NFL on Prime Video is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games on the subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service Amazon Prime Video and on sister service Twitch as part of Prime Video Sports. Amazon currently holds exclusive streaming rights for Thursday Night Football.

NFL on Prime Video
GenreNFL football telecasts
Presented byAl Michaels
Kirk Herbstreit
Kaylee Hartung
Terry McAulay
Charissa Thompson
Tony Gonzalez
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Andrew Whitworth
Richard Sherman
Marshawn Lynch
Taylor Rooks
Michael Smith
Dude Perfect
Hannah Storm
Andrea Kremer
LeBron James
Maverick Carter
Paul Rivera
Opening theme“Prime Video Sports Theme”
ComposerPinar Toprak
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons16
No. of episodes16 per season (plus 1 preseason game)
Production
Production locationsVarious NFL stadiums
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time180 minutes or until game ends (inc. adverts)
Production companiesNational Football League
Prime Video Originals
Original release
NetworkAmazon Prime Video
Release2017 (2017) –
present

Along with Prime Video, the games are also simulcast for free on Prime Video's Twitch channel and broadcast on local over-the-air networks in the markets of the playing teams.[1][2][3]

Overview edit

Thursday Night Football edit

 
The Chargers and Chiefs playing in the first Thursday Night Football game to exclusively broadcast nationally on Prime Video on September 15, 2022.

On April 4, 2017, it was announced that Amazon had acquired non-exclusive streaming rights to the 10 broadcast television games for the 2017 season over their Amazon Prime Video service, under a deal valued at $50 million, a five-fold increase over the $10 million paid by Twitter. The streams were exclusive to paid Prime subscribers.[4][5][6] Amazon planned several special features for its inaugural game, including broadcasting alternate feeds with Spanish, Portuguese, and a secondary English broadcast featuring soccer commentators Ross Dyer and Tommy Smyth (intended for international viewers unfamiliar with the rules and terminology of American football), and a pre-show hosted by Tiki Barber and Curtis Stone.[7][8][9][10]

Amazon renewed its digital rights for the 2018 and 2019 seasons; in contrast to 2017 in which the games required a Prime subscription, for 2018 and 2019, Amazon also carried game coverage for free on its live streaming platform Twitch.[11] Alongside the main Fox feed, British English, and Spanish options, the Amazon Prime streams offered an alternate commentary feed featuring ESPN anchor Hannah Storm and NFL Network chief correspondent Andrea Kremer — the first all-female commentary team in NFL history.[12] The Twitch streams offer access to the service's standard chat room (along with special football-themed emotes), an interactive extension, and co-streams featuring prominent personalities, while streams on Amazon Fire devices offer integration with the X-Ray feature to access statistics and other content.[13]

On April 29, 2020, Amazon renewed its digital rights through the 2022 season, maintaining the 11 TNF simulcasts and digital content.[14] For its simulcasts, Amazon replaced the British feed with a new "Scout's Feed" with extended analysis by Bucky Brooks and Daniel Jeremiah, and NFL Next Live on Twitch (with viewer interactivity).[15] For the 2020 season, Prime Video offered multiple announcer options; NFL Next on Prime Video, live and on-demand on Tuesday nights, hosted by Chris Long, Kay Adams, Andrew Hawkins, and James Koh; X-Ray, offering real-time access to live statistics and insights; and new shows on Twitch, including The NFL Comments Box and The NFL Machine.[16]

In March 2021, Amazon acquired rights to become the exclusive broadcaster of Thursday Night Football initially starting with the 2023 season and running through 2033, paying approximately $1 billion per year to become the first streaming service to exclusively carry a package of NFL games.[17] Regular season games on Thursday nights will increase from 12 to 15 per year, and the package will also include one preseason game per year.[18] Amazon will now be producing its own football game broadcasts, after previously picking up feeds from other networks.[19] The deal also includes pre-game, halftime, and post-game shows, plus in-game highlights and original NFL programming.[20] Because Prime Video is a subscription streaming service, the NFL will require Amazon to have its games syndicated on over-the-air television stations in the local markets of the competing teams.[21] A couple months later, it was announced that Prime Video would take over TNF a year earlier than originally announced in 2022, making the deal 11 years.

Other regular season games edit

On April 29, 2020, as part of Amazon's renewal of its digital rights through the 2022 season, Amazon acquired the exclusive international rights to one late-season game produced by CBS), it would be the first game to only be nationally available on a streaming platform.[14] Prime Video, along with Twitch, Verizon, the NFL app, and the two teams' local stations, aired this game on December 26, 2020, featuring the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals. It averaged 4.8 million viewers.[22] The Amazon exclusive game did not return for the 2021 season.

