Amazon will stream NFL’s Thursday Night Football until 2022

Amazon and the National Football League (NFL) have agreed to a multi-year deal that will allow the former to stream the latter’s Thursday Night Football Presented by Bud Light Platinum until 2022.

With this announcement, users who are on Amazon’s Prime Video and Twitch services will be able to view Thursday Night Football matches broadcasted by the FOX network.

Streaming Thursday games to the world

According to the official press release, over 150 million Amazon Prime subscribers from more than 200 countries across the globe will get to enjoy exciting football games on Thursdays in the next couple of years.

Furthermore, as delivered through Prime Video, as well as via Twitch, NFL’s Thursday Night Football will be made accessible to any smart TV, smartphone, tablet, personal computer, or laptop connected online or has the Prime Video and Twitch apps installed.

The press release also noted that outside the streaming distribution (via Prime Video and Twitch), the games will be available through broadcast (courtesy of FOX), as well as through cable (via the NFL Network and FOX Deportes).

Those who are tuning in to FOX Deportes might be delighted to know that Thursday Night Football will also be shown in Spanish.

Exclusive rights to stream a global game

Amazon and the NFL also revealed that they have reached an agreement to stream a regular-season match worldwide through the Prime Video and Twitch platforms.

This game will be streamed on a particular Saturday during the second half of the NFL’s 2020 regular season.

Of course, consistent with the league’s promise to always have its matches accessible for over the air (OTA) television viewing, the global game will also be aired in the respective home markets of the teams playing.

Options for Amazon sports fans

As noted by Amazon, Prime Video subscribers have the option of viewing either the FOX broadcast, the Spanish-language coverage via FOX Deportes, or any version that comes with additional audio enhancements available only to members.

Speaking of members, they will get to enjoy interactive functions like X-Ray and Next Gen Stats (delivered via AWS).

Partnering since 2017

Amazon’s agreement with the NFL is not exactly a new arrangement. The tech giant first teamed up with the league about three years ago, by way of a one-year US$50 million [AU$76.4 million] contract.

Both companies have since renewed that arrangement, inking a two-season deal in 2018 valued at $130 million—$65 million for each season.

This year’s agreement can be considered proof that the NFL is continuing to embrace streaming platforms like Amazon’s Prime Video and Twitch as a viable means for connecting to existing fans, as well as new ones.

Busy April for Amazon

This month has been an active one for Amazon, in terms of collaboration. Just days ago, it announced a new promo with the Food Network Kitchen app to offer a year of free cooking classes.

Then just a few weeks earlier, it had announced a partnership with SXSW to launch a 10-day online film festival.

Image 1 courtesy of Amazon, Image 2 courtesy of Alex Korolkoff/Unsplash