A big battle for the domestic Eredivisie rights is about to start in the Netherlands.
Indications are that US-based tech giant Apple is entering the fight for Eredivisie rights, according to a report. From the sounds of it, expect a battle royale between traditional TV outlets and streaming services that could be a game changer for Dutch fans.
Domestically, ESPN has had exclusive rights to the Eredivisie since 2013, but those rights expire at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Apple Eredivisie rights? There is no lack of interested parties
Along with the current ESPN rights holders in the Netherlands, ZiggoSport is considered a likely candidate to bid for the rights. Ziggo currently owns the rights in the Netherlands for the European competitions (Champions League, Europa League and European Conference), as well as the Italian Serie A and Spanish La Liga.
Then, enter the live broadcasts.
In addition to Apple, there are rumors that both Netflix and Amazon are interested in bidding on the rights. While Netflix is ​​still looking for its first foray into major soccer coverage, Amazon already owns the exclusive rights to Ligue 1 in France, as well as some Premier League games in England.
In the Netherlands, Eredivisie rights are estimated to cost providers between €150 and €200 million per season.
Will Apple emulate its MLS strategy?
As World Soccer Talk readers are well aware, Apple is the exclusive rights holder for MLS worldwide as of February 2023.
The framework of their agreement may give the Eredivisie an idea of ​​how Apple would approach its rights in the Netherlands. In the US, Apple offers every game without local blackouts for $14.99 per month or $99 for the full season. Apple+ subscribers get a discount rate of $12.99 per month or $79 per season.
In addition to live game coverage, Apple has plans for multicast coverage, as well as specialized programming around league content. These prices are compatible with what Amazon charges in France for its Ligue-1 coverage (€12.99 per month).
Could the rights deal affect coverage of the Eredivisie in the US?
Select Eredivisie matches are currently available in the US on ESPN+. The fact that ESPN owns the rights in the Netherlands is not directly tied officially to the fact that they own the rights in the US. So officially there should be no immediate changes to the league’s coverage in the US. .
But if Apple is successful in acquiring the Dutch rights, it’s not a far-fetched idea to see them acquire the rights to show the games in the US once the ESPN deal expires.
And as rights across the spectrum of leagues and competitions expire, the US market must consider Apple a serious player in bidding for those rights.
Adding European soccer coverage to its MLS offerings could become a priority for Apple, resulting in companies like ESPN, NBC and CBS digging deeper into their pockets to retain the rights or seeing those rights end up in Apple’s hands. , Amazon or even Netflix.
The sports coverage landscape is always changing and current trends point to live streaming services taking over from traditional TV channels. So keep an eye on what’s happening in the Netherlands as it will ultimately affect American fans as well.
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