Peacock’s recent broadcasting contract with the NFL sparked outcry over a single-match subscription fee. The streaming platform secured rights to air the NFL’s inaugural exclusive, live-streamed playoff game after shelling out a staggering $110 million.
The NFL strategically scheduled a matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins to vest interest in maximizing returns. The league is now set to repeat their trend once again in the upcoming season as well, but this time Amazon Prime will get the chance to stream.
Amazon Prime Video lands exclusive NFL playoff streaming deal
Amazon’s Prime Video has successfully secured exclusive rights to stream an NFL playoff game in the upcoming season. This move follows the platform’s successful two-year exclusive deal for Thursday Night Football, resulting in a notable increase in ratings.
The financial details of the agreement between Amazon and the NFL for the playoff game have not been disclosed. However, Amazon’s substantial annual investment of $1 billion in securing these rights highlights its strategic focus on sports content as a key driver for Prime membership growth.
Nevertheless, Amazon’s foray into exclusive sports streaming is not without risks. The company’s ability to secure the playoff game was contingent on meeting specific viewership metrics. “Thursday Night Football” witnessed a commendable 24% increase in audience, but the sustainability of this growth remains uncertain. The challenge lies in converting this diverse audience, especially the younger demographic, into long-term Prime subscribers.
Amazon’s timing aligns with the recent actions of other NFL media partners, such as Walt Disney Co., Fox Corp., and Warner Bros. Discovery. These companies are venturing into the subscription streaming service arena with a focus on live sports programming. The current landscape is becoming more and more competitive, indicating a change in the way sports content is being delivered and consumed.
Amazon’s exclusive contract follows Peacock’s streaming success
Amazon Prime’s latest move to secure exclusive streaming rights for a playoff game comes hot on the heels of a resounding success for NBCUniversal’s Peacock platform. Peacock drew an impressive 23 million viewers last month with its exclusive stream of the wild-card playoff clash between the Chiefs and Dolphins.
The matchup stands out as the single biggest subscriber acquisition event ever recorded by the platform. With a total reach of 27.6 million, it captivated audiences and drove phenomenal engagement. The match even spurred Peacock’s largest single-day surge in audience usage, with a whopping 16.3 million concurrent devices tuning in.
The impact of the game extended into the digital realm, as it commanded nearly one-third of all internet traffic on the Saturday night it was aired. Comcast, the parent company of NBCU, proudly touted the event as the most streamed in U.S. history. However, criticisms also surfaced regarding video quality issues, including grainy visuals and persistent buffering.
