Apple (AAPL) is launching the first sports app to offer updates for real-time scores and stats. Yahoo Finance Reporters Josh Schafer, Brooke DiPalma, and Pras Subramanian discuss the app’s content possibilities among the latest sports package trends among streaming providers.
For more expert insights and the latest market moves, watch this entire episode of Yahoo Finance Live by clicking here.
Editor’s note: This article was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.
video transcript
Josh Schafer: And today, we’re starting with a new app from Apple, the Apple Sports app. This is likely Apple’s attempt to drive more users to streaming services. We know Apple is getting into sports broadcasting, namely MLS, right? They have also ventured into documentaries involving sports.
There’s a Patriots documentary that came out recently. Thus, they become more involved in the sports field. You can see the application on your screen here. One of the most important features of this is actually just the live scores. It has live scores.
You can see the rankings when you click on Upcoming Games. There are some gambling queues there. To be honest, Pas seems like a pretty superficial app right now, it’s a newly launched app, but it doesn’t quite have some of the features of some of my favorite sports apps.
I’m thinking maybe of ESPN, where you click and there’s news that comes with the app, other videos that come with the app, and more content that it brings to you. Here I added my favorite team, the Boston Bruins, to my favorites. They played in the NHL.
And that doesn’t give me much about the Bruins, those were my takeaways on the service level. Again, the application has just been launched. Maybe there will be more features that will come with it.
Pras Subramanyan: Yes. So it’s almost like an alpha phase right now, right? Because basically you can add leagues that the NFL is not a part of. You realize, for example, that the NFL isn’t a part of this for some reason. I think it’s because the season is over.
Or you can add your favorite teams. Then only scores or upcoming matches appear, you cannot click, you cannot get any news. There is no video component yet. But I think you’re right.
Maybe this is a way to direct users to the Apple TV app, there’s a pretty neat one here – I have it and it’ll tell you when certain games are coming up or how to watch them etc. There is a very nice way to inform you about it. So maybe this integration will come later. But right now I think the Yahoo Sports app is better, right? I think the ESPN app is better, both in terms of scores and things like video.
BROOKE DIPALMA: Yes. My point is, the old Google to see how your team is doing is no longer relevant. All of them.
Josh Schafer: You get an application. There’s always an app for that, right Brooke?
BROOKE DIPALMA: I do this. But I really think this app has been a long time coming as Apple is really trying to make its mark in the sports arena. So we saw them doing the halftime show with Usher. They’ve been doing the halftime show for several years.
It used to be PepsiCo. This shows that Apple is really doubling down on trying to get into this space. Of course, Tim Cook is very excited about this and tweeted that he can’t wait to use it in the 2024 MLS season, which starts tonight, right?
Josh Schafer: Mm-hmm.
BROOKE DIPALMA: Or was it last night?
Josh Schafer: Certainly.
BROOKE DIPALMA: Inter Miami CF vs. Real Salt Lake on Apple TV. So they’re really just trying to see the returns from this MLS partnership. I don’t know if they saw the full returns they originally hoped for.
Josh Schafer: Yeah, right now on the surface it seems like the best use case is MLS, right? Because Apple’s content is here. One of my favorite things about the ESPN app is that ESPN has the rights to so many sports.
So when you click on a game, you can watch the game within that app, and as Pras mentioned, it kind of creates more content for you within the app and with push notifications. So I think it will be interesting to see how Apple can leverage the app as they get deeper into sports, perhaps even owning more sports rights.
BROOKE DIPALMA: I think sports rights will be a game changer for this Apple TV. Additionally, these stats are provided by DraftKings, right?
Josh Schafer: Mm-hmm.
BROOKE DIPALMA: So, where does this partnership evolve? And ultimately how do they work together to make it big?
Josh Schafer: Always all about betting lines, Brooke.
BROOKE DIPALMA: It’s always about betting lines.
Pras Subramanyan: Tim Cook also stated that he is an Auburn fan, right? I’m also considering graduating. Maybe he’s an athlete, we’ll see.
Josh Schafer: Go Tigers.
Pras Subramanyan: Go to the Tigers, yes.
Josh Schafer: This is true of nearly half of the nation’s colleges.
Pras Subramanyan: Yes.