For Amazon, 2022 has been a year that has seen the online retailer continue to embrace streaming, but also seemingly go all-in on sports streaming as well. Not only did Prime Video become the exclusive home of the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football,” but the platform also began broadcasting in-market games for the New York Yankees and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, as well as select English Premier League soccer matches.
Now, according to a report from The Information, Amazon is looking to take its sports streaming aspirations even further. According to the outlet’s sources, Amazon is working on creating a standalone streaming app that will become a home for the company’s live sports rights. Currently, access to all of Amazon’s live games is included with a membership to Prime Video, but this move could signal a shift for the company.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has mentioned recently that the tech company does not intend to stop spending when it comes to securing sports rights, despite the fact that it is looking to cut costs in other areas of the business. That philosophy was on display recently as Amazon reportedly narrowly missed out on securing the NFL Sunday Ticket rights which eventually went to Google and YouTube TV.
The reporting from Theo Wayt and Martin Peers did not indicate when the new sports app would launch, or what Amazon’s plans to monetize it would be; the company could sell subscriptions to the standalone app, it could be an add-on, it could be included for free in a Prime Video membership, or some combination of those options. However, it does appear that the company is looking to provide a greater spotlight on its sports offerings by separating them from all of the other entertainment content currently found in Prime Video.
With the price tag for Amazon’s “TNF” deal reportedly running $1 billion every season for a decade, it would not be a surprise if the retail giant turned its sports rights into more than just a driver for Prime memberships. When Apple launches MLS Season Pass in February, it will be primarily as a standalone service outside of an Apple TV+ subscription. Though Apple TV+ customers will receive a discount and a number of games broadcast for free, the company’s goal is to use its decade-long deal with [Major League Soccer][MLS-soccer] to drive additional subscriptions on top of its flagship streamer. Amazon could very well do something similar.
In addition to the live sports rights, Amazon has also been investing in other sports content to supplement the actual games and matches. The company has begun airing 12 hours of original sports talk shows on both Prime Video and its free streamer Freevee, which could bring added benefits to a sports streamer should Amazon launch such a service. Prime Video also currently has a number of sports-focused documentaries, a genre that has proven to be very popular with streaming audiences this year.
If Amazon does introduce a new standalone sports service to its streaming repertoire, there should be little doubt that it will make a major splash in the market, as very few companies have the ability to spend on sports rights as Amazon does. With more and more viewing time shifting to streaming every year, consumers might want to start getting used to watching sports delivered by tech companies like Amazon, Apple, and Google, rather than traditional broadcasters like CBS, ESPN, FOX, and NBC.
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.