Amazon has already experienced fantastic success in its partnership with the National Football League thanks to “Thursday Night Football” on Amazon Prime. With the NFL pulling in massive ratings to Prime Video, the company is reportedly turning its attention to the NBA.
Already one of the largest companies in the United States, Amazon has made expansion into live sports one of its biggest objectives in recent years. The company is paying the NFL over $1 billion per year for the exclusive rights to TNF and it’s in active talks to become part-owner of ESPN.
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However, partnering with the largest sports media company isn’t the only objective. There is also a bidding war for the future rights to the College Football Playoff, which could potentially come to Prime VIdeo by 2025. If that’s not enough, the company also reportedly has lofty ambitions with the NBA.
According to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, Amazon is reportedly eyeing a streaming rights deal with the NBA that would allow it to stream a package of games on Tuesday or Thursday nights.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has previously expressed an interest in the idea of the league having its own Thursday night primetime slate like the NFL. While it might not match the ratings the NFL provides Prime Video, an opportunity to expand the game’s reach and become more involved in streaming is something that would be in the league’s long-term interest.
Partnering with Amazon is something the NBA would reportedly be very interested, per Front Office Sports. Not only would a potential Thursday Night Basketball game help attract more attention, but it would also allow the league to connect with a much younger audience demographic than it can find on cable.
Any deal between the two sides would be worth billions of dollars, with the NBA likely wanting to secure long-term revenue. It would cost Amazon less than it’s paying for the NFL, but it would help boost viewership on Prime Video during the fall and winter all while bringing in new subscribers.
The first step will be NBA games on Prime Video every week. If that proves to be a success, the company could eventually try and push for having a playoff game down the line. Needless to say, the blueprint has already been laid out with the NFL deal and this might just be the next step in the future of live sports.