Apple is among a number of companies that are being considered as possible NFL streaming partners for Thursday games, according to a new report. Amazon, Google, and Yahoo are also said to be in the mix for a non-exclusive deal over two years.
“The league last week sent formal RFPs to the usual TV partners and outlets — CBS, ESPN, Fox, NBC and Turner — that outlined the NFL’s plan to sell a one-year deal with a league option for a second year,” reports Sports Business Daily.
“The league also sent RFPs to several digital companies, like Google, Yahoo, Apple and Amazon, to stream the entire Thursday night schedule on a non-exclusive basis, sources said.”
Should Apple secure the deal, it would be permitted to stream Thursday NFL games via Apple TV and iOS devices. However, it’s unclear whether it would be allowed to do that through its own platforms, or whether viewers would have to use the NFL’s own apps.
The terms to state that streams would be simulcasts of the TV productions, and would include the same advertising and in-game features, the report adds. And because this is a non-exclusive deal, Apple would not be the only company with rights to show it.
CBS, which currently has TV rights to the Thursday night package, currently pays $300 million per season, it is claimed. But it’s not clear how much the NFL is asking for the streaming rights. Yahoo paid $15 million for the rights to just one game this season, but that was on an exclusive basis.
[via AppleInsider]
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