Apple TV+ plans to bid on the domestic television rights to the Premier League in the U.K. once the current three-year contract with Sky Sports and BT Sport expires in 2025 — reports the Daily Mail.
According to the publication, the tender process for the next set of Premier League streaming rights is set to begin later this year.
“They have already dipped their toe into the Premier League market by making a documentary about the European Super League, called The War for Football, which was released yesterday,” the publication wrote of Apple.
Beyond the documentary, Apple TV+ is making a documented push into sports streaming. The platform will start broadcasting Major League Soccer (MLS) next month as part of a massive 10-year deal struck last year, and it also owns the streaming rights to the MLB’s Friday Night Baseball in Canada.
Football clubs with American owners, such as Todd Boehly-owned Chelsea, believe the Premier League streaming rights are currently undervalued and want U.S. tech giants to drive up the price. Premier League’s existing three-year contract is valued at £5.1 billion. If Apple does decide to make a play for the next set of broadcast rights, that could go up significantly.
Earlier this week, Apple TV+ announced Jane, a new original series for kids and families, and My Kind of Country, a country music contest set to be the streamer’s first competition series. Apple TV+ originals Severance and Black Bird recently also landed several SAG Award nominations.
