The future of football broadcasting?

Chris_from_Sidcup

Major League Soccer have announced a groundbreaking new broadcast deal with Apple that will see the tech giant pay the league a minimum of $2.5 billion over the next 10 years.

From 2023-32, the Apple TV app will be the place to watch every MLS regular-season contest; the new Leagues Cup between teams from MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX; and select games from MLS’s reserve and youth leagues.

“We are convinced that this is where our fans are going, this is where the business is going, and we have an opportunity to go there perhaps before anybody else does,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said. “And to do it with the company that we believe is going to be the driver and ultimate winner in this global sports streaming space.”

The MLS live and on-demand content on the Apple TV app will be available to anyone with internet access across all devices where the app can be found, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV 4K, and Apple TV HD; Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sony, TCL, VIZIO, and other smart TVs; Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices; PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles; Chromecast with Google TV; and Comcast Xfinity. Fans can also watch on tv.apple.com.

And the price for Apple TV is only $4.99 a month. A year is $49.99.

How long before they make a big bid for the premier league rights? They already have about 20 million subscribers, if they bid for the PL they could easily double/triple that across the world. The money they could bid would crush sky.

WSS

Facebook may have to do it to stay relevant. I think that's been floated before.

Gravesend_Addick

Simon Jordan has long been an advocate of a Netflix style streaming service for premier league football. 

I can see the merits of it, but think we're a way off it happening yet 

The Red Robin

Amazon already doing it with the PL and NFL aren’t they really? 

Elthamaddick

Gravesend_Addick said:

Simon Jordan has long been an advocate of a Netflix style streaming service for premier league football. 

I can see the merits of it, but think we're a way off it happening yet 

definitely the way forward, seeing Amazon Prime dip their toe in it - my guess is we are closer than we think to it happening

will be the death of Sky

MuttleyCAFC

I think in theory you could take about ten equal sized clubs and build an equal partnership where you have a channel that focuses on those clubs. The issue is of course, as clubs rise and fall there will be challenges for bigger slices of the pot.

cafc999

The stronger the top clubs get, the weaker the product becomes. If the money is not distributed amongst the 'smaller' clubs then there is no competition, just like what we are seeing in the Prem, La Liga &Ligue 1. Sooner or later people will get bored an turn off

WelshAddick

They could do a Streaming service tomorrow if they want to. Other sports do it and it’s incredible. I pay for baseball and hockey. If example it’s costs about £100 for a whole season of baseball. I can watch any game live or delayed, I can even listen to radio commentary live or delayed of any game. I can use apps on my phone, stream from my computer straight to my tv. It’s also an app on the fire stick. The big problem for the premier league is that as soon as they go down this route they will lose the Sky money. 

stackitsteve

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Premier League launch their own subscription app over here in the future.
Premier League Productions already does the job but they sell the show to other platforms rather than direct to subscribers, won’t be long though. 

RodneyCharltonTrotta

Gravesend_Addick said:

Simon Jordan has long been an advocate of a Netflix style streaming service for premier league football. 

I can see the merits of it, but think we're a way off it happening yet 

Simon Jordan is one of the most sensible and likeable  voices in modern football.

World has gone batshit crazy.

sam3110

It's definitely the future of sports, we're already seeing it in TV, film, music and video games. And for anyone that pays the full whack for Sky TV right now (about £80 a month) that can be split across paying individually for Prime, Apple TV, Netflix, Discovery+, Disney+ and then any sports packages, for a similar price per month. 

I don't watch 80% of the sport sky shows, if they had the football, F1, NFL and Indycar on subscription services easily available in the UK then I'd rather do that

Rothko

The MLS deal seems good, but it's dirt cheap for Apple, but it won't be included within the Apple TV + package, but on a stand alone MLS package.

I would be surprised that will see massive change till 2028, so after the next deal after this one, as I think the Premier League will want to test how much Discovery want to start a bidding war again, after picking up BT Sport. 

Charlton and on

Elthamaddick said:

Gravesend_Addick said:

Simon Jordan has long been an advocate of a Netflix style streaming service for premier league football. 

I can see the merits of it, but think we're a way off it happening yet 

definitely the way forward, seeing Amazon Prime dip their toe in it - my guess is we are closer than we think to it happening

will be the death of Sky

I think Jordan's idea is for the PL to retain the rights and launch a global direct to consumer app themselves.

Can't help thinking he's right. Why do the PL need a middle man?

johnnybev1987

sam3110 said:

It's definitely the future of sports, we're already seeing it in TV, film, music and video games. And for anyone that pays the full whack for Sky TV right now (about £80 a month) that can be split across paying individually for Prime, Apple TV, Netflix, Discovery+, Disney+ and then any sports packages, for a similar price per month. 

I don't watch 80% of the sport sky shows, if they had the football, F1, NFL and Indycar on subscription services easily available in the UK then I'd rather do that

I am the opposite, i probably watch most sports. This is probably the biggest pull with Sky, if they get around that see you later Sky. Yes football primarily, but i'll watch most things really. 

