Apple is in talks to secure a deal for a Big Ten college football and basketball streaming package says a report from The Athletic. Apple and Amazon are said to be in a battle for streaming rights for the college athletic conference.
Both companies have significantly increased their investment in live sports programming in the past year. The Big Ten recently became a much more attractive package, following news that USC and UCLA will join the conference in 2024.
Big Ten media rights are expected to be shared by CBS, NBC, and Fox for live games, while the streaming rights will likely go to Apple or Amazon. The streaming package could be similar to Apple’s deal with Major League Baseball. where Apple shows a doubleheader of games each Friday night.
Apple has been working to become more relevant in the sports streaming arena, as the Cupertino firm has added Friday Night Baseball to its Apple TV+ offerings, as well as becoming the exclusive home of Major League Soccer. Apple is also reportedly vying for the National Football League’s Sunday Ticket package.