Apple VP Eddy Cue visits Real Madrid, inks innovative sports content deal
Apple’s ambition to define the future of sports entertainment has taken a huge step forward on a GQ report of a partnership between Cupertino and globally-recognized team, Real Madrid. The two partners have worked together on an immersive visionOS documentary and plan immersive sports viewing experiences, they said.
Apple & Real Madrid shoot for the future of sports
“Apple and Real Madrid are working together on a project that I have been pursuing for many years: to allow any fan to experience the excitement of the Bernabeu as if they were here, in the stadium itself, “Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez told GQ.
“Apple is a company that represents the union between innovation, design and excellence. And for Real Madrid, it has been essential to find a technology partner that shares that same vision,” Pérez said.
In a note on the official Real Madrid website, the team explains that a delegation from Apple, headed by senior vice president of Services Eddy Cue, visited the Real Madrid’s Bernabéu stadium this week. They announced an the documentary, recorded during the team’s 1-0 Champion’s League victory over Juventus last month, will appear on Vision Pro next year. Footage was shot from every corner of the stadium, including shots of changing rooms, the tunnel to the pitch and elsewhere.
What Eddy Cue said
Reflecting on what Apple has achieved in sports, Cue told GQ: “With Friday Night Baseball we took our first big step in sports broadcasting. This year we have integrated images of the iPhone 17 Pro directly into a professional broadcast for the first time in history.”
He also called the deal with Major League Soccer, “a profound transformation of football in the United States, because it allows you to watch all the games from anywhere and without restrictions.”
Coming soon
You could argue that the Real Madrid has already become a poster child for the vision Apple VP Eddy Cue has clearly always had for sports entertainment.
Perez has explained his ambition before and has always seen the internet as a way to reach more fans. He says the eventual ambition is to create digital products which allow supporters to experience e the stadium from anywhere.
“I’m thinking about doing it with Apple, for example. It’s very easy. The thing is, some people watch it at home with glasses and, I have to say, it looks better than in the stadium. They would have a seat at home, a Madrid season ticket. And that’s what I’m working on.”
The plan took time
Reaching this point took time. Apple and Real Madrid have been in conversation for a couple of years. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, visited the club in 2023, when the team was hoping to achieve Apple sponsorship.
Integration with Apple’s solutions is already apparent across the stadium, which accepts Apple Wallet for ticketing, payments, transit and more, while also providing interactive match details that can be accessed on an iPhone.
Apple is working hard to define the future of immersive sports. It reached a deal with the England Women’s Super league earlier this year and reached a broadcast agreement with Major League Soccer in 2022. It has also been discussed as a potential purchaser of Manchester United, though nothing came of that.
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