Bringing Thursday Night Football to the public
Amazon and DirecTV have agreed on a partnership to broadcast Thursday Night Football across America.
Amazon agreed to take over in 2022, one year ahead of schedule
Questions surrounding how Amazon would show TNF have circulated since the company acquired the rights last year. On top of that, the need for an answer was accelerated after Amazon agreed to take over in 2022, one year ahead of schedule.
Thanks to DirecTV, sports fans can catch TNF in sports bars, restaurants, lounges, casinos, retail stores, and everywhere in between.
Effects of streaming
The upcoming NFL season features 15 Thursday night games across its 18-week schedule. National franchises with over 1,000 locations as well as other chain and local establishments will carry the gridiron action.
because of infrastructure setups, many businesses still prefer to use cable
Streaming has become the preeminent choice for many home dwellers hoping to catch some nightly television. Recently, FuboTV even went so far as to plan to integrate gambling with streaming to increase the fan experience. Because of infrastructure setups, however, many businesses still prefer to use cable.
Major League Baseball has come under fire for putting several of their games only on streaming platforms, thereby leaving sportsbooks, taverns, and other places frequented by fans in the dark.
Meanwhile, the delay between streaming and live action has caused problems for bettors, especially micro-bettors. Because of the delay, on-field events are already unfolding before gamblers have the opportunity to consider or even place their wagers. Amazon, though, is guaranteeing that its streaming service will have similar latency to that of traditional television.
Ultimately, the agreement between the two giants is a win for traditional fans. Whereas streaming was pushing people into their family rooms and away from the crowds, DirecTV will help bring the action back to the public.
Details of the arrangement
Amazon paid $1bn for 11 years of exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football. The deal brought an end to simulcasting that media companies had grown accustomed to and also elevated the company’s position in the sporting world.
DirecTV Chief Content Officer Rob Thun spoke glowingly of the deal struck between his company and Amazon.
delivering a great experience to our entire range of customers must remain at the center of that evolution”
“The sports media landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and the focus on delivering a great experience to our entire range of customers must remain at the center of that evolution,” said Thun. “This agreement between Amazon and DirecTV for Business comes at an important time when more streaming companies are obtaining exclusive rights to marquee sports programming and fans want to cheer on their teams at home and while out at bars, restaurants and other businesses with friends, family and coworkers.”
The companies will unveil their product on Thursday, August 25, during a preseason game between the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans. The first regular-season event will feature the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs on September 15.
Any DirecTV for Business customers with the Business Entertainment, Business Xtra, Commercial Entertainment, Commercial Xtra, Commercial Choice Plus or Spanish-language Commercial Mas Ultra packages will be able to stream TNF without an extra charge. Games will also be shown on DirecTV’s usual channel.