Personally i think its ridiculous how overpriced Sky is, then we have to buy BT on top, also premier for those that do (I dont) so all of this has got out of hand slowly adding extras whilst the customers suffer, the irony is abroad they get alot more and can watch pretty much every game, we need to get with the times and stop ripping us football fans off, its there already just need to get Sky out of it.  

Edit- I do have firestick but never set up as in the process of need to move out then will do it, my dad has one and he uses both that and Virgin

kentaddick

WSS said:

Facebook may have to do it to stay relevant. I think that's been floated before.

yep because they see occulus rift as a tool for live entertainment and sport. They do tend to chat a lot of crap just to impress shareholders though.

McBobbin

I'd be interested in the overall numbers of people watching football in this country, and whether it's going up or down? Surely all this is bad for the sport, even if the top clubs are making more money than ever before. 

BrentfordAddick

NFL gamepass. £150 buys you every game with the exception of the two on Sky plus plenty other content. 

cafcdave123

Scotland games were sold off exclusively to some Nordic company that hasn't even launched in the UK yet

https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/scottish-premiership/scotland-games-shown-exclusively-nordic-23796154

johnnybev1987

cafcdave123 said:

Scotland games were sold off exclusively to some Nordic company that hasn't even launched in the UK yet

https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/scottish-premiership/scotland-games-shown-exclusively-nordic-23796154

No need, no one wants to watch Scottish football anyway :P

Croydon

It’ll be like DAZN. Super cheap to start with, slowly increase prices and then start charging separate PPV fees for big fights. I’m all for the death of Sky, but it won’t stay cheap for the consumer in the long term

JiMMy 85

I’ve wanted Sky to get fucked for several years. It’s going to happen but not as quickly as I’d hoped. They spent a lot of time trying to wean themselves off the football. But the Warner Bros deal will run out so they’ll lose the last big content contracts they’ve got. The big cheese at WB is furious that they can’t launch HBO Max here because Sky have the movies and TV shows. That’ll change in three years. Sky won’t have Warners, Disney, Paramount, Fox (cos it’s now Disney). No more Sky Atlantic. No more Sky Movies. At least, not with any credible content. 

So that just leaves the football. Amazon have shown the way. Mixing up games so that they’re not relying on a tent pole fixture. Making it accessible to neutrals. They and Facebook, Apple et al have the funding that dwarfs Sky/ Comcast. The clock is ticking and there’s fuck all Sky can do about it. And I love it. They fucked me so hard. I want to see that returned on them ten fold. 

MrOneLung

It’s funny how @JiMMy 85 used to be such a promoter of SKY while he worked for them and then not so much after they let him go !! 

cafcnick1992

I'm not sure this MLS deal is a good thing. 

1) I can't see how this helps the MLS grow (although the current no pro/rel draft format is shite and deserves to die)

2) It is removing local blackouts so less people will go to the grounds (if they're bothering to pay for Apple's coverage)

3) All the premier league and some MLS games are shown through DAZN here in Canada and it's very rare to find a pub that will show it. Most just have cable sports channels. I suspect I won't get to watch a Whitecaps away game in the pub for some time.

killerandflash

At the end of the day, Sky etc is expensive because they pay the PL a lot of money for the rights. The likes of Apple, with enormous pockets, can run it as a loss leader for a few years to destroy the competition, but ultimately will seek to recoup their investment

JiMMy 85

MrOneLung said:

It’s funny how @JiMMy 85 used to be such a promoter of SKY while he worked for them and then not so much after they let him go !! 

Lol I accept that. Although I wouldn't say a promoter exactly. There were certain things I stand by - stealing content is still something I don't do and don't approve of. 

Not sure what you mean by 'let him go' though. I quit after they messed me about. 

The Red Robin

Rothko said:

The MLS deal seems good, but it's dirt cheap for Apple, but it won't be included within the Apple TV + package, but on a stand alone MLS package.

I would be surprised that will see massive change till 2028, so after the next deal after this one, as I think the Premier League will want to test how much Discovery want to start a bidding war again, after picking up BT Sport. 

In comparison total NFL rights are $100bn+

ForeverAddickted

JiMMy 85 said:

I’ve wanted Sky to get fucked for several years. It’s going to happen but not as quickly as I’d hoped. They spent a lot of time trying to wean themselves off the football. But the Warner Bros deal will run out so they’ll lose the last big content contracts they’ve got. The big cheese at WB is furious that they can’t launch HBO Max here because Sky have the movies and TV shows. That’ll change in three years. Sky won’t have Warners, Disney, Paramount, Fox (cos it’s now Disney). No more Sky Atlantic. No more Sky Movies. At least, not with any credible content. 

So that just leaves the football. Amazon have shown the way. Mixing up games so that they’re not relying on a tent pole fixture. Making it accessible to neutrals. They and Facebook, Apple et al have the funding that dwarfs Sky/ Comcast. The clock is ticking and there’s fuck all Sky can do about it. And I love it. They fucked me so hard. I want to see that returned on them ten fold. 

Gonna be gutting for anyone who gets that SKY Glass then...