Apple is said to be in talks with MGM Holdings and the Pac-12 Conference to add more content to its Apple TV app and Apple TV+ streaming service.
Representatives of MGM Holdings, which owns the James Bond franchise, and the Pac-12, which includes UCLA and USC among its 12 member universities, have reportedly held meetings with Apple executives this year, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
If a deal with MGM pushes through, Apple will be able to offer its viewers a library that includes the James Bond movies, in addition to several popular TV properties and assets including the Epix network. Other movies owned by MGM include Four Weddings and a Funeral, RoboCop, The Hobbit, The Magnificent Seven, and The Silence of the Lambs.
A partnership with the Pac-12, meanwhile, will add live sports to Apple TV’s portfolio. The conference has its own cable network, with over 100 marquee basketball and football games licensed to ESPN and Fox in deals that will not expire until 2024, according to Deadline. This means that if Apple does get involved, it will not offer the major games.
Deadline, however, noted that the talks between Apple and the Pac-12 happened while the conference was actively looking for an equity partner, as it has recently lost ground to the SEC and Big 10.
Apple’s discussions with both MGM and the Pac-12 are said to be in the preliminary stages, so it remains unknown if the talks will lead to new content for Apple TV.
Apple TV+ launched on November 1 with nine original programs, including The Morning Show, which stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. The series, which has earned the service’s first award nominations from the Golden Globes, has aired the final episode of its first season.
Apple TV+ is going up against the likes of Netflix, which has deep connections to Hollywood, and Disney+, which has a massive content library. It remains to be seen whether partnerships with MGM or the Pac-12 conference will give it enough of a boost to better match up against its rivals, but it appears that Apple is not backing down from the challenge.
