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Big Tech, the NFL, and Streaming’s Golden Ticket
The stakes are high for NFL Sunday Ticket, the most valuable contract in sports media rights. And the tech giants are getting involved in the bidding for the biggest asset in digital streaming
In the story of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, there is an emphasis placed on the importance of the golden ticket. Famous yet reclusive chocolatier Willy Wonka would give an exclusive tour of his chocolate factory to the five lucky winners of these tickets. The factory tour is the pinnacle of a kid’s fantasy, where the most delicious treats are made in an ambiance that is nothing short of magical. It is everything that a sweet-loving kid could hope for.
There is a similar type of golden ticket in the sports media world: the right to broadcast the NFL’s games. Or more specifically, the NFL Sunday Ticket contract which is currently up for grabs after being in the possession of DirecTV since 1994. And while you may expect companies like Spectrum, Xfinity, or Cox to be in on the bidding war it is big tech companies that are looking to earn the right to stream the NFL’s action every Sunday. This is an indication of where sports stands in the streaming wars as the last battle worth fighting.
