Apple TV+ cancels Friday Night Baseball after a short time

Apple TV+ is ending its partnership with Major League Baseball. The exclusive "Friday Night Baseball" package, originally scheduled to run until 2029, will be discontinued after just a few seasons. The streaming service is thus saying goodbye to a project that was considered a key part of its sports strategy.

Since March 2022, Apple TV+ held the exclusive worldwide rights to two Friday MLB games per week. The deal was for seven years and reportedly earned the company around $85 million per year. At the time, the deal was presented as a prestige project with which Apple TV+ wanted to expand its offerings beyond series and films to include live sports. Now, Apple is surprisingly invoking the exit clause early—a move rarely seen in the highly competitive sports rights market.

The deal between Apple TV+ and the MLB

When Apple entered the baseball world in spring 2022, the excitement was immense. With a seven-year deal, Apple TV+ secured exclusive broadcasts of two Friday games per week, positioning itself alongside established providers like ESPN and Peacock. For Apple, the package was a key building block in establishing Apple TV+ as a platform for more than just fictional content. Eddy Cue, Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, spoke at the time of an opportunity to offer fans "the best seats in the house."

An early exit despite a long-term contract

The contract was planned to run until 2029. But less than three full seasons into its run, Apple is pulling the emergency brake. According to reports from Kendall Baker at Yahoo Sports, the company has used an early exit clause to terminate the contract. The new agreement is already considered almost finalized. This brings Apple TV+ to a surprisingly early end to one of its most prestigious sports investments to date.

Consequences for broadcasting rights

With Apple's withdrawal, the rights market is shifting. NBCUniversal is expected to take over the Friday night broadcast slot via the streaming service Peacock, in addition to the rights to the exclusive Sunday games and the Wild Card round. ESPN is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire the direct-to-consumer service MLB.TV. Netflix has also been mentioned: negotiations are underway to secure the rights to the annual Home Run Derby.

Apple TV+ and the role of sports

The withdrawal does not mean that Apple TV+ is abandoning sports completely. Its largest remaining commitment is the 2023 contract with Major League Soccer. Apple secured the rights for ten years for an estimated $2.5 billion. The exclusive MLS Season Pass package runs exclusively on Apple TV+ and is currently considered the platform's flagship sports offering. Apple has also repeatedly expressed interest in other sports rights. The company held talks about NFL Sunday Ticket, which ultimately went to YouTube, as well as rights packages with the English Premier League and the Pac-12 Conference. Apple TV+ is currently in negotiations for the streaming rights to Formula 1 in the United States.

A rare decision in the streaming market

Early exits from sports contracts of this magnitude are rare. Apple TV+ is taking an unusual approach, apparently focusing more on select, long-term partnerships rather than broad rights packages. While other providers like Peacock, ESPN, and Netflix are expanding their involvement in sports, Apple is focusing on targeted investments that better fit its own strategy.

Change of strategy: Apple TV+ refocuses

The end of MLB broadcasts on Apple TV+ marks a remarkable shift in strategy. Instead of baseball, the service is now focusing on other sports like soccer and is exploring new options such as Formula 1. The early termination of a deal once considered a milestone for entering live sports demonstrates that Apple TV+ is adjusting its course and consistently focusing on long-term, exclusive, and global partnerships. (Image: Apple)