apple TV+ subscribers wouldn't be able to watch games on TV like all the other programming on the app, but just having the NFL on phones and tablets makes it worth it.

This occurred in 2006 when ESPN paid double the prior rights when taking Monday Night Football to cable TV — all other packages then either saw no increase or a much more modest increase of 25% or 30% . Apple has more than enough cash on hand should CEO Tim Cook want to go all in on Sunday Ticket, but it doesn’t have a great path to profitability. Far better to leave that to a service like ESPN+, which is looking to become the sports version of Amazon Channels, with out-of-market packages for the MLS and NHL on the books as well as being the PPV distributor for UFC and Top Rank Boxing.

If Apple really wants an NFL package to gain mainstream attention for Apple TV+, then it makes sense to intercept any plays in progress on the digital rights. It will have stiff competition, with Amazon in particular a company that should be trying to snatch these up, but it would be a much better fit than Sunday Ticket.

A digital rights package would also fit with the original ethos of Apple TV+, which was to provide Apple users with value-added subscriptions like

“Tell me you don’t watch football without telling me you don’t watch football” This is a kickoff, not a punt.

Why not both? Apple is flush with cash and cornering the market on the digital rights to the NFL and Sunday Ticket would be a huge get IMO.

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