It is expected that Prime Video’s package will include “significant regular-season and postseason games, perhaps even some conference finals"Getty Images
The NBA and Amazon's Prime Video have the “framework of a deal that will make the streaming service one of the main homes for the league’s games,” in what will be a “landmark move in sports media history,” according to sources cited by Andrew Marchand of THE ATHLETIC. It is expected that Prime Video’s package will include “significant regular-season and postseason games, perhaps even some conference finals." The anticipation is that the final contract will be “for at least a decade and begin the 2025-2026 season.” The NBA “prefers to have three companies involved in its new deals but has not ruled out adding a fourth.” The advancement in the Amazon and ESPN talks leaves incumbent Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns network TNT Sports, to "face off with NBC, owned by Comcast, for the likely last package of games" (
THE ATHLETIC, 4/26).
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WHAT NOW? THE ATHLETIC’s Marchand & Deitsch discussed Amazon's deal and noted it leaves a "battle royale for the final package between incumbent TNT Sports and NBC." The NBA "prefers to have just three partners," but there is an "outside chance it goes with four." Marchand noted his "first takeaway is that Prime Video has emerged as the biggest tech company in sports rights." When this deal is completed, Prime Video will "stream games for the NFL, NBA and MLB (locally in New York with the Yankees) and hold major rights around the globe.” Deitsch noted the Amazon deal is "potentially a monumental consumer change for NBA fans." Deitsch: "How will NBA fans react? I also think about what this might mean for the WNBA; my thinking is this could be very big for that package in the next couple of years.” For TNT's “Inside the NBA,” it seems "incomprehensible that the NBA would not want that show somewhere." TNT Sports also has "premium play-by-play callers" in Ian Eagle, Kevin Harlan and Brian Anderson. Deitsch: "But I don’t think having ‘Inside the NBA’ is a major factor here.” Marchand noted NBC comes into the equation with a “top-notch play-by-play combo with Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle.” So that is a “plus for production value” (
THE ATHLETIC, 4/27).
