The NHL is in "late-stage negotiations to strike a partnership with Apple that could see the company’s iPads and other technology become commonplace on team benches," according to sources cited by Rick Westhead of TSN. A source said that the NHL has been in talks for "several years with Apple and its competitor Microsoft." The source added that negotiations with Apple have "accelerated" after talks between the company and the NBA "failed to lead to an agreement." A source said that the NHL had "sought at least" $5M per year from Apple, but the technology company has a "long-standing resistance to paying for sponsorships." The NHL wants to "build on a model employed" by the NFL, which "convinced companies like Motorola and Bose to pay millions of dollars so that team coaches and other staff wear their products on sidelines during games." A source said, "The NHL Apple deal is more a major partnership than a sponsorship. ... This deal is about having a consistent platform that every team can use in every rink." A source said that MLB's streaming operation BAM Tech has "been involved in the negotiations" (TSN.ca, 12/7).
