Apple TV Plus reportedly won’t get NFL Sunday Ticket — and that leaves Amazon and Google

NFL Sunday Ticket
(Image credit: AT&T)

Apple TV Plus has long been mentioned as a possible home for the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package when DirecTV’s rights expire in 2023. Indeed, as recently as April, it was “Apple’s to lose”

But now the company has reportedly walked away from negotiations because “they don’t see the logic” anymore.

That’s according to Dylan Byers of Puck News. “I’m now told that Apple, once seen as a frontrunner for the rights, has also backed out of those negotiations — not because they can’t afford it, but because they don’t see the logic,” he wrote.

Byers doesn’t elaborate on this, but reading between the lines, it’s likely to do with the restrictions that the NFL would put on such a deal. As 9to5Mac points out, reported restrictions would include geographical blocks and a minimum subscription price to ensure the NFL doesn’t hurt its other broadcast deals with CBS and Fox. 

These aren’t compromises Apple had to make when it penned its ten-year deal with Major League Soccer. With MLS, Apple TV can stream matches in over 100 countries in multiple languages.  

NFL Sunday Ticket: YouTube TV or Prime Video?

Byers states that this development leaves two likely buyers for the Sunday Ticket: Amazon and Google. “There’s certainly a logic there for both companies,” he writes. “Amazon can use it to drive Prime subscriptions; Google can use it to fuel its YouTube TV business.”

Of course, the restrictions could put both of them off in time, and if so the NFL will have to either relax them or accept that the bidding war isn’t going to be quite as lively as expected.

There’s one more interesting tidbit in the piece, with Byers pouring cold water on the always-unlikely-seeming idea that Apple might buy Disney — a rumor that occasionally rears its head. 

“I have it on good authority that that’s not on the table right now,” writes Byers. “The regulatory climate makes it impossible, of course, and Apple doesn’t want to be in the theme parks/cruise business anyway, much less manage the inexorable decline of the linear assets.”

TOPICS
Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.

Read more
NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube shown on a TV and phone
How to get NFL Sunday Ticket for 2024-2025 season — Pricing, where to watch and more
nter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) attacks with the ball in the first half during the match between Toronto FC and Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Apple is seriously changing how you can watch sports — here's how
Sonos Arc Ultra under a TV
Could Apple acquire Sonos? Speculation claims it's on Tim Cook's shopping list — here's why
NFL livestream: How to watch every NFL game online
NFL livestream: How to watch every 2025 NFL game online
Apple TV
New Apple TV expected in 2025 — all the rumors so far
Ernie and Bert from Sesame Street next to Tim Cook
C is for Cook — why Apple TV Plus needs to save 'Sesame Street'
Latest in Sports
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain runs for the ball in his Quarterfinal round match during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California
Indian Wells 2025 men’s semi-finals live stream: how to watch tennis online
Iga Swiatek of Poland in action in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in March, 2025.
Indian Wells women’s semi-finals: how to watch tennis live streams online and on TV
Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg in February 2025
Liverpool vs Newcastle live stream: how to watch Carabao Cup final online
Tino Livramento passes the ball during a Premier League match in March 2025
Everton vs West Ham live stream: How to watch the Premier League game online and on TV, team news
Nicolas Dominguez of Nottingham Forest during a Premier League match in March 2025
Ipswich vs Nottm Forest live stream: How to watch the Premier League game online and on TV, team news
Mason Gillis of the Purdue Boilermakers dives after a loose ball in a NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game in April 2024
Selection Sunday 2025 live stream: How to watch men's NCAA basketball show online
Latest in News
Nintendo Switch 2
New Nintendo Switch 2 FCC filing suggests this beloved Nintendo controller could make a comeback
(From L to R) Rohan (Nik Dodani), Josh (Brandon Flynn), Dorothy (Edie Falco), John (Dean Norris), and Liddie (Lisa Kuthrow) in The Parenting
Max top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now
NYT Strands on a cellphone
NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #378 (Sunday, March 16 2025)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE renders
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE price leak is bad news for budget-conscious buyers
Google Assistant
Gemini to kill off Google Assistant on most Android phones — here's what you need to know
MacBook Air M4
MacBook Air M4 teardown reveals familiar repairability pain points