By Senad Karaahmetovic
The New York Times reported Wednesday that negotiations for NFL Sunday Ticket will extend into next year. The report is in contrast with comments from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who told CNBC in July that the new media partner for Sunday Ticket will be selected by fall.
While Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has been considered a front-runner, it appears that the Cupertino-based tech titan is facing fierce competition from Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) for the league's last available TV rights.
Google is reportedly looking to get Sunday Ticket onto YouTube TV, while Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Disney (NYSE:DIS) are in the active discussion too.
"We're curious how the NFL will approach this since nearly every Sunday Ticket article this year has focused on streaming partners, which is clearly set up as the lion's share of the contract," Wells Fargo analysts wrote in a note Friday.
The NFL is reportedly seeking over $2.5 billion annually for Sunday Ticket rights, an increase of $1B from the current 8-year deal.
Analysts with D.A. Davidson said recently that Amazon is unlikely to bid for Sunday Ticket rights.
"At a time when technology companies are tightening their belts, it would be shocking to see Amazon spend more for N.F.L. rights given the challenges they have already had," they said said.