Apple has entered discussions with Major League Baseball over a potential deal that would allow the company to broadcast MLB games next season, the New York Post reports.
The talks are described as “substantial” and “serious,” and a deal would provide Apple with a way to establish Apple TV + as a destination for sports content. At present, Apple TV + offers TV shows and movies, but compared to its competition, it is not able to appeal to sports fans.
The lack of access to live sports is a serious drawback for Apple TV, as competitors like Amazon have made deals. Amazon has signed an agreement to stream “Thursday Night Football” games starting this fall, and Amazon has paid more than $ 1 billion for access.
At present, Apple TV + does not support any type of live TV, offering access only to on-demand TV and movie content. Apple should therefore probably create a new sports-focused section with access to live TV. .
Apple TV + integrates with the TV app, which in turn integrates with apps for accessing live sports through the Sports tab. You can, for example, choose a favorite team in the TV app and it will suggest to broadcast a match in the appropriate app every time the team plays.
MLB buys its domestic games on weekdays that were previously exclusive to ESPN, so it’s likely that Apple TV + will offer the Monday and Wednesday games that ESPN no longer has access to if a deal is successful. Discussions have also taken place with Barstool Sports and Amazon, but no agreement has been reached.
