As DirecTV prepares to conclude an exclusive NFL Sunday Ticket run that began nearly 30 years ago, three companies have made a play to take over the package in 2023.
Alex Sherman of CNBC.com reports that Disney, Apple, and Amazon have submitted bids for the out-of-market package. At this point, the three mega-companies are playing the waiting game.
The league is looking for a partner to pay at least $2 billion for Sunday Ticket, and possibly to acquire a stake in NFL Media, the league’s in-house TV and web conglomerate. Mobile rights also could be part of the package, per the report.
As explained by Sherman, the fact that the league has added NFL Media to the mix has delayed the process. The three companies that have made bids would like to get things resolved, sooner than later.
PFT previously has explained that the winning bidder for the Sunday Ticket package could then sell satellite rights back to DirecTV. Sherman’s report echoes that notion. The challenge will be to strike the right balance between customers who should be expected to purchase the streaming-only Sunday Ticket product and those who are better served by satellite. Restaurants and bars remain a major issue in this specific aspect of the broader Sunday Ticket conversation.