Apple has hired former Amazon executive Jim DeLorenzo to lead the sports division for Apple TV+, according to Peter Kafka of Recode Media. DeLorenzo joined Amazon in 2016 as head of sports for the company’s Prime Video streaming service.
Amazon’s Prime Video platform has acquired rights to livestream major sporting events such as English Premier League games and the NFL’s Thursday Night Football. Apple TV+ launched in November and reached 10 million subscribers by February, according to Bloomberg, but currently does not offer any live sports. However, Apple has been in talks with the Pac-12 about acquiring the conference’s media rights in 2024.
Apple TV+ costs $4.99 per month and offers around 30 original movies and TV shows. That offering will soon include Swagger!, a series that was executive produced by NBA superstar Kevin Durant. The show is inspired by Durant’s experiences playing AAU youth basketball in the Washington, D.C., area.
DeLorenzo’s shift from Amazon to Apple also comes a few weeks after Apple acquired NextVR, a virtual reality platform that streams live sports. NextVR has previously signed deals to livestream NBA games in VR and create on-demand VR highlights for NHL and NFL games.
