Apple is in a peculiar situation right now.
The company is in the middle of an antitrust case brought by the US Department of Justice that suggests it leads a monopoly because of the ecosystem it has created through its products like the iPhone.
This comes on top of slowing sales of the company's flagship iPhone, as well as disappointing initial returns for the newly released Apple Vision Pro that have contributed to the company's shares falling nearly 10% so far. of the year.
But while Apple (AAPL) Hardware products are often in the spotlight, the tech giant has plenty of other products it can still grow in, including its push into media through its streaming service, Apple TV+.
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Apple TV+ doesn't have a reported subscriber number, but it's unlikely the product will come close to Netflix's nearly 270 million subscribers worldwide or 80 million U.S. subscribers. But the product has still produced some successful television exclusives, such as “Ted Lasso.”
And the soccer-based TV show has helped catapult Apple's foray into live sports, as Apple TV+ struck a $2.5 billion deal with Major League Soccer to stream the soccer league for the next decade.
Apple, which also has the rights to broadcast some Major League Baseball games, has reportedly been involved in negotiating other live sports media rights, including impending negotiations with the NBA. But the company is reportedly close to another deal that will double down on soccer, this time internationally.
The New York Times reported on Monday, April 22, that Apple is close to reaching a media rights deal with soccer's governing body, FIFA, to broadcast what would be a new World Cup-style tournament that Features club teams from around the world.
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Apple's deal with FIFA is not yet confirmed, but is expected to be announced this month. The financial details are also expected to cost Apple around $1 billion, which is only about a quarter of what FIFA was seeking, although the length of the deal is unclear.
It's also unclear if all games will be streamed behind the Apple TV+ paywall.
The move likely signals Apple's continued commitment to live sports, particularly soccer, which, while still lagging behind major sports like soccer and basketball in terms of popularity in the United States, has seen an increase. massive, especially due to the arrival of Lionel Messi to the MLS.
The United States will also host the traditional World Cup in 2026, and is in the running to host the Women's World Cup in 2027 or 2031.
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