Amazon is diving deeper into live sports streaming, signing a deal Wednesday that could give Prime Video subscribers access to MLB, NBA and NHL games.
The retailer is partnering with Diamond Sports as part of a restricting deal that will see that regional broadcaster emerge from bankruptcy. Diamond holds the broadcast rights to 11 Major League Baseball teams, 15 teams from the NBA and 11 pro hockey teams. The deal must still be approved by the bankruptcy court.
The deal comes a live sports have become an increasingly valuable asset for streaming services. Apple has spent heavily for Major League Soccer and MLB games and Amazon currently has the exclusive broadcast rights to Thursday Night Football. Just last week, NBCUniversal’s Peacock was the exclusive broadcast home of the Kansas City Chiefs AFC Wild Card Game, for which the company reportedly paid $110 million.
That game on Peacock captured a total audience of 27.6 million viewers—and set an overall Internet record, with the network saying 30% of all Internet traffic during the game was being consumed by Peacock, more than any online event in history. Those are certainly numbers that Amazon envied.
Diamond, which filed for bankruptcy last March, said Prime Video will become a primary partner, with subscribers able to access content to the games it carries, including pre- and post-game coverage. Amazon Prime already carries some New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets games produced by the YES Network.
“We are thrilled to have reached a comprehensive restructuring agreement that provides a detailed framework for a reorganization plan and substantial new financing that will enable Diamond to operate and thrive beyond 2024,” said David Preschlack, CEO of Diamond, in a statement. “We are grateful for the support from Amazon and a group of our largest creditors.”
Some fans were upset with the NFL streaming exclusive, though, as they didn’t want to pay for yet another service.
Streaming service Max, last year, announced plans to offer its subscribers access to live sports events for a limited time. Users who choose the add-on package, done in conjunction with Bleacher Report, will be able to watch free through Feb. 29. 2024. After that, a $10 per month surcharge will kick in. The package will include games from MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA Men’s March Madness, U.S. Soccer and more.
Live sports are seen as can’t-miss programming, which bring viewers into the streaming service and could encourage them to linger afterwards.