Apple wants to bring Formula 1 racing to its streaming platform on a global scale, much like its current deal with Major League Soccer. However, that plan is hitting a major speed bump right now. Sky has officially extended its broadcast rights for the sport in both the United Kingdom and Italy. This renewal makes it much harder for the tech brand to secure a single, worldwide package anytime soon.
Sky renewal forces a delay for worldwide streaming package plans
The tech giant aims to offer a unified sports package through Apple TV. A global deal gives fans one simple place to watch every race without worrying about local channel blackouts. But Formula 1 deals are currently split up among many different regional networks across the globe.
With news that Sky is keeping the rights in Europe, the broadcaster locks up two of the most popular markets for the sport. It will maintain its hold on the U.K. and Italy for the next few years. This means the streaming platform cannot promise a true worldwide pass to its subscribers.
The company will now have to decide if it wants to buy rights piece by piece or wait for these new regional contracts to expire. Building a worldwide sports hub takes time, and this latest contract extension shows that traditional broadcasters are not ready to hand over the keys to streaming brands just yet.
