"Executives at Apple met with representatives of MGM and the Pac-12 Conference this year as the tech giant considers ways to broaden the appeal of its Apple TV app and TV+, a $4.99 monthly service that launched last month with nine original programs. The service anchors an updated TV app that offers subscriptions to Disney+ and HBO, which give Apple a cut of sales.

Though the conversations with MGM and the Pac-12 were preliminary and have yet to reach an advanced stage, the talks show Apple's openness to striking a multibillion-dollar content agreement in support of its TV service -- even as it forges ahead with a preferred strategy of developing its own shows, these people said. A deal with the Pac-12 would be Apple's first foray into live sports.

Apple is playing catch-up in a TV arms race with Amazon.com Inc. and others seeking to displace traditional cable operators as the dominant media service in people's homes. As consumers sever ties with cable operators and replace them with subscriptions to services such as Netflix Inc., Amazon and Apple are looking to increase their revenues by selling subscriptions to their own streaming-video services and rival offerings from competitors."


https://eresearch.fidelity.com/eresearch...NLINE&sb=1

Is this really a good thing? ESPiN or Fox vs Apple. Does this make ND nervous about the PAC games.

(12-21-2019 06:24 AM)sierrajip Wrote:  Is this really a good thing? ESPiN or Fox vs Apple. Does this make ND nervous about the PAC games.

No, it's not. I imagine P12's tier 3 would have went to Apple (so no Notre Dame games), but that would mean their tier 3 would be on an obscure streaming service. Very few people would feel the need to sub to Apple TV over it. I mean, if the Pac 12 Network struggled to get viewers on cable packages, then who would pay for it a la carte? It'd be seen as a retreat for the P12 to agree to it and put them down more with the AAC than the other power conferences when it comes to their TV deal.

(12-21-2019 10:06 AM)Mav Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 06:24 AM)sierrajip Wrote:  Is this really a good thing? ESPiN or Fox vs Apple. Does this make ND nervous about the PAC games.

No, it's not. I imagine P12's tier 3 would have went to Apple (so no Notre Dame games), but that would mean their tier 3 would be on an obscure streaming service. Very few people would feel the need to sub to Apple TV over it. I mean, if the Pac 12 Network struggled to get viewers on cable packages, then who would pay for it a la carte? It'd be seen as a retreat for the P12 to agree to it and put them down more with the AAC than the other power conferences when it comes to their TV deal.

I wouldn’t say Apple TV+ is obscure since the + service is on Roku and other devices. If it was only available on Apple TV devices then it would be obscure.

(12-21-2019 10:15 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 10:06 AM)Mav Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 06:24 AM)sierrajip Wrote:  Is this really a good thing? ESPiN or Fox vs Apple. Does this make ND nervous about the PAC games.

No, it's not. I imagine P12's tier 3 would have went to Apple (so no Notre Dame games), but that would mean their tier 3 would be on an obscure streaming service. Very few people would feel the need to sub to Apple TV over it. I mean, if the Pac 12 Network struggled to get viewers on cable packages, then who would pay for it a la carte? It'd be seen as a retreat for the P12 to agree to it and put them down more with the AAC than the other power conferences when it comes to their TV deal.

I wouldn’t say Apple TV+ is obscure since the + service is on Roku and other devices. If it was only available on Apple TV devices then it would be obscure.

I just saw they're offering a free year of it to anyone that buys an Apple device. Maybe I was being a little premature in writing it off. I don't think it'll compete with Disney+, let alone Netflix, but it's possible for it to have a niche.

Still, I honestly think Apple needs the Pac 12 more at the moment than the other way around. We're not to a point where you can be successful just from streaming services yet, and I think streaming sub fatigue will set in before we even get to that point.

(12-21-2019 10:29 AM)Mav Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 10:15 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 10:06 AM)Mav Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 06:24 AM)sierrajip Wrote:  Is this really a good thing? ESPiN or Fox vs Apple. Does this make ND nervous about the PAC games.

