After seeing such success with Thursday Night Football, the streaming behemoth wants to try its hand at another sport. Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports claims that after Disney and WBD’s exclusive negotiation periods expire, Amazon is apparently thinking about making a bid for Tuesday or Thursday night NBA games.
Every week, 13.6 million people watch Thursday Night Football on average thanks to Amazon’s agreement to pay $1 billion a year for the weekly game through 2033. Tuesday or Thursday night NBA game packages are the company’s goal.
“According to sources, after agreeing to pay $1 billion yearly for TNF through 2033, the eCommerce giant is eying an NBA game package on Tuesday or Thursday nights. The goal: create the NBA’s version of ‘TNF,’ said sources. According to sources, the NBA also likes that Amazon draws an audience seven years younger than the NFL’s legacy TV partners.”
The NBA reportedly wants to pay between $50 and $75 billion for its next round of long-term media rights agreements, which will start in the 2025–2026 season. The NBA is reportedly especially interested in Amazon’s ability to attract a demographic that is seven years younger than the NFL’s previous partners.
Negotiations are still ongoing, though, between the NBA and its enduring broadcast partners, TNT and ESPN. When their special negotiation periods end in 2025, they will have the opportunity to shop around for the best price from rival companies.
With Amazon potentially entering the NBA, one of the most well-liked sports leagues in the world, great things may happen.