Apple Prepares Bid For EPL TV Rights | Hacker News Reader

Apple Prepares Bid For EPL TV Rights

thepostgame.com

47 pointsrmah26 comments

I think this is based on some outdated information. The Guardian is now discrediting the idea that Apple will make a bid: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jan/04/apple-premier...

Unless Apple's writing a very lucrative check upfront, I fail to see how the EPL would go for this. Apple TV (or Google TV, or any other TV platform) still doesn't have anywhere the reach of good old-fashioned cable. I'd understand a steaming partnership, but full rights would be suicide on the EPL's part (though very profitable for Apple while it lasts)

I doubt they would give away full rights. They would probably split them into traditional TV and online streaming. But this could be a massive opportunity for both the Premier League and Apple to gain further inroads in Asia, where the Premier League has a massive following[1]. It could also be a cheaper way for current Sky Sports subscribers to get a Premier League subscription (currently you pay £20 in UK on top of your regular Sky package to be able to watch the Premier League[2]).

[1] A Manchester United-themed bar restaurant, for example: http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g293916-d1588473...

[2] http://www.sky.com/shop/customer-shop/sports-upgrades/

"They would probably split them into traditional TV and online streaming."

The issue is that online streaming via an Apple TV and satellite via a Sky box are really the same thing from the consumer perspective, football on their TV. So I doubt either would accept partial rights being given to someone else unless the price was the same.

It will be interesting to see what will happen. Personally I can't see Apple or Google or anyone else getting an exclusive right to stream the Premier League through their media streaming device. There would have to be some sort of dual offering, if only for the likes of existing consumers who don't want to know about media devices, for pubs, etc. Traditional broadcasting will be around for quite a while yet - people's attitudes only change so fast.

Is there now? AFAIK, you need a decoder to watch the Premier League live in the UK. The Beeb only shows highlights.

It's not the same thing if the Apple TV can't provide features like comparable HDTV to large parts of the population. "Watching a web stream on your tv" and "Watching TV" aren't the same thing.

From TFA: the last bid for 4 years of broadcast rights went for $2.5B and Apple currently holds north of $85B in the bank. I think Apple can afford it.

Also, how much does the average cable subscription cost in the UK? How many months would you have to forgo cable to completely make up the cost of an Apple TV? It's possible that EPL would loose some casual fans who are not willing to make that compromise, but you better believe that there will be lines of die-hard fans at the Apple store waiting to buy their $99 Apple TV should this happen.

Definitely an interesting move on Apple's part...

The BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7071611.stm) tells me there are 17 million families in the UK. 99*17 million = 1.7B.

So, if Apple wants AppleTV adoption in the UK, it'd be cheaper for them to just mail every household in the UK a free Apple TV.

Right, but that assumes Apple would show the Premier League for free and without any ads.

Securing rights to popular tv content seems like an extremely good way to seriously establish Apple as a contender in the tv market, and a very nice way to utilize their tremendous and growing pile of cash.

But even if they did that, what would they watch? You still have to provide compelling content for people to sit down and watch. I can think of nothing that would drive adoption in the UK more than the EPL.

You think this is about the USD99 Apple TV? No, if Apple is acquiring contents rights, it's not just going to be the "hobby" they have. It's probably related to the rumors of the 50" LCD AppleTV.

I think it's more about adjusting attitudes. If you sent everyone a free AppleTV, they'd probably look at it funny and then toss it in the trash. If, on the other hand, you tell them $99 and you can watch as much EPL as you want, that changes attitudes.

Also, what I find most intriguing about this possibility is that I've heard from a number of people: "I'd ditch cable and go to AppleTV for everything if only I could get live sports."

People watch the EPL all around the world, not just in the UK.

Apple TV (or Google TV, or any other TV platform) still doesn't have anywhere the reach of good old-fashioned cable.

Well you could have said the same thing in the early days of Sky satellite television when they bought the EPL rights. Coverage at the time with number of receivers couldn't match BBC/ITV but the Premier League followed the money.

I'm surprised that people are talking about the little-black-box-Apple TV. To me, this seems like a great way to introduce the "real" Apple TV (iTV?), with a big screen. Some rumours say it'll be ready by the end of the year.

Anybody else surprised Google hasn't used it's huge piles of cash to get exclusive content for it's TV offering?

I'm not. I haven't seen numbers on Google TV adoption, but I'd wager it's even less than Apple TV (which I'm not that optimistic about either ATM). Google just started distributing movies on their own last summer (and I think that's only Android phones and not Google TV yet); it'll be a while before they get anywhere near exclusive content.

No -- what's the point when nobody's watching? The Google TV devices to date have been complete flops. The Logitech Revue sold so poorly stores were returning their inventory; Logitech sent it back out with a "Now with Google TV 3.1" sticker then ended production. Having used one for a year, I doubt even exclusive content would've helped, the device/software was just not up to par. It's a lot better now but too late for the first generation partners.

The entire point is to use it to sell the device and create customers.

Same reason DirectTV has an exclusive on NFL Sunday Ticket, and Sirius hired Howard Stern.

The whole point is that you can get away with terrible devices if you have the right content. Have you tried using those receivers you get if you want pay-TV? They are all terrible.

No, but I am surprised they haven't used their huge piles of cash to get exclusive content for Youtube; which, by proxy, would also fuel demand for Google TV. (Even if it would still get largely ignored in favor of things like the Boxee Box and Roku)

Great. All I need is device lock-in for content. We used to pay for episodes of TV shows on itunes and it was a relief to be able to get the content through other channels (no pun intended).

For quite a while now, it hasn't been necessary to have cable. Unfortunately, a lot of content providers are offering stuff directly from their own websites, but only if you have a cable subscription!

Don't you already need a Sky box to watch EPL? Cord-cutting in general has big issues with live sports.

You can watch almost all the EPL games in the US with foxsoccer.tv on any computer that has flash installed. (Costs me about $15 per month).

You used to be able to stream the Tri-Nation and Super 15 Rugby games as well, but Direct TV brought the rights, and now you can only watch them here if you have a direct tv satellite dish (The don't offer the games for streaming). This was very stupid of SANZAR, now everyone is getting into the European games instead.

This is exactly what I was afraid of when Steve Jobs died. Apple is starting to go into stupid crap again.

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