Report: ‘Most likely’ winning bidder for NFL Sunday Ticket revealed
Apr 29, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces the final pick of the 2021 NFL Draft for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at First Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
DirecTV will no longer have the rights to the NFL’s Sunday Ticket after the 2022 season, and one popular streaming service is reportedly likely to be the package’s new broadcast rights holder.
On Wednesday, Dylan Byers of Puck News reported that Apple is “most likely” going to win the rights to Sunday Ticket. Apple is competing with other finalists in Disney and Amazon.
According to Byers, the winning bid will likely be for much more than $2 billion. The $2 billion figure is what the NFL reportedly wanted bidders to pay for rights and a stake in NFL Media that will be packaged with the Sunday Ticket.
DirecTV currently pays $1.5 billion annually for the Sunday Ticket package, and Apple might wind up paying in the $3 billion range.
Apple was viewed as one of the favorites to land the Sunday Ticket rights as early as February, although Disney and Amazon also submitted bids.
The NFL does not have to be in any rush to make a decision as DirecTV has the rights to the package for one more season. But the league may be close to deciding to go with Apple.
