The NFL is "still looking for a technology or media company willing to replace DirecTV as the rights holder for Sunday Ticket" with negotiations now “expected to extend into next year,” according to Mickle, Mullin & Draper of the N.Y. TIMES. The Sunday Ticket negotiations have been "closely watched" by analysts and execs, as live sports, particularly NFL games, are one of the "last remaining staples of traditional television.” Who the winning bidder is, how much it pays and how the deal is structured will have "seismic implications for the sports, media and technology industries.” Bidding for Sunday Ticket’s valuable package of games "could set a precedent for how much tech firms like Apple and Google are willing to pay.” Sports and media execs have "long considered Apple to be the front-runner,” and some involved in the bidding process “thought the tech giant had reached an agreement.” But in the absence of a deal, Google has "stepped up its pursuit, aiming to win the package for YouTube TV, the company’s streaming-cable service.” Other "interested bidders" include Amazon and ESPN. The league’s negotiations with Apple, Google and others have become "protracted because it is trying to bundle the package of out-of-market Sunday NFL games with other media assets, including NFL Network and the NFL RedZone channel.” The league is "asking for more than” $2.5B annually, a $1B “increase from the current eight-year deal, which expires at the end of this season.” The league also “wants a long-term partner for the rights” (N.Y. TIMES, 11/23).
