Apple's proposal is an effort to expand its sports portfolio, which presently includes MLS and Major League Baseball in the US.

Apple is contemplating a bid for the streaming rights to a few English Premier League (EPL) games in the United Kingdom.

According to Bloomberg, the tech company's proposal is an effort to expand its sports portfolio, which presently includes Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball in the United States.

Sky Sports, BT, and Amazon paid £5.12 billion ($6.3 billion) for the EPL's UK streaming rights from 2022 to 2025.

Bloomberg reports that Apple will also compete for streaming rights to English Football League (EFL) games, citing individuals familiar with the situation.

The EFL stated that it is examining several possible offers that could treble the value of its present arrangement.

Sky Sports, which has exclusively televised EFL games in the UK since 2002, presently pays £119 million per year for that privilege.

Nevertheless, the football governing body is considering switching to a hybrid model, similar to the one used by the Premier League, which could see it get up to £200 million each year.

Sports broadcasting powerhouse Dazn and Swedish firm Viaplay are also said to be interested in the rights.

The EFL feels there is a need for more of its games, as Sky presently broadcasts just 138 games each year, with relatively few League One and League Two games appearing on television.

Despite the fact that all Premier League games are televised live in most locations across the world, England's top division thinks that restricting the amount of matches broadcasted boosts the value of their rights.

Streaming rights are where the money is in sport, which helps to explain the American interest in acquiring EPL teams.

Arsenal, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United (currently) are all owned by US investors.

Five teams, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Leeds, and Manchester City, have US funding, suggesting that Americans have a hand in half of the EPL.

The United States is interested in more than just the Premier League, with EFL teams a target for those lacking the massive finances necessary for a multi-billion-pound buyout.

American investors control Millwall, Ipswich, and, probably most notably, Wrexham, which is owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

(Investing.com, Proactiveinvestors.co.uk, Bloomberg.com)