Apple reportedly has its sights on the world’s biggest soccer league.

The tech giant is exploring a bid for U.K. media rights to the Premier League, according to the Daily Mail, which would likely present a formidable challenge to the league’s current broadcasters.

• The league’s current deals with Sky Sports, BBC Sport, BT Sport, and Amazon run through 2025, but the next set of rights negotiations will happen later this year.
• Those broadcasters will collectively pay $6.3 billion over the current three-year cycle — certain American Premier League team owners, such as Chelsea’s Todd Boehly, reportedly believe it is underpriced.

In November, BT Sport closed a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to create a new sports media giant in the U.K. and Ireland that holds rights to the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, the Olympics, Grand Slam tennis tournaments, and the Tour de France.

Apple’s Goal

Boasting a market capitalization of $2.2 trillion, Apple has made soccer a central part of its sports media strategy. 

It turned heads last June by securing a 10-year, $2.5 billion contract for exclusive rights to stream Major League Soccer. It has also reportedly bid for rights for Eredivisie, Netherlands’ top soccer league.

In 2021, it struck a deal with the Premier League to use its licensed material in its hit show “Ted Lasso.” 

Last week, it released a docuseries on the European Super League titled “The War for Football.”

France’s top soccer team is set to leave the only home it has ever known.

Paris Saint-Germain will be looking to move from its Parc des Princes stadium after it was unable to get on the same page with the Paris city government.

• Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said over the weekend that the city would not sell the iconic venue to PSG, calling it “an exceptional heritage for Parisians.”
• “The mayor is forcing PSG to leave its home,” said a team spokesperson. “PSG is now forced to find alternative options to relocate the club.”
• The club had made acquiring the stadium a prerequisite for spending $540 million on renovating and expanding the stadium.

Hidalgo would still like to work with PSG, owned by Qatar Sports Investments, on refurbishing Parc des Princes, where PSG has played since its founding in 1970. PSG says it has spent around $75.6 million on stadium improvements already.

House Hunting

PSG could look to purchase the government-owned Stade de France, which is for sale. With a capacity of 80,000, the French national stadium is the sixth-largest in Europe. The team could also develop the Hippodrome near their current home or start fresh by purchasing undeveloped land.

The team wants a modern venue to maximize revenue along the lines of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which opened in 2019.

The Cleveland Guardians are doubling down on their current home.

The MLB team will make a broad set of renovations to Progressive Field and sign a new lease agreement.

• The construction will include changes to the upper deck, clubhouses, terrace hub and dugout club seating areas, and the team’s front office — and will cost an estimated $202.5 million.
• Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and Ohio will contribute $135 million of that sum.
• The Guardians will chip in the remaining $67.5 million.

The deal is contingent on the team honoring a new lease that runs through 2036 with options to extend an additional 10 years. 

Stadium Spending

The Guardians aren’t the only team investing in their home.

The Toronto Blue Jays will put $224 million into modernizing the Rogers Centre over the next two offseasons, with the first stage prioritizing social spaces, bars, patios, and viewing platforms.

Meanwhile, the New York Mets are moving the Citi Field right-field fence in by 8 feet, 6 inches to accommodate luxury seating with personal TVs and a speakeasy-inspired menu.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are unsure whether they will remain in Chase Field, with some reports suggesting team owner Ken Kendrick could explore a sale.

A golf-focused entertainment company backed by Tiger Woods has secured an investment from one of the sport’s largest companies. 

TaylorMade Golf has invested in PopStroke, which provides players with app-based scorekeeping plus food and drink delivery to the course.

“The combination of PopStroke, Tiger, and TaylorMade not only brings unique international visibility but accelerates our trajectory as we push to become the premier brand in golf entertainment,” said PopStroke founder Greg Bartoli.

• The investment values PopStroke at $650 million. 
• PopStroke has a location in Houston and will launch three Florida venues by 2024.
• Two locations are currently under construction in Arizona. 

As part of the investment, TaylorMade will have product placement throughout PopStroke venues, including premium rental putters and golf balls that visitors can use and take home. 

In 2021, TaylorMade was acquired by South Korea-based private equity firm Centroid Investment Partners for $1.7 billion — one of the largest acquisitions ever in the golf goods industry. Centroid purchased TaylorMade from New York-based KPS Capital Partners. 

KPS acquired TaylorMade in May 2017 from Adidas for $425 million. 

Stiff Competition

PopStroke aims to compete with other major players in the golf entertainment industry, including Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp. In March 2021, Callaway purchased Topgolf for $2.6 billion and rebranded in August 2022 to prioritize its entertainment and dining venture.

Topgolf has over 70 locations and plans to open 11 per year over the next four years.