No, it's not. I imagine P12's tier 3 would have went to Apple (so no Notre Dame games), but that would mean their tier 3 would be on an obscure streaming service. Very few people would feel the need to sub to Apple TV over it. I mean, if the Pac 12 Network struggled to get viewers on cable packages, then who would pay for it a la carte? It'd be seen as a retreat for the P12 to agree to it and put them down more with the AAC than the other power conferences when it comes to their TV deal.

I wouldn’t say Apple TV+ is obscure since the + service is on Roku and other devices. If it was only available on Apple TV devices then it would be obscure.

I just saw they're offering a free year of it to anyone that buys an Apple device. Maybe I was being a little premature in writing it off. I don't think it'll compete with Disney+, let alone Netflix, but it's possible for it to have a niche.

Still, I honestly think Apple needs the Pac 12 more at the moment than the other way around. We're not to a point where you can be successful just from streaming services yet, and I think streaming sub fatigue will set in before we even get to that point.

I am an old f*rt and do not know how streaming will change the CFB front, but agree to your post.

(12-21-2019 06:24 AM)sierrajip Wrote:  Is this really a good thing? ESPiN or Fox vs Apple. Does this make ND nervous about the PAC games.

This may be a great thing. The PAC 12 owns their network and is not sharing with Fox, like the Big Ten, and ESPN, like SEC and ACC. The PAC 12's challenge is distribution.

Let's say the PAC 12 takes over the CBS contract from the SEC (CBS withdrew) and distributes everything else through Apple+. Apple+ will be on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Firestick, etc...

(12-21-2019 11:30 PM)chess Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 06:24 AM)sierrajip Wrote:  Is this really a good thing? ESPiN or Fox vs Apple. Does this make ND nervous about the PAC games.

This may be a great thing. The PAC 12 owns their network and is not sharing with Fox, like the Big Ten, and ESPN, like SEC and ACC. The PAC 12's challenge is distribution.

Let's say the PAC 12 takes over the CBS contract from the SEC (CBS withdrew) and distributes everything else through Apple+. Apple+ will be on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Firestick, etc...

I think any streamer will have to show a certain number of subscribers before any conference or pro league commits 90% of its content. I could see the Pac put what's on P12N onto ESPN+ or a similar service, while leaving two-thirds of football games and half of men's basketball games on ESPN channels and/or Fox channels like the current arrangement.

But who knows, maybe at some point someone will choose the largest number of dollars available even if nearly everything is only available via a streaming or subscription service, similar to what the Premier League did with British TV rights.

What Apple is interested in buying is apparently an unknown.

They could be looking to carry P12 Net like a cable provider which would be a huge win for any P12 fan who is avoiding cutting the cord because of the network. At the Apple+ pricing helluva deal for fans.

They could be looking to do an add on that requires additional fee which I'd think is a non-starter and just doesn't feel like an Apple move.

Apple has a good relationship with Disney. Pac-12 isn't going to hand over significant content without some sort of homes reached floor for much of the content.

Would not be even mildly surprised if Apple with its massive cash war chest came in and bought the whole bundle of sticks, all video rights world-wide, with a number of minimum household requirements which would mean reselling parts to someone like ESPN (but could be NBC, CBS, or Fox) and continuing the Pac-12 Network which would also stream on Apple+ along with select games retained for streaming only.

Apple is trying to build market share with the free with purchase of certain device but getting someone to actually use it, much less pay for it means they need content and Pac-12 is a perfect fit, undervalued in conventional packages because of the time zone problems and the fact that they are competing with teams with broader support for the better time slots, the league's Asia/Oceania dream could actually be helpful. 7pm standard time in California is 2pm Sunday afternoon in Sydney and noon Sunday in Tokyo. Probably not drawing many Asia/Oceania viewers for baseball or football (though Australia may be becoming more interested as they keep shipping punters over) the remaining sports aren't as obscure though the hideous bastardization of soccer rules may not fly either.

It Apple owns and resells, they can discount the cost to an OTA or cable network and retain a portion of advertising spots as well on screen promotion opportunities.

You can't use streaming for P5 non-conference games because other P5s won't schedule you but you don't need many top events on the service to get attention