Apple deal for NFL Sunday Ticket may be already done, report claims
Mike PetersonNFL
Apple may have already reached a deal to stream the NFL on Apple TV+, but the partnership is being kept quiet, a new report claims.
The Cupertino tech giant is said to be a front-runner in the bidding war to nab the NFL Sunday Ticket package, which became up for grabs in 2021. DirecTV's contract ran out for the 2022 to 2023 season.
According to Puck News, the NFL Sunday Ticket is "Apple's to lose." The site notes that at least one source said that the deal is "actually done" and is just being kept secret on Apple's behalf.
A previous report indicated that Apple and Amazon were neck-to-neck in the battle for the rights. DirecTV, which was the previous company to hold them, reportedly paid the NFL an average of $1.5 billion per year for the deal.
The NFL itself is said to want Apple to host the Sunday Ticket.
NFL Sunday Ticket is a sports package that broadcasts weekly season games. DirecTV currently holds the rights to the package, which it sells as parts of bundles that range from $290 to $400 per season.
News of the potential NFL deal comes after the iPhone maker launched its first live sports endeavor, Friday Night Baseball. The Apple live sports initiative allows users to watch weekly games each Friday, and it currently doesn't require an Apple TV+ subscription to use.
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