Prime Video to Stream ‘Thursday Night Football’ Alternate Broadcast with Dude Perfect; First of Multiple Alternate Stream Announcements
As if NFL football wasn’t exciting enough already, on Monday, Amazon announced that when “Thursday Night Football” officially moved exclusively over to Prime Video this fall, it will be accompanied by a one-of-a-kind alternate broadcast hosted by the viral, trick-shot artists of Dude Perfect.
“TNF with Dude Perfect” will air in conjunction with select NFL games on both Prime Video and Amazon-owned Twitch during the upcoming season, but the tech giant did not reveal the number or dates of the show’s airings. As The Streamable previously hypothesized, it appears that Amazon will opt to rotate through multiple alternative broadcast setups over the course of the season, as the streamer confirmed that this was the first of “multiple alternate stream announcements” to come.
Whenever Dude Perfect is on hand, it will feature the crew’s Tyler Toney, twins Cory and Coby Cotton, Garrett Hilbert, and Cody Jones for a unique, family-friendly approach to an alt-broadcast. With over 58 million subscribers on YouTube, “The Dudes” are known for their incredible — and increasingly complex — trick shots and stunts. By joining Amazon for NFL coverage, Dude Perfect is “setting out to raise the stakes with off-the-wall challenges, good-spirited ribbing, and life-changing dares rooted in on-field action.”
“We are excited to bring the Dudes’ unbridled joy and infectious energy to Thursday Night Football,” Prime Video’s Vice President of Global Sports Video Marie Donoghue said, “and look forward to welcoming their entire community with an alternate viewing experience that we know families will love watching together on Prime Video.”
Dude Perfect first met as roommates at Texas A&M and have gone on to amass an online following of over 100 million as they turn out family-friendly and kid-beloved videos in multiple franchises, including “Stereotypes,” “Overtime,” and their “Bucket List” travel series. Already on tap, the Dudes are planning to predict what happens in the next play and welcome an entertaining parade of dunk tanks, pudding cannons, special guests, and the occasional world record attempt.
“We are incredibly pumped to join Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football coverage and deliver a Dude Perfect-style viewing experience unlike anything that anyone has ever seen,” Dude Perfect’s Tyler Toney said. “We are huge football fans and are excited about the opportunity in front of us to provide a unique and entertaining TNF experience for millions of families.”
There have been a lot of rumors and reports surrounding alternate broadcasts for Prime Video’s first season hosting “TNF.” From former NFL punter turned WWE commentator and competitor Pat McAfee hosting a ManningCast style show to former New Orleans Saint quarterback and NBC analyst Drew Brees hosting a “QBs-Only” alternate broadcast, there have been a lot of ideas floated as alternate options for Amazon.
With both McAfee and Brees, some onlookers have wondered whether their current schedules would allow them to host a full season of simulcasts, but if both of those plans come to fruition, combined with Dude Perfect, each could handle one-third of the season (five or six regular season games apiece). That way, Amazon could offer three unique, regular alternate broadcast ideas throughout the season, that would give the audience an interesting variety, while also being able to utilize in-demand talent to the fullest.
Kicking off on Sept. 15 with a Week 2 matchup between the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Chargers and AFC Championship finalists the Kansas City Chiefs, Prime Video will become the first streaming service to air a season-long exclusive national broadcast package with the NFL. Long-time broadcasters Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit will handle the play-by-play and color commentary for the main broadcast, and time will tell who rounds out the stable of contributors on the alternate side of the equation.
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.