iPitch: Apple Prepares Bid For EPL TV Rights

Apple could be set to rush soccer broadcasting into a new era with a revolutionary, multi-billion dollar bid for television rights to the English Premier League.

And it could have implications far beyond soccer.

The technology giant is interested in acquiring exclusive rights to screen EPL games in England when the next package (for the 2013-2016 seasons) is tendered. The Cupertino, Calif., company is set to wade into a bidding war with established television heavyweights such as Rupert Murdoch-owned Sky Sports, ESPN and Al Jazeera.

Using its platform of Apple TV, a small box costing less than $100 that allows users to stream internet content on their television screens, the company already showcases properties from Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association. But this is different.

By going for full English television rights to the EPL, one of the most lucrative sports products in the world, Apple could be signaling the start of an assault on cable's turf.

Apple's interest was first revealed by Charles Sale of London's Daily Mail newspaper and was confirmed to ThePostGame by Apple sources on Thursday. The company is still in the early stage of formulating its bidding plans, but is keen to expand its sports packages and it sees soccer as a valuable way to gain a stronger footing in the British market.

Apple's expected presence in the English EPL rights market could also drastically inflate the bidding price, one that already reached $2.5 billion for the last four-year package. Murdoch's Sky Sports has shown games ever since the EPL was formed in 1992, while Al-Jazeera, the broadcaster that used to focus on the Middle East, comes with huge fiscal backing and is also determined to spread its wings.

Al Jazeera has already acquired rights for soccer in the French domestic league and for Champions League matches in France, with plans to develop its content base further. It is also likely to put up a strong challenge for EPL rights in 2013.

Google shouldn't be discounted either, and ESPN is obviously a heavyweight already.

Whatever the outcome, the EPL should strengthen its standing as the wealthiest league in the world, and continue to attract many of the finest players on the planet to its leading clubs. Player salaries, already higher than any other competition -- including Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A, may rise again.

Off the field and on, we'll all be watching.

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/futuresport/201201/ipitch-apple-prepares-bid-epl-tv-rights

End of EPL, was nice knowing you.

In what why can you possibly spin this as the end of EPL?

App£€ is a virus, take your money and brains, and gives you shit all for it kind of virus. All players will immediately be rendered useless in EPL, and the league will fall in dark ages never seen before.

Oh God.....
well get ready for the uber branding of the EPL

like the EPL needed to be marketed any more

Do you know how much money Sky makes from the EPL? They will not let this happen.

aford92 wrote:Do you know how much money Sky makes from the EPL? They will not let this happen.

I actually don't know, do you have a real number somewhere? I would find it inmensly interesting.

introducing the iLeague:

- 100 pounds/month subscription
- all streams in 360p max
- you can only watch one entire game at a time, determined by apple
- iTunes, Safari and 16 other programs necessary
- you cannot save highlights on your computer
- apple have the right to disconnect you if they have reason to believe you are watching something other than their broadcast
- coming soon, apple submit patent applications for football and grass

che wrote:introducing the iLeague:

- 100 pounds/month subscription
- all streams in 360p max
- you can only watch one entire game at a time, determined by apple
- iTunes, Safari and 16 other programs necessary
- you cannot save highlights on your computer
- apple have the right to disconnect you if they have reason to believe you are watching something other than their broadcast
- coming soon, apple submit patent applications for football and grass

it's a joke about how apple customers have no power over the products they "buy"...

It's funny......at one point in time Apple was actually scene as the opposite of what they are perceived as today.

What this will definitely mean is live stream providers will slowly dwindle.......until there probably arent any at all.

Well, or people will turn to the other leagues if they are still available as live streams elsewhere.

imagine a black screen and then it says "oopps we are suffering from trafficking atm the problem will be resolved in 48 hours sorry for the inconvenience"

NO to apple

also the tv boxes/streaming(whatever they wanna do) will be shite expensive as well not to mention sky have everything in one box, will apple start their own movie channel and news channel as well or will it be part of free-view(what are you dreaming abt hala)

*bleep* that give it to aljazeera

i pay 85 a year for the worlds greates bundle

ligue 1
serie a
russian leauge
uefa cl
english cups + championship
la liga
euro + all other major international tourneys

allong side other sporting event's you guys are being ripped off

supra969 wrote:*bleep* that give it to aljazeera

i pay 85 a year for the worlds greates bundle

ligue 1
serie a
russian leauge
uefa cl
english cups + championship
la liga
euro + all other major international tourneys

allong side other sporting event's you guys are being ripped off

aljazeera will eat apple.

Yeah...I prefer paying $0 per year (equivalent to €0 and £0, in case you were wondering) and I'll keep it that way.

I get paid to watch football

ragbirjosh wrote:I get paid to watch football

Welcome to the club.

Saetablanca wrote:

supra969 wrote:*bleep* that give it to aljazeera

i pay 85 a year for the worlds greates bundle

ligue 1
serie a
russian leauge
uefa cl
english cups + championship
la liga
euro + all other major international tourneys

allong side other sporting event's you guys are being ripped off

seriously aljazeera is owned by the royal family they arent after the money like other broadcasting companies

supra969 wrote:

Saetablanca wrote:

supra969 wrote:*bleep* that give it to aljazeera

i pay 85 a year for the worlds greates bundle

ligue 1
serie a
russian leauge
uefa cl
english cups + championship
la liga
euro + all other major international tourneys

allong side other sporting event's you guys are being ripped off

seriously aljazeera is owned by the royal family they arent after the money like other broadcasting companies

Good thing is they have the big money so they can scare any competitor. They love football.

Raptorgunner wrote:

supra969 wrote:

Saetablanca wrote:

supra969 wrote:*bleep* that give it to aljazeera

i pay 85 a year for the worlds greates bundle

ligue 1
serie a
russian leauge
uefa cl
english cups + championship
la liga
euro + all other major international tourneys

allong side other sporting event's you guys are being ripped off

seriously aljazeera is owned by the royal family they arent after the money like other broadcasting companies

Good thing is they have the big money so they can scare any competitor. They love football.

the whole middle east area are in love with sport
dubai sport has the bundesliga for free
yet abu dabi sport bought the epl rights
its a 200 $ a year bundle (all in hd)

Google should buy the rights and stream it on youtube!!! and make money of the ads.....

supra969 wrote:

Saetablanca wrote:

supra969 wrote:*bleep* that give it to aljazeera

i pay 85 a year for the worlds greates bundle

ligue 1
serie a
russian leauge
uefa cl
english cups + championship
la liga
euro + all other major international tourneys

allong side other sporting event's you guys are being ripped off

seriously aljazeera is owned by the royal family they arent after the money like other broadcasting companies

sky is owned by ruporth murdoch...not exactly in need of cash

halamadrid2 wrote:

supra969 wrote:

Saetablanca wrote:

supra969 wrote:*bleep* that give it to aljazeera

i pay 85 a year for the worlds greates bundle

ligue 1
serie a
russian leauge
uefa cl
english cups + championship
la liga
euro + all other major international tourneys

allong side other sporting event's you guys are being ripped off

seriously aljazeera is owned by the royal family they arent after the money like other broadcasting companies

sky is owned by ruporth murdoch...not exactly in need of cash

murdoch cares about making $$.... while the royal families don't