apple Eyes UK Premier League Rights
Apple TV is currently ‘preparing’ a bid for the UK domestic Premier League broadcasting rights, according to the Daily Mail.
The US tech company officially enters the live football coverage space next month when its 10-year contract to broadcast Major League Soccer kicks off but is now reportedly setting its sights on English football’s top-flight too.
The Premier League’s tender process for the next set of rights is set to begin later this year, with its current three-year deal with Sky Sports and BT Sport expiring in 2025.
The report claims that ‘many clubs with American owners, such as Chelsea under Todd Boehly, are convinced that at £5.1billion over three years the current rights are undervalued and are looking to US tech companies to drive up the price.’
For the first time, Sky Sports, that has dominated UK Premier League coverage since the league’s inception in 1992, is seeing its position under real threat, with Apple holding the financial power to challenge them.
Apple TV has been eyeing various sports rights deals in recent months, signing deals across major American baseball leagues and entering the race for ATP and WTA tennis tours. The streaming service also recently released a documentary about the European Super League, named The War for Football.
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