A historic contract, the gateway
The starting point of this revolution is the multimillion-dollar deal that Amazon announced together with the NBA in July 2024, an eleven-year media rights contract that replaces the long reign of TNT.
With this pact, Prime Video secures 66 regular season games in the United States plus exclusive rights to internal NBA tournaments such as the Emirates NBA Cup, the entire Play-In tournament, part of the playoffs and conference finals series in certain years.
That is, Amazon does not simply aspire to be another broadcasting point, but rather to play the role of a central platform for basketball fans.
This agreement is not small, since it is estimated that Amazon will pay close to 1.93 billion dollars annually for those rights, in what represents one of the most aggressive sports investments in its history.
But beyond the investment, what is impressive is how Amazon has committed to handling many of the production, transmission and user experience functions internally, with its own infrastructure for “end-to-end” coverage.
Strategic calendar and exclusivities
To demonstrate that it is not a project of good intentions, Amazon has already precisely mapped out how to distribute its emissions week by week. During the regular season, Prime Video will broadcast games on Friday nights and Thursdays at certain times of the year, adding some games on Saturday afternoons.
It will also take full control of all stages of the NBA Cup tournament (group stage, playoffs and final) and the Play-In.
A relevant detail is that Amazon opens its coverage with a “doubleheader” on Friday, October 24 with Celtics-Knicks and Timberwolves-Lakers, which will also be enabled in the online bettingmarking the first time that a streaming platform has released NBA games exclusively.
In addition, Amazon is awarded part of the playoff rights: in the first rounds, it will alternate series with ESPN/ABC and NBC/Peacock; and in six of the eleven years of the contract he will be responsible for covering the conference finals series (rotating).
More than cameras and sound
If Amazon wanted to show that it was serious, it has also done so with human and creative muscle. In its staff of commentators, analysts and presenters there are important names, such as Kevin Harlan e Ian Eagleplay-by-play veterans, signed to narrate the games on Prime Video.
In the analysis on the field and studies, names like Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade, Candace Parker, Brent Barry, Dell Curry, Udonis Haslem y Stan Van Gundy will be present.
And in addition, Amazon has organized its own production structures to have control over cameras, graphics, transmission and “immersive experience.”
In other words, Amazon does not rely on outsourcing much, but rather designs an integrated experience from source to viewer.
The questions raised by the model
Although the plan seems ambitious, it is not without risks. First, abandoning TNT represents a radical change in audience habits that can also translate into consumption of NBA bets. TNT even filed lawsuits and legal disputes when they lost the rights.
Second, although Amazon has a large subscriber base, converting them into fans who regularly watch basketball games is not trivial. It will be key that the experience is up to par.
On the other hand, the competition is real, since ESPN, NBC/Peacock and ABC will maintain a strong position with national games, proven teams and historical presence. Amazon will have to prove that its model can coexist.
Additionally, in international markets where the NBA already has a strong presence, Prime Video will need to coordinate with local broadcasters, regional rights and adaptations, which may cause programming friction or overlaps.
Finally, the pressure on the young audience that consumes streaming is high: if the experience is not smooth, viewers may return to traditional methods or pirate streams, which would be a serious blow to the credibility of the model.
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