Apple is diversifying its business strategies more than ever. With Apple TV+, it is producing very good quality movies and series, and on occasions it has flirted with broadcasting sporting events, such as when it tried to broadcast NFL games in the US. However, Apple does not seem to give up and If this works out for him, he’s going to score a good three-pointer.
Apple goes all out to compete with Amazon and NBCUniversal
If the move goes well for Apple, as Andrés Montes said, “the show is on.” And it is that according to MacRumors, “Apple has expressed interest in purchase an NBA streaming package”. In fact, the other two companies competing for these sports broadcasts are Amazon and NBC Sports, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal.
NBC was the company that had the broadcasting rights to the NBA, until Turner Sports and Disney took over. April 2024 is a key date, they explain in MacRumors, since it is when an exclusive negotiation window for the transmission right expires. It could be the case that both companies renew again, but for now, the term is open and Apple can make an offer.
According to a report from CNBC, the NBA could create two packages for those who want to request the broadcasts. As for the content as such, it would be divided between traditional linear television and streaming platforms. If Apple got the rights to this sport, we should add baseball and American football.
Although these last two sports have a lot of following in the US, the NBA is a sport that is followed at a much more international level. It would be a new provider of live sporting events, and with great potential to extend its services beyond the United States. Although broadcast rights are usually tied to a restriction at the territorial level, the question that now arises is: If Apple takes over the NBA, will it only do so at the North American level and will it settle? Or better will try to get the emission rights in other countries?
Movistar has the rights to the NBA until 2023
In Spain, Movistar is the one who currently owns the emission rights of the NBA. In 2020 they renewed contracts, and until 2023, Movistar has the retransmissions assured. Although, in 2020, DAZN was one of the bidders to broadcast the NBA in Spain, at that time Apple TV + was in its early days.
From 2023 to 2024 there is a year of margin, so from La Manzana Mordida, we wonder if it could be the case that a supplier like Apple TV + could snatch the rights to Movistar and expand its market for live broadcasts of sporting events.
Movistar was “the king” of live sports, until DAZN, progressively, has been eating up ground in some disciplines. At the moment, Disney and Turner are the current owners of the licenses in the US, and Apple is clear that it wants to put all the meat on the grill in the country where it was born.