Apple Apparently Wants to Offer NFL Sunday Ticket to Apple TV+ Subscribers at No Extra Cost, But NFL Balks

Apple has yet to solidify a deal for the NFL Sunday Ticket package and talks could expand into 2023, according to a new report from Sportico (via The Verge).

nfl sunday ticket feature
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said on Wednesday that the negotiations for Sunday Ticket have reached a "very critical point," with Apple the apparent frontrunner for the rights. The NFL had originally planned to establish a deal in the fall, but the end of the year is approaching and no final terms have been decided as of yet. Goodell said that there is no timeline, and the NFL's decisions are "based on getting the best outcome with the best party."

Sportico says that pricing on Sunday Ticket is a sticking point. Apple wants to include Sunday Ticket access in the $6.99 cost of an Apple TV+ subscription, with no additional charges, but the NFL is not happy with such a low price point as it needs to "protect the interests" of CBS and Fox, its Sunday afternoon broadcast partners. Together, the two networks will pay the NFL $40 billion for the 2023 season.

Disney and Amazon are also both interested in Sunday Ticket, so there are other options for the NFL. Rumors have suggested for months that Apple is the "likely winner" of the NFL Sunday Ticket package, but there were signs of negotiation issues earlier this year when CNBC reported that Apple wanted more contractual flexibility than the NFL was interested in providing.

Apple has been ramping up its sports offerings in recent months in an effort to draw more subscribers to ‌Apple TV‌+. The company partnered with the MLB for "Friday Night Baseball," and it has inked a 10-year deal with Major League Soccer that is set to kick off next year.

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone 17 Air Front Page Tech 2

'iPhone 17 Air' With Ultra-Thin Design Allegedly Revealed in New Video

Monday February 17, 2025 6:53 pm PST by
YouTube channel Front Page Tech today revealed the alleged design of Apple's widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" model, set to launch later this year. "iPhone 17 Air" render created by @zellzoi for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech shared renders depicting what it believes is likely the final design of the "iPhone 17 Air." The device is expected to feature an ultra-thin...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Two of Apple's Oldest Products Are Finally Getting Updated This Year

Friday February 14, 2025 6:03 am PST by
Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, followed by the AirTag in May 2021, and both still remain first-generation products. Fortunately, rumors suggest that both the HomePod mini and the AirTag will finally be updated at some point this year. Below, we recap rumors about the HomePod mini 2 and AirTag 2. HomePod mini 2 In January 2025, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is ...

Top Rated Comments

dohspc Avatar
29 months ago
What does it matter what Apple charges as long as they pay the NFL the billions to carry it? NFL is a huge money grab.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
29 months ago

the NFL is not happy with such a low price point as it needs to "protect the interests" of CBS and Fox
This sounds like something a mob boss would say.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thunderstrike76 Avatar
29 months ago

Maybe Apple is including this as a free trail and NFL is throwing a fit. Of course, they want streamline money.
Hi. Not to be rude but are you actually the person in your profile pic or have you for some reason just been ripping off the same persons pics for years pretending they are yours?
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ScoobyDoo178 Avatar
29 months ago

If Sunday Ticket is so cheap, more people will get it and watch games on that instead of on regular TV, hurting those networks' ratings and advertising revenue.
If the game is available on the local CBS and FOX channels, it would be blacked out on Sunday Ticket, so I do not see what the NFL is worried about.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BradWI Avatar
29 months ago

What does it matter what Apple charges as long as they pay the NFL the billions to carry it? NFL is a huge money grab.
If Sunday Ticket is so cheap, more people will get it and watch games on that instead of on regular TV, hurting those networks' ratings and advertising revenue.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarAnalogy Avatar
29 months ago
This would be fantastic but I doubt Apple will eat the cost of what the NFL wants them to pay. I would subscribe to TV+ again for this because it would be a great deal.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)