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Amazon Wins $50 Million Deal to Stream NFL Thursday Games on Prime Video

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Amazon has won the rights to broadcast 10 National Football League Thursday night games live online this season, as part of its video content strategy exclusive to Prime subscription members.

The company paid $50 million for the one-year deal, according to Bloomberg, taking over from a similar agreement Twitter had last year that saw the social media service sprout an Apple TV app for users to watch the games free of charge. Amazon has made Prime Video apps available for iPhone and iPad, but has yet to offer one for Apple TV.

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Image via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports​

The games will continue to be broadcast on TV by CBS, NBC, and the NFL Network. The short-term deals reflect the football league's strategy up until 2021, when the traditional broadcast deals start to expire. After that, NFL will reportedly treat tech companies as potential suitors alongside regular television networks.

Amazon offers original movies and shows as part of its Prime Video service. Early last year, the company began offering Prime Video as a standalone $8.99 monthly subscription deal with an option to cancel at any time, as an alternative for those who don't want to sign up to the all-in $99 Amazon Prime annual subscription.

Article Link: Amazon Wins $50 Million Deal to Stream NFL Thursday Games on Prime Video
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/04/05/amazon-stream-nfl-thursday-games-prime-video/
Twitter, Amazon, doesn't matter in Canada, we won't get any of it.

The twitter Thursday night football was really interesting. Available in every country except for Canada.

What a mess the licensing must be here.
 
Wonderful, but it all comes back to blackouts. I tried to watch a baseball game yesterday with mlb tv and it was blacked out. With football there are even less games to see. So every blackout represents real and noticeable loss of value.
 
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Keane16 said:
Makes me want that Prime app for the Apple TV even more.
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I hear ya. However, in the meantime check out the $39.99 FireTV stick gen 2 that just came out. It's my second favorite streamer, behind the Apple TV (UI is better), and it's so fast it literally starts streaming before you've hit the play button. They do some sort of prefetch streaming to get it going guessing you'll hit play. At that point it just takes the UI away.
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Beezer70 said:
But then you get a phone call in the middle of the game and it cuts off the video stream. Yeah, just give me an app for the Apple TV already.
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I'm not saying it's a great solution but it works in a pinch.
 
I'm going to say it -- Apple should have jumped on this rather than concerning itself with a lame reality show about apps staring Gwenth Paltrow. Personally I think they should have bid hard for Sunday Ticket. That would have made ATV a must have and there would have been a mad rush for them.
 
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willmtaylor said:
Interesting that you think it's a waste. Do you not use Amazon?
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Yep, but when I order from Amazon I queue up my orders and get free shipping without Prime.

I also order some purchases online not using Amazon and I pay less (i.e. Amazon no longer has the cheapest prices on many things. If you have Prime, you feel locked into Amazon).
 
Plutonius said:
Yep, but when I order from Amazon I queue up my orders and get free shipping without Prime.

I also order some purchases online not using Amazon and I pay less (i.e. Amazon no longer has the cheapest prices on many things. If you have Prime, you feel locked into Amazon).
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I still price match and get free 2-day shipping and 1-day shipping for $4. Plus, the kindergartener likes Prime videos (we don't watch enough TV to justify NetFlix). Additionally, the subscribe and save cuts 20% off diapers, formula, etc. for the newborn.

For us, it's far from a waste and I don't feel "locked in" at all, but each to his own.
 
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rats.

I got the AppleTV 4th Gen too late for last season of watching the games via Twitter.
So, I was all excited to give it a try this coming season. but without a Prime App...no luck (Yes, we all know you can airplay from phone but I'd prefer to use my phone as well during the games)
 
ncbetz said:
So Apple users can stream NFL games on their 6" iPhone... But we will not be able to use our Apple TV.
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Yes you can. Amazon just makes it a little harder, but you can use Airplay to stream Amazon to Apple TV just fine. Amazon is refusing an ATV app because it is desperate to get the biggest share of the in-home experience as possible and knows that keeping Prime off of ATV is the big inconvenience that works in the perceived favor, e.g., your comment.
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Chupa Chupa said:
I'm going to say it -- Apple should have jumped on this rather than concerning itself with a lame reality show about apps staring Gwenth Paltrow. Personally I think they should have bid hard for Sunday Ticket. That would have made ATV a must have and there would have been a mad rush for them.
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S
 
willmtaylor said:
I still price match and get free 2-day shipping and 1-day shipping for $4. Plus, the kindergartener likes Prime videos (we don't watch enough TV to justify NetFlix). Additionally, the subscribe and save cuts 20% off diapers, formula, etc. for the newborn.

For us, it's far from a waste and I don't feel "locked in" at all, but each to his own.
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It sounds like a good deal for you.

The free Prime video is good for kids but I consider a waste otherwise. Amazon video carries a good selection for everyone else but the free Prime video selection is pretty poor.

I would consider Prime to be a good deal if it was much lower priced for a shipping only option.
 
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Plutonius said:
It sounds like a good deal for you.

The free Prime video is good for kids but I consider a waste otherwise. Amazon video carries a good selection for everyone else but the free Prime video selection is pretty poor.

I would consider Prime to be a good deal if it was much lower priced for a shipping only option.
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Don't forget, their use of "household" is quite liberal, so if you have friends or family members elsewhere, you could split the cost and share the benefits.
 
Considering that Twitter had its fair of issues steaming the games last year, I'm interested to see how Amazon performs this upcoming season with their streams.
 
QuarterSwede said:
I hear ya. However, in the meantime check out the $39.99 FireTV stick gen 2 that just came out. It's my second favorite streamer, behind the Apple TV (UI is better), and it's so fast it literally starts streaming before you've hit the play button. They do some sort of prefetch streaming to get it going guessing you'll hit play. At that point it just takes the UI away.
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I own the Gen 1 in another room it's fine - but I like having 1 device, 1 UI etc. I'll just AirPlay to the ATV for now.
 
QuarterSwede said:
I hear ya. However, in the meantime check out the $39.99 FireTV stick gen 2 that just came out.
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I hate to sound petty, but I wouldn't say it "just came out." It came out nearly 6 months ago. Heck, I'm hoping for an updated version in another 6 months that can do 4k. But yea, I too think the firestick is the best bang for the buck. Presumably that is why it is sold out right now and not expected to be shipping till April 28.... wow, make that May 4 as the date literally just changed. I guess the NFL deal is working!



Mike
 
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