Apple is reportedly gearing up to bid for English Premier League streaming rights that would allow it to show live matches through its Apple TV and iOS devices. The Cupertino company hopes the content will boost sales of its set-top box and the iPad in the U.K.
Apple will go up against a number of broadcasters in the “billion-pound battle” when the TV rights for the English Premier League next go to tender before the end of this season, according to a report from British tabloid The Daily Mail.
One of those competitors will be Sky, which paid £1.6 billion (approx. $2.5 billion) for its current packages, and currently offers to largest selection of Premier League games in the U.K. It will be joined by ESPN, which says it is determined to secure more Premier League content next season, and the Middle Eastern network Al Jazeera.
Apple’s bid is said to provide the Premier League with a “hugely competitive market at a time when the price of other TV sports rights are in decline.” And as the report notes, Apple already has the infrastructure to handle a subscription service through iTunes.
Premier League games are big business for broadcasters in the U.K., which is why they sell for billions of dollars each year. For a basic Sky TV package with the sports channels included, Sky subscribers can expect to pay at least £40 (approx. $63) per month.
[via The Daily Mail]
