Apple's services chief Eddy Cue just dropped the clearest signal yet that the tech giant is gearing up for a major sports rights spending spree. But there's a catch - Apple won't play by traditional broadcasting rules, and that could reshape how we watch sports entirely. Speaking at the Autosport Business Exchange NYC, Cue laid out a vision that puts streaming innovation ahead of simply outbidding competitors.
Apple just outlined its playbook for conquering sports broadcasting, and it's not what traditional networks expect. Eddy Cue, the company's senior vice president of services, told CNBC's Alex Sherman that Apple wants to buy more sports rights, but only if it can do something "unique and special" with the broadcast.
"We don't have to do sports the way that they are. There's plenty of people doing that," Cue said at the Autosport Business Exchange NYC. The comment signals Apple's strategy isn't just about outbidding competitors - it's about reinventing the entire viewing experience.
Right now, Apple TV streams Major League Baseball games on Friday nights and holds a comprehensive package for Major League Soccer that lets subscribers watch all MLS matches worldwide. But the company has missed out on marquee American sports. The National Football League sold its NFL Sunday Ticket package to Google's YouTube, while the National Basketball Association has games appearing on Amazon Prime.
The sports streaming landscape has become a high-stakes bidding war, with tech giants and traditional broadcasters fighting for premium content. Apple's approach suggests it's willing to wait for the right opportunity rather than overpay for standard broadcasting deals.
Cue revealed that Apple's current sports content serves as testing grounds for bigger ambitions. Friday Night Baseball, which debuted in 2022, was essentially a "test" for Apple to understand broadcasting complexities before taking on entire leagues.
"You had to start somewhere to learn a little bit about what it takes to broadcast before you decide to take on a whole league and broadcast worldwide," Cue explained to CNBC.
The company's broadcasting innovations go well beyond traditional coverage. Apple TV delivers uncompressed video that Cue claims offers superior quality compared to other broadcasters. The service has also experimented with unconventional camera angles, including placing an iPhone on a foul pole during recent MLB broadcasts for unique perspectives.
More importantly, Apple has eliminated many viewer frustrations that plague traditional sports broadcasting. The company's MLS coverage doesn't include blackouts and allows global streaming access - addressing issues that Cue says need fixing across the industry.
"If we want people to watch games, and we want all of sports to grow, some of these things need to be fixed," Cue said, suggesting leagues should demand broadcast partners collaborate on features like picture-in-picture viewing when multiple games air simultaneously across different streaming services.
Apple's sports ambitions extend beyond just acquiring rights. The company released "F1" through Apple Original Films this summer, which made over $550 million at the box office. When asked about potential F1 broadcast rights, Cue declined to comment, but the movie's success demonstrates Apple's broader sports entertainment strategy.
The ultimate goal is securing international league-wide broadcasting deals rather than individual game packages. This would represent a massive shift from Apple's current approach and put it in direct competition with established sports networks and streaming giants.
Cue's comments come as sports rights values continue climbing. Major leagues are increasingly willing to experiment with streaming platforms, especially for international distribution where traditional broadcasters have less reach.
The timing appears strategic. As traditional cable subscriptions decline, sports leagues need streaming partners who can deliver global audiences and innovative viewing experiences. Apple's ecosystem of devices, from iPhones to Apple TVs, could enable interactive features impossible on traditional broadcasts.
Apple's sports broadcasting strategy reveals a company playing the long game rather than chasing quick wins. By focusing on innovation over acquisition, Apple is positioning itself to transform sports viewing when the right opportunities emerge. The approach could pay off if leagues prioritize viewer experience improvements over traditional bidding wars, especially as global streaming audiences become more valuable than domestic cable subscribers.
