Earlier in February this year, Apple announced the MLS Season Pass, a place to stream the Major League Soccer matches. It does not require an Apple TV+ subscription. The MLS Season Pass has been quite successful and the arrival of Lionel Messi gave Apple TV+ its biggest audience ever. Now, the Cupertino-based tech giant is reportedly eyeing television rights to Formula 1 as its next big sports investment. Read on to learn more details about this below. 

Apple eyes TV rights to F1

As per the latest issue of Business F1 magazine (page 11), Apple is planning to bag exclusive rights for Formula 1 races. The deal is reported to cost the company around $2 billion a year. This would be double of what the Formula 1 Group is currently getting for the global TV rights. 

Formula 1’s current rights are held by ESPN in the US until 2025. That’s when the Apple – F1G deal can materialize. Additionally, Formula 1 Group has existing contracts with various broadcasters across the world for five more years till 2029. Hence, the Cupertino-based tech giant won’t get the full rights to Formula 1. This also means that the company won’t pay the full $2 billion a year immediately. The magazine adds that F1G would be able to offer 25 percent exclusivity rising to 100 percent after all contracts run out. Additionally, Apple is reportedly looking to strike a 7-year deal at a fixed price. 

Apple is said to have interests in Formula 1. It is currently producing an F1 movie starring Brad Pitt and a documentary on Lewis Hamilton. An Apple F1 pass will likely be a standalone subscription as the MLS Season Pass and Apple TV+ inside the Apple TV. 

The magazine also reveals that Apple is also eyeing global sports deals including the English Premier League the next time the auction happens. 

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