Report: Apple allegedly ends free baseball broadcasts
Apple TV+ users have been able to watch well-made American baseball broadcasts every Friday for three years. Is the contract ending now?
Baseball on Apple: initially completely free, most recently included as a goodie for TV+ subscribers.
(Image: Apple)
It's a nice goodie that fans of American sports have become accustomed to over the years: Apple TV+ users receive fresh games from the top American baseball league MLB (Major League Baseball) every Friday for viewing on the streaming service – and later also as recordings. Initially, from 2022, the service was even free, but now you have to subscribe to the entire TV+ service for a comparatively modest EUR 9.99 per month. But baseball could now come to an end: According to a report by a Yahoo Sports reporter, Apple is considering terminating its contract with MLB early, even though it still runs until 2028.
Back and forth in baseball
Previously, however, it was said in June that Apple could even expand its baseball offering and snatch the rights for Sunday broadcasts from TV stations. At the time, the Disney-owned sports network ESPN wanted to get rid of the rights, with the major TV channel NBC also reportedly among the bidders.
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The special thing about Apple's contract is that the company has the MLB rights internationally, meaning it also broadcasts the Friday games all over the world, for example in Europe. The presentation is similar to that of TV broadcasts: although there are no commercial breaks, Apple uses sponsors, and, interestingly, Google and other direct competitors.
Apple could continue broadcasting until 2028
According to Yahoo Sports reporter Kendall Baker, Apple is allegedly "completely out". Instead, NBC and its streaming service Peacock would take over. "Rest in peace, Friday Night Baseball [at Apple]," writes Baker. Netflix, in turn, would get the home run derby series, while ESPN is still "in" as the buyer of MLB.TV, the league's own streaming service.
However, in a later report by Baker, written with colleague Jeff Tracy, the changes at Apple and MLB seem less set in stone. They write on Yahoo Sports that it's also possible that the Apple deal, which is set to run through 2028, could remain in place. The package for Friday is the one for which there is "the least clarity". However, the sale of MLB.TV and the deal with Netflix are "almost certain" and could be announced "in the coming days".
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