Prior to the big launch of Vision Pro, it was rumored that live sports coverage would be one of the main selling points Apple was trying to push.

However, when Vision Pro finally debuted, sports mysteriously disappeared from Apple's main talk.

Last month, The Information noted that this was due to "the current state of Internet speed and data volume" and that a "seamless" experience may be beyond the reach of most buyers.

Apple, however, has not given up on this dream, and according to an exclusive report in the New York Post, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that "the league is working with Apple to bring a technologically enhanced viewing experience to the next headset." Asked about it, he replied, "We are working very closely with Apple."

While the specifics are less clear, the idea that Apple would be interested is not entirely surprising for a number of reasons. Not only did Apple demonstrate the courtside experience above, but the NBA already has VR infrastructure in place, allowing Meta Quest owners to watch games live in virtual reality through the Horizon Worlds app.

And Apple is clearly also increasing its interest in sports; Apple TV Plus subscribers can already stream Friday Night Baseball and Major League Soccer. Just this week, it was reported that Apple is in talks with the German Bundesliga to make Europe's top league soccer available on Apple TV Plus.

The NBA's current deal with Warner Bros. and Disney expires in April 2024, and according to CNBC, the NBA will likely "carve out one or two new packages for bidders, pushing its media rights partners from two to three or four."

According to Silver, Apple is not alone in its interest. He told The Post, "In a general sense, I have a lot of conversations with media companies and tech companies."

"I think they are looking for ways they can find new opportunities to distribute these sports rights in unique and different ways, in a broader way than before, especially around the personalization and customization that comes with a lot of advanced technology."

Such a partnership certainly makes sense, as Apple is eager to show off the game-changing nature of its headset. The more use cases Apple can provide for its $3,500 headset, the more certain the future of augmented reality as a long-term iPhone replacement will be.