Apple's Interest in English Premier League Streaming Rights Disputed

150px Premier LeagueEarlier this week, a report from the UK's Daily Mail made waves for its claim that Apple was interested in bidding for the rights to stream English Premier League football games. There was a significant amount of skepticism regarding the report given that it would mark a significant departure from the company's usual model of content distribution, and The Guardian now follows up with a new report denying that Apple will be in the running.

The Premier League is preparing to go to market with its lucrative television contract in the second quarter of this year, but the technology company Apple is believed to have ruled itself out of the running for the rights. [...]

However, despite speculation it is understood that Apple has not discussed bidding for the rights and is unlikely to do so, despite rumoured plans to launch an Apple TV device.

Its model relies on taking a cut of the revenue from existing content producers by retailing its content through its AppStore or iTunes service.

The report goes on to note that live matches broadcast by Sky are already available on iOS devices via the channel's SkyGo app and that archived Premier League content is available through iTunes. Those outlets make it less likely that Apple would view an expensive outright streaming deal as a worthwhile effort for the company.

Top Rated Comments

MonkeySee.... Avatar
153 months ago
Welcome, everyone outside the UK, to the Daily Mail. :D
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Andronicus Avatar
153 months ago
I forgive you this time macrumors...

No more Daily Mail rumors please. At least not page one. Keep your integrity macrumors.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gaspode67 Avatar
153 months ago
The British Press

Adapted from the classic bit in Yes Prime Minister:

"Don't tell me about the press. I know exactly who reads the papers:
- The Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country;
- The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country;
- The Times is read by people who actually do run the country;
- The Daily Mail is read by the hypocondriac wives of the people who run the country;
- The Financial Times is read by people who own the country;
- The Independent is read by people who don't care about the country, they just want to save the dolphins;
- The Express is read by people who think Princess Di was killed by the people who run the country;
- The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country;
- And the Daily Telegraph is read by people who think it is."

"What about the people who read the Sun?"

"Sun readers don't care who runs the country, as long as she's got big tits."
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
capoeirista Avatar
153 months ago
The initial article hardly 'made waves' - it was printed in the Daily Fail after all.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topmounter Avatar
153 months ago
We need better rumors.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kurosov Avatar
153 months ago
An inaccurate article in the Daily Mail, who'd have thought.


...Oh, Right.

The best way to read the Daily Mail is to think of it as a British Onion News. Or better yet, not at all.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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