by Apple (AAPL) launches its first sports app that offers real-time score and stats updates. Yahoo Financial Reporters Josh Schafer, Brooke DiPalma, and Pras Subramanian discuss the content prospects for this app amid recent sports bundle trends among streaming providers.
For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Yahoo Finance Live.
Note to editor: This article was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.
Video transcript
JOSH SCHAFER: And today, we’re kicking off a new app from Apple – the Apple Sports app. This is an attempt by Apple to drive more users to their streaming service. We know Apple has gotten into streaming sports, namely the MLS, right? And they are also included in sports related documentaries.
There is a Patriots documentary that came out recently. So they’re sort of getting more in the sports space. You can see the app here on your screen. One of the main features of it, in fact, is live scores. It has live scores.
When you click on Upcoming Games, you can see the standings. There are several gambling lines that go on there. Honestly, Passport, the app that just launched seems like a nice surface level app right now, but it lacks some of the features of some of my favorite sports apps.
I’m thinking maybe ESPN when you click and there’s news that comes up with the app and other videos that come up with the app and kind of more content that it brings you. I would rather my favorite team here, the Boston Bruins. They are playing in the NHL.
And not only is it giving me a lot on the Bruins I had the sort of takeaway on the level of service. Again, the app has just been launched. Maybe there will be more features to come.
PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: Yes. I mean, it’s like almost alpha phase right now, right? Because basically, you can add leagues, which the NFL is not a part of. Like, you notice the NFL isn’t part of it for some reason. I feel like the season is over.
Or you can add your favorite teams. And then only the scores or upcoming games come up, you can’t click in, you can’t get any news. There is no video component yet. But I think you are right.
Maybe it’s a way to drive users to maybe the Apple TV app, where it has a pretty cool way – I have it and it has a pretty cool way to notify you when certain games are close or how to watch them and things. So maybe that integration is coming later. But now, I think the Yahoo Sports app is better, right? I think the – I think ESPN is a better app for both scores and kind of like maybe some videos, too.
BROOKE DIPALMA: Yes. I mean, it’s not the old Google to see how your team is doing anymore. That’s all.
JOSH SCHAFER: You get an app. There’s always an app for that, right, Brooke?
BROOKE DIPALMA: I do that. But I really think that app, this has been a long time coming, because Apple really tries to make its mark in the field of sports. I mean, we saw them do the halftime show with Usher. Now they have been doing the halftime show for a few years.
It was formerly PepsiCo. It shows that Apple is really doubling down on trying to get into the space. Of course, Tim Cook is excited about this, tweeting that he can’t wait to use it during the 2024 MLS season, which starts tonight, right?
JOSH SCHAFER: Mm-hmm.
BROOKE DIPALMA: Or last night?
JOSH SCHAFER: Definitely.
BROOKE DIPALMA: Between Inter Miami CF and Real Salt Lake on Apple TV. So just trying to see the results from this MLS partnership that they did. I don’t know if they are seeing the results that they initially hoped for.
JOSH SCHAFER: Yes, it seems on the surface right now, it’s the best use case for the MLS, right? Because that is where Apple is the subject. One of my favorite things about, say, the ESPN app is that ESPN owns so many sports rights.
So when you click on a game, you can watch the game inside that app and it creates more content for you inside the app, and with push notifications as well, as Pras mentioned. So I think it will be interesting to see where it goes for Apple as they go deeper into sports, maybe even get more sports rights, how they can leverage the app.
BROOKE DIPALMA: I think the sports franchise will be a game changer for this Apple TV. Also, they’re also getting – the stats available at DraftKings, right?
JOSH SCHAFER: Mm-hmm.
BROOKE DIPALMA: So in that case, you know, where does that partnership come from? And how do they work together to finally grow this?
JOSH SCHAFER: Always know about the betting lines, Brooke.
BROOKE DIPALMA: Always under the betting lines.
PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: And Tim Cook noticed Auburn fans, right? I think alum, too. So maybe that’s– he’s a sportsman, so we’ll see.
JOSH SCHAFER: Go Tigers.
PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: Go Tigers, yeah.
JOSH SCHAFER: That applies to almost half of the colleges in the country.
PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: Yes.