For the 2023 season, Prime Video will broadcast the first ever Black Friday NFL game and will be available for free on both Prime Video and Twitch.[23][24]

Playoff programming edit

In October 2020, Amazon acquired the rights to stream its first NFL playoff game on Prime Video as part of its digital rights to the league: a simulcast of one of CBS's NFC Wild Card games.[25] This game eventually was the one on January 10, 2021, between the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints. The game was also available on Nickelodeon.[26]

On January 16, 2022, Amazon streamed its second NFL playoff game between the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. It was also a simulcast of a CBS/Nickelodeon broadcast.[27]

In the 2024–25 NFL Playoffs, Amazon will exclusively air one Wild Card playoff game.[28]

Other programming edit

The 2020 NFL Holiday Blitz on Prime Video featured a week-long slate of original content with celebrities and athletes including Action Bronson, Quavo, Cari Champion, Victor Cruz and Chad Johnson.[29]

Results edit

Year Week/Round Date Away team Final Score Host Team Stadium Simulcast Game Notes
2020 16 December 26 49ers
20–12
Cardinals State Farm Stadium
KNTV (San Francisco)
KSAZ-TV (Phoenix)
Exclusive telecast produced by CBS
2021 Wildcard playoff January 10 Bears
9–21
Saints Mercedes-Benz Superdome National CBS Simulcast of CBS coverage
Alternate presentation on Nickelodeon
2022 January 16 49ers
23–17
Cowboys AT&T Stadium

Game announcers edit

Current announcers edit

Former announcers edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "NFL completes long-term media distribution agreements through 2033 season". NFL.com. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  2. ^ U.S, Jason Dachman, Editorial Director (2022-09-15). "Thursday Night Football Kickoff: Inside Amazon Prime Video's New State-of-the-Art IP Prime One Truck From Game Creek Video". Sports Video Group. Retrieved 2024-01-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Miller, Mark (2022-09-15). "Amazon Primed For 'Thursday Night Football' Tour". TV News Check. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  4. ^ Scott Soshnick (2017-04-17). "Amazon's NFL Deal Includes $30 Million in Free Marketing". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
  5. ^ "Amazon will stream 'Thursday Night Football' in 2017. Here's what you need to know". SBNation. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  6. ^ "Amazon's NFL Deal Includes $30 Million in Free Marketing". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  7. ^ Levy, Nat (28 September 2017). "Amazon's first NFL live stream overcomes early glitches and long weather delay". GeekWire. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  8. ^ "Amazon's NFL stream of Green Bay-Chicago could draw diehards, boycotters and the curious". USA Today. Retrieved 2017-11-19.
  9. ^ "Amazon gives NFL global feel". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved 2017-11-19.
  10. ^ "Amazon's NFL UK broadcast team is brutally honest about Bears bad performance". Awful Announcing. 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  11. ^ Spangler, Todd (2018-04-26). "NFL Renews Amazon Streaming Deal for 'Thursday Night Football' for 2018-19 Seasons". Variety. Retrieved 2018-04-27.
  12. ^ "Amazon Prime hid Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer in NFL's first all-female broadcast". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  13. ^ Spangler, Todd (2018-09-27). "Amazon, Twitch Unveil Enhanced Features for NFL 'Thursday Night Football' Live-Streams". Variety. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
  14. ^ a b Spangler, Todd (2020-04-29). "Amazon Renews NFL 'Thursday Night Football' Through 2022, Scores Exclusive Game per Season". Variety. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  15. ^ "Amazon Prime Thursday Night Football adding scout feed, Twitch stream, new talent for 2020 NFL season". Awful Announcing. 2020-10-05. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  16. ^ Spangler, Todd (5 October 2020). "Amazon Expands NFL 'Thursday Night Football' Content on Prime Video, Twitch". Variety. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  17. ^ "NFL announces new broadcast deals running through 2033 season". NFL.com. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  18. ^ Juneau, Jen (19 March 2021). "Amazon Prime Video Strikes Deal with NFL to Exclusively Stream Thursday Night Football in 2023". People. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  19. ^ Steinberg, Brian (18 March 2021). "NFL Strikes New Rights Pacts: Fox Cedes Thursdays to Amazon, ABC Gains Super Bowl Slot". Variety. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  20. ^ Cisneros, Juan (19 March 2021). "Thursday Night Football moving to Amazon Prime Video in 2023". Fox4. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  21. ^ "NFL completes long-term media distribution agreements through 2033 season". NFL.com. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  22. ^ Thorne, Will (28 December 2020). "First Streaming-Only NFL Game Scores Solid Numbers for Amazon". Variety. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  23. ^ "NFL Black Friday game coming to Amazon in 2023". cnbc. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  24. ^ Paulsen (2023-03-09). "News: WNBA, Black Friday NFL, Van Gundy and more". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  25. ^ Flint, Joe (October 14, 2020). "WSJ News Exclusive | Amazon Expands NFL Coverage With Playoff Game". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  26. ^ Hayes, Dade (14 October 2020). "Amazon To Stream Its First NFL Playoff Game In January In Split With ViacomCBS". Deadline. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  27. ^ Crupi, Anthony (4 October 2021). "AAMAZON PREPS FOR SECOND NFL POSTSEASON APPEARANCE". Sportico. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  28. ^ Flint, Joe (February 9, 2024). "Amazon's Prime Video Gets Exclusive NFL Playoff Game Next Season". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  29. ^ Hayes, Dade (21 December 2020). "Amazon Prime Video, Twitch Set NFL Coverage Plans In Christmas-Week Blitz Leading Up To Exclusive Game Stream". Deadline. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  30. ^ "Report: Kaylee Hartung Leaving ABC to Become Amazon's Thursday Night Football Sideline Reporter". www.adweek.com. Retrieved 2022-07-05.
  31. ^ McDaniel, Mike. "Report: Charissa Thompson Lands New NFL Broadcasting Job". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2022-06-13.

External links edit