Amazon.com Inc.
Amazon.com Inc.
24/07/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 24/07/2024 20:53
Prime Video reaches a landmark 11-year streaming deal with the NBA and the WNBA
Prime Video will be the exclusive streaming service for 66 regular-season NBA games beginning in 2025, including the Emirates NBA cup and the NBA Playoffs, as well as regular and postseason WNBA games beginning in 2026.
Amazon Prime Video and the NBA today announced an 11-year media rights agreement, beginning with the 2025-26 NBA season. In a landmark deal, Prime Video will present exclusive global coverage for 66 regular-season NBA games, including an opening-week doubleheader, a new Black Friday NBA game, and all games from the Knockout Rounds of the Emirates NBA Cup, including the in-season tournament's Semifinals and Finals.
Prime Videoalso acquires rights to exclusive coverage of every game of the postseason SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, first- and second-round playoff games, and Conference Finals in six of the 11 years of the deal. Prime Video will distribute its package of games in the U.S. and internationally, with an expanded package of games in select territories, including Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. This expanded package includes a minimum of 20 additional primetime, regular-season games each year, a Conference Finals series each year, and the NBA Finals in six of the 11 years.
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As part of the agreement, Prime Video Channels will also be the strategic partner and third-party global channels store destination for NBA League Pass, the NBA's subscription service for streaming live and on-demand games, in the U.S. and internationally.
"The digital opportunities with Amazon align perfectly with the global interest in the NBA," said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. "And Prime Video's massive subscriber base will dramatically expand our ability to reach our fans in new and innovative ways."
"Elevating our partnership with Amazon allows us to provide more games and access to fans who subscribe to Prime Video around the world at a time of historic interest in the WNBA and women's basketball," said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. "Amazon has demonstrated its dedication to the growth of our sport throughout our current partnership and will now be a significant contributor to the long-term sustainability of the WNBA for the players, league, and teams."
"NBA and WNBA basketball will serve as yet another cornerstone of the robust sports business our Prime Video team has built in just the last six years," said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. "When combined with our original films and shows; partner streaming services; licensed content; and rent or buy titles-our sports offering is a major driver of Prime Video's evolution into a genuine one-stop shop for everything our customers want in video."
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"We are proud to be the first exclusive streaming partner for the NBA, bringing Prime members across the globe one of the most exciting and most popular sports in the world. With 66 regular-season games, the NBA Cup, the Play-In Tournament, more than 20 playoff games every year, and NBA League Pass, we're giving basketball fans around the world more ways than ever to watch the action," said Jay Marine, global head of Sports, Prime Video. "Over the past few years, we have worked hard to bring the very best of sports to Prime Video and to continue to innovate on the viewing experience. We're thrilled to now add the NBA to our growing sports lineup, including the NFL, UEFA Champions League, NASCAR, NHL, WNBA, NWSL, Wimbledon, and more. We are grateful to partner with the NBA, and can't wait to tip-off in 2025."
Prime Video's regular-season NBA coverage will tip off at the start of the 2025-26 season with an opening-week doubleheader, and will include Friday night games, select Saturday afternoon games, and Thursday night doubleheaders, which will begin in January 2026 after the conclusion of Prime Video's Thursday Night Football schedule. Prime Video will present live NBA pregame, postgame, and halftime shows as part of its coverage, with additional details around talent and production to be announced at a later date. Prime Video will also stream half of all NBA Summer League games, as well as a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.
The international live-game package rights extend worldwide, with the exception of Greater China, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands, with rights in Canada beginning in the 2026-27 NBA season.
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Prime Video and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) also announced a new 11-year rights agreement, commencing in 2026, in which Prime Video will exclusively stream 30 WNBA regular-season games each season worldwide, including the Championship Game of the WNBA Commissioner's Cup presented by Coinbase. The agreement also gives Prime Video exclusive WNBA postseason games for the first time, including one first-round series each year, plus seven Semifinal series, and three WNBA Finals over the course of the 11-year deal. Prime Video Channels will also be the global channels store destination for WNBA League Pass, the WNBA's subscription service for streaming live and on-demand games, in the U.S. and internationally.
"The WNBA is soaring in popularity, and we're so gratified to continue our relationship and to have the chance to showcase these incredible athletes to even more Prime members around the world," said Marine. "This is an incredibly exciting moment for the league as more fans discover just how fun and thrilling WNBA action is-we're proud to have been their partner over the past four seasons, and to re-affirm our commitment to the W and its fans, both old and new, for years to come."
Prime Video will stream the package of WNBA games worldwide (excluding Greater China, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands).
Over the past three years, Prime Video has rapidly become a leader in presenting live sports worldwide, with a lineup of marquee properties available on the service in 2024 and 2025, including the NFL, the WNBA, NASCAR, and the NWSL in the U.S., the NHL in Canada, UEFA Champions League soccer in the UK, Germany, and Italy, Premier League soccer in the UK and Sweden, Roland Garros tennis in France, and Wimbledon in Germany and Austria.