Prime Video Inks Multiyear Deal with Professional Pickleball Association as Streamer Continues Investment in Sports
Amazon is planning to make a serious investment on America’s fastest-growing sport. For the first time ever, pickleball will stream live on Prime Video thanks to a multiyear agreement with the Carvana Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour, giving streaming service exclusive global streaming rights to four live PPA Tour events per year, including the 2023-24 PPA World Championship Series. Coverage officially begins on Thursday, May 18 with the Acrytech Atlanta Open, and continues throughout the pickleball season.
Hosted by on-air analysts Dave Fleming and Kyle McKenzie, as well as play-by-play announcers Michelle McMahon and Camryn Irwin, the Acrytech Atlanta Open is one of four Majors on the PPA Tour this year and will offer teams double the typical ranking points.
What Professional Pickleball Association Events Will Be Streamed on Prime Video in 2023?
| Dates | Event | Broadcast Times |
|---|---|---|
| May 18-21 | Acrytech Atlanta Open | 10 a.m. ET-6 p.m. ET daily |
| Aug. 24-27 | Vulcan Kansas City Open | 11 a.m. ET-7 p.m. ET daily |
| Oct. 5-8 | Guaranteed Rate Championships | 1 p.m. ET-9 p.m. ET daily |
| Oct. 12-15 | CIBC (USA vs. World) Boca Raton Open | 10 a.m. ET-6 p.m. ET daily |
Amazon has been adding more sports to the Prime Video platform over the past few years. The biggest acquisition was no doubt landing the exclusive rights to NFL’s “Thursday Night Football” package, though its first year provided mixed sentiment among viewers and pundits alike amidst declining viewership numbers. Prime Video also features baseball, including 20 New York Yankees games, ONE Championship fighting, WNBA, and Overtime Elite basketball, collegiate tennis, European soccer, and now pickleball.
In addition to daily sports talk shows on Prime Video and Freevee, Amazon is investing in sports as it prepares to launch a sports-focused streaming app. With Amazon acquiring more and more streaming rights from a variety of sports and leagues, it appears that the company might be looking to dominate that industry just as it does the online retail business.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Amazon Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.