A view of the studio space during the unveiling of Prime Video's new NBA On Prime Studio

Amazon is betting big on sports and blowing its streaming rivals out of the water.

Ampere Analysis projects that Prime Video will pay $3.8 billion for rights in packages 2026.

Marine isn't afraid to spend big to draw in customers
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Marine isn't afraid to spend big to draw in customersCredit: Getty

That is 27 percent of the $14.2 billion the industry as a whole is worth this year.

Netflix and YouTube TV account for just 19 percent between them.

Bloomberg sat down with Amazon's head of sports Jay Marine, who explained that the company treats sports as a funnel into its other businesses.

"Everything comes back to Prime," he said. "We want that to be the best membership program in the world.


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"It started off as a retail program and free shipping. But entertainment’s become a big pillar of a diverse and differentiated subscription program.

"Sports are uniquely valuable because they come with built-in fan bases. So it’s almost like a guaranteed hit. Customers have shown that they care about it because they’re willing to pay for it."

Prime Video has 315 million monthly worldwide viewers, with 130 million of those in the United States.

"At that scale, the things we do have to move the needle," added Marine. "Large, tier-one sports have proven to move the needle.

"They do that in a few ways. One is acquisition. They bring new members into Prime. We also see when people watch live sports, whether it’s Champions League in Europe or NFL or NBA here, they also renew their membership at a higher rate.

"Sports are uniquely valuable. Unfortunately, I’m not the only one who knows that, so they’re also uniquely expensive."

Amazon has gone all-in on the NBA
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Amazon has gone all-in on the NBACredit: Getty
The first season of the 11-year deal was a hit
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The first season of the 11-year deal was a hitCredit: Getty

Is the NBA season too long?

One of Amazon's biggest deals is an 11-year package worth $19.8 billion to stream 66 regular-season games per year, plus some postseason action.

There have been complaints from some that 82 regular season contests are too many, with players struggling to keep themselves fit for the playoffs.

Monahan has a vested interest in the situation and thinks the math checks out for keeping it as is.

"I’m biased here because we had a great first year," he said. "The league feels like it’s just right.

"I’ve seen the criticism on both sides. Could it shorten a little bit? Maybe. But when I look at the ratings, I don’t feel it."

One thing is for sure, the streaming networks aren't going anywhere. If the broadcasters don't deliver, Amazon will be there to pick up the pieces.

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