Google CEO Larry Page has had informal discussions with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other NFL executives that included talks about the NFL Sunday Ticket package that DirecTV currently holds the rights to, according to AllThingsD.

The current Sunday Ticket deal with the NFL -- which sees DirecTV paying $1 billion a year -- ends after the 2014-15 season and the NFL is likely looking to lock up the rights well before its contract with DirecTV ends.

A number of pundits have suggested that Apple, Google or Amazon could provide a huge boost to their streaming video services by buying exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket -- though it's likely the price tag will cost quite a bit more than the current $1 billion per year.

watchespn_apple_tv

Today, according to sources, Google CEO Larry Page, along with YouTube content boss Robert Kyncl, met with a delegation from the NFL led by commissioner Roger Goodell. And the Sunday Ticket package was among the topics of discussion, according to people familiar with the meeting.

[…]

An informal chat is a very long way from a deal, so there’s no need to invest too much in the conversation quite yet. And I’m told that Goodell and other NFL executives are meeting with multiple Silicon Valley companies on this trip, which is one they make annually.

CBS, Fox and NBC have signed new contracts that see each of them paying roughly $1 billion annually for their Sunday games, while ESPN will pay nearly $2 billion per year for its Monday Night Football broadcast rights. These new contracts were an increase of some 60 percent from their previous deals.

There have been occasional rumors that NFL Sunday Ticket would be coming to the Apple TV, though nothing has come to fruition yet -- however, given the recent additions of HBO Go and WatchESPN, Apple is clearly looking to make deals to increase the appeal of the Apple TV box. However, it remains to be seen if Tim Cook is interested in spending more than $1 billion per year on a "hobby".

Top Rated Comments

DaveN Avatar
158 months ago
I can see it now...

Apple or Google buy the rights then market it with a $50 season ticket. The cable companies, wanting a piece of the action, block streaming from that source citing excessive network demand unless you pay the cable company an extra $10 a month. Everybody wins except for the viewer.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topmounter Avatar
158 months ago
Alternate headline: NFL to use Google money to settle player head injury lawsuits.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JAT Avatar
158 months ago
Alternate headline: NFL to use Google money to settle player head injury lawsuits.

It's not like the NFL has cash issues.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GoCubsGo Avatar
158 months ago
I'd love to see this happen and happen for ATV as well. DTV's pricing, if you're not a new member, is insane.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Someyoungguy Avatar
158 months ago
Exactly. Follow the money. But like I said, a bunch of companies could buy in for non-exclusive rights, each paying much less than $1bn and the NFL gets a lot more money.

This could be great for the consumer because not only would we have a choice, but we would (in theory) be paying much less for Sunday Ticket. As it stands, part of the reason Sunday Ticket is so expensive is that DirecTV is the only provider and they are solely responsible for recovering their cost.

DirecTV wants exclusivity to lure subscribers. If it's not exclusive, I don't see them paying any more than they do for HGTV. I think ultimately this would be less money for the NFL even for multiple carriers at that rate.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mmikuta Avatar
158 months ago
Apple is Stupid if they Don't Outbid on This

This is simple. Apple always seems to get outbid. With the amount of cash reserves they have they should wrap this deal up, go nuclear. In one blow they could basically take out a huge market using a page from Amazon's book on potential. They should buy out the deal, and give the Sunday Ticket away to all ATV members and iPhone users. The halo effect would be huge and they can afford it. Cook should just look at as a supply chain issue, just like they lock up panels and memory pricing. Apple needs to stop being afraid that their cash hoard is going to disappear, it is choking them in the market of perception. They should look for the same type angle in Europe and China. Smartphone innovation that changes the market mindset has peaked. A watch ain't going to do it. They need something that people want on the platform, NFL would be huge to show people Apple isn't effing around. #AppleNFL - spread the tag guys
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari. More features and changes will follow in future versions,...
iPhone 17 vs Air and Pros Feature

New iPhones See 'Stronger Than Expected' Demand With One Exception

Thursday October 2, 2025 7:26 am PDT by
Nearly two weeks after the iPhone 17 series launched, analysts at investment banking firm Morgan Stanley said demand for the devices has been "modestly stronger than we originally expected," based on a combination of extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store and information it gathered from Apple's supply chain. There has been strong early demand for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro,...
macbook air prime day 2025

M5 MacBook Air: Release Date, Features, and Performance Predictions

Friday October 3, 2025 3:39 am PDT by
The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular laptop – a thin, fanless machine that wields quiet power thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon. While the M4 model isn't exactly old, attention is already turning to its successor. Apple doesn't telegraph new product launches ahead of time, but we can draw a surprisingly clear picture of what to expect by looking at Apple's silicon roadmap,...
iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26 Adds These 200 New Features and Changes to Your iPhone

Saturday October 4, 2025 8:19 am PDT by
Apple's website offers a list of nearly 200 new features and changes (PDF file) included in the software update, released last month. Apple also shared equivalent lists for iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe. iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer. To install the update, open the Settings app on your iPhone, tap on General, and tap on Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight ...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Leaks Reveal What Apple Products Are Coming Next

Friday October 3, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
On this episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the latest leaks about the next-generation iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, Studio Display, and Vision Pro. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Earlier this week, an apparent unboxing video of an updated iPad Pro with the M5 chip was shared online. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip...
space black mbp

Here's Every New Apple Product That Leaked Yesterday

Wednesday October 1, 2025 8:27 am PDT by
A handful of upcoming Apple products leaked yesterday, through a combination of YouTube videos out of Russia and U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents that were released, despite Apple's confidentiality requests. The leaked products include an iPad Pro with an M5 chip, as well as updated MacBook Pro and Apple Vision Pro models. All of these devices had already been rumored...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Apple's 2025 Product Roadmap: What's Still Coming

Wednesday October 1, 2025 3:56 pm PDT by
Apple's two big yearly events, WWDC and the iPhone launch, are done and over with, but there are still some new products that we're expecting to see before the end of the year. Apple TV The Apple TV hasn't been updated since 2022, so it's due for a refresh. It doesn't look like Apple is going to change the design of its set-top box, but we can expect a faster chip Apple code suggests...