Amazon Prime’s head of sports, Jay Marine, recently finalized a groundbreaking deal with the NBA worth nearly $20 billion over 11 years, making Amazon a major broadcaster of the NBA and WNBA, among other leagues. The deal came together quickly after a call from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and Amazon now joins ESPN and TNT as a rights partner for NBA games.
Amazon’s move into sports broadcasting is seen as a major shift in the industry, with tech companies like Netflix and Google also starting to invest in live sports. Amazon’s commitment to shell out billions for sports is reshaping the landscape of sports media, with the company showing a significant interest in adding more sports properties to its portfolio.
Amazon’s overarching goal is to use sports to sell more of everything, leveraging its Prime Video platform to engage viewers with targeted ads and drive purchases directly through its platform. This unique business model sets Amazon apart from traditional media companies, allowing for a closed-loop advertising system that leads to higher engagement rates and more purchases.
Looking ahead, Amazon is considering adding more tier-one sports to its lineup, as well as up-and-coming properties such as women’s sports. While many of the top sports rights are tied up in long-term deals with traditional media companies, Amazon remains a legitimate competitor in the sports broadcasting arena, and its influence is expected to continue growing in the coming years.
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