The NFL’s one-year experiment with Twitter is over. The league started streaming Thursday Night Football games on the social network last year, but this year it’s going to Amazon thanks to a $50 million deal it struck with the online giant.
Originally, the NFL signed on with Twitter for a $10 million deal last year, but Amazon’s $50 million deal was enough to secure the rights to live stream ten Thursday Night Football games for the upcoming 2017 season. That means Amazon is paying an average of $5 million for each game it streams. Business is booming for the NFL.
The move is a great addition for Amazon, who has been seeking to expand its TV offering for its Prime service.
According to a report from Recode, Amazon is reportedly considering selling ads during the NFL streams and promoting its own services. This could be a step toward Amazon recouping on its investment.
This doesn’t really make it easier to watch NFL games
The NFL is basking in its $50 million deal with Amazon, but the new deal doesn’t really help fans watch NFL games. The $10 million deal with Twitter made Thursday Night Football available to anybody with a Twitter account, which is free. The deal with Amazon only works for Amazon Prime subscribers, but that costs $100 per year. That’s probably cheaper than a cable subscription, but its only for ten games and Thursday Night Football doesn’t feature the best match-ups or quality games.
The move doesn’t make the NFL more accessible, but it does make the NFL more money.
