The bidding for the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package continues after news came over the weekend that the presumed favorite, Apple, was bowing out. Joe Rose and crew discussed the recent developments Monday morning on WQAM in Miami.
Not only is Apple out, but so is ESPN+. That leaves Google and Amazon as the likely landing spots for the league’s out-of-market TV package.
“Did you ever think we’d be talking about Apple, Amazon and Google jumping into sports with the networks?” Rose asked.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced earlier this year that Sunday Ticket would become a streaming product. It is the first time since its inception in 1994 that it is hitting the open market and will not be a DirecTV exclusive.
Any network that has done business with the NFL is used to price tags in the billions of dollars. With tech companies involved though, the playing field for some products has narrowed. Joe Rose said the “blank check” Apple reportedly has to acquire sports rights is going to make it hard for traditional TV to make competitive offers.
“The networks go ‘We’re out! We don’t have money like those guys. Those guys have stupid money!’”
