Apple wants to challenge Disney and Netflix in the streaming wars — and is looking to live sports to do it.

The technology giant is ready to spend billions on live sports to drive subscriptions to its Apple TV+ streaming service, according to investment firm Wedbush.

The investor note lends credence to recent reports that Apple has been in talks with major sports leagues.

• Last week, the New York Post reported that Apple is in serious talks to secure a weekday game package from Major League Baseball.
• The company has reportedly shown interest in “NFL Sunday Ticket,” which could garner $2.5 billion per season in broadcast rights.
• The Premier League struck a licensing deal with Apple TV+’s hit comedy “Ted Lasso” that allows the show to use the league’s footage, logos, club kits, and trophy.
• Apple does not disclose its subscriber count, but Wedbush estimated Apple TV+ has 20 million paying subscribers, with another 25 million on free trials associated with product purchases.

Apple does not currently offer live television of any kind.

The Service Sector

Known best for its hardware, Apple has been making a broad push in its services division, which includes Apple Fitness+, Apple Arcade, Apple Music, and Apple TV+.

Apple Fitness+, launched in December 2020, expanded to 15 new countries in November. The service rolled out a new set of features on Jan. 10.

Apple’s services collectively brought in a record $18.3 billion in revenue in fiscal Q4 2021, up 25% year-over-year.

Four sports marketing agencies were asked to submit final bids for media and sponsorship rights to UEFA’s men’s club competitions in what could be one of the most expensive rights tenders in sports history.

Incumbent TEAM Marketing, Relevent Sports Group, Endeavor’s IMG, and Wanda Group’s Infront Sports have emerged as the finalists for the bid.

Gross revenue reached roughly $4.1 billion from commercial rights sales in 2021-22. In the two cycles running from 2024-30, the rights are expected to bring in more than $30 billion.

• In the 2015-18 cycle, revenue totaled a reported $2.7 billion annually. During the 2018-21 cycle, revenue reached $3.7 billion annually.
• Roughly 85% of that is from media, and the rest from sponsorships. 

Each company is bidding on the 2024-27 cycle with an option for 2027-30. TEAM has held the rights for more than 25 years.

Revamped Rights

The winner reportedly could be announced in the coming days, and would receive rights to the Champions League and Europa League.

Starting in the 2024 season, the Champions League will move from a 32-team format to a 36-team format with 10 group-stage matches instead of six. UEFA is also adding the Europa Conference league, a tournament below the Champions and Europa Leagues.

Many of the U.S. investors buying up stakes in soccer teams worldwide are reportedly based in the same region: Florida.

The Sunshine State provides more than just a favorable climate. It’s become a fertile ground for investors to network with club executives — and each other — to increase their chances of purchasing ownership in teams thousands of miles away, per Bloomberg.

• John Textor’s investment company Eagle Football LLC bought a 40% stake in Crystal Palace for about $123 million, an 80% stake in RWD Molenbeek, and a 90% stake in Botafogo.
• Josh Wander, co-founder of 777 Partners, purchased full ownership of Serie A’s Genoa C.F.C. for $175 million. The group also has a 15% stake in Sevilla FC, valued at $436.5 million.
• Pacific Media Group, co-founded by Paul Conway and Chien Lee, has a robust roster, owning pieces of Barnsley FC, Esbjerg fB, AS Nancy, KV Oostende, and FC Thun.

Americans in Soccer

The Florida contingent is part of a larger group of U.S.-based investors pouring millions into teams abroad.

Other teams with American owners include Premier League clubs Manchester United (the Glazers), Arsenal (Kroenke Sports and Entertainment), and Liverpool (Fenway Sports Group).

Additional clubs with American owners or partial owners include Olympique de Marseille (Frank McCourt), Spezia (Robert Platek), Inter Milan (Oaktree Capital), and Atletico (Ares Management Corporation).

The Global Wellness Institute released new data that suggests the wellness tourism market will hit $817 billion in value by the end of 2022.

Known as travel associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing one’s personal well-being, with a growing number of travelers specifically seeking out emerging fitness- and sports-related offerings.

The market reached a record $720 billion in 2019 but took a drastic hit in 2020, falling to $436 billion due to the pandemic.

GWI’s data shows that secondary wellness tourists — travelers who seek wellness experiences while on a trip for leisure or business — made up 92% of wellness travel in 2020.

The top five destination markets for wellness tourism expenditures in 2020:

1. United States: $162.1 billion
2. Germany: $59 billion
3. France: $21.3 billion
4. China: $19.5 billion
5. Japan: $19.1 billion

Big Spending

The market is estimated to reach $1.3 trillion by 2025 — the fastest growth rate of any wellness market through that year. The projected spike is the result of wellness travelers spending more per trip than the average tourist.

In 2020, international wellness travelers spent an average of $1,601 per trip, 35% more than typical international tourists. Domestic wellness travelers spent roughly $619 per trip in 2020; a 177% spike compared to the average domestic tourist.