What started as something of an experiment just two years ago has exploded into one of the tentpole days of the year in sports broadcasting.
Amazon is readying a whopping 15 hours of live sports for Black Friday on its Prime Video streaming service—massively expanding from initial notion in 2023 to air a live NFL game on the unofficial post-Thanksgiving holiday. This year’s morning-to-night lineup includes:
- The revival of golf’s Skins Game. The made-for-TV showcase, appearing for the first time since 2008, will bring together Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Xander Schauffele, and Keegan Bradley in a $4 million competition.
- A better-than-expected NFL game between the Eagles and Bears. Amazon always had high hopes for the contest when it was announced in May, given it involves two of the top-five U.S. media markets and the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. Since then, though, the Bears have risen to the top of the NFC North division, giving the game plenty of extra sizzle and postseason implications. The NFL and Amazon also recently finalized plans to show this game globally for free. The 3 p.m. ET start will again take advantage of a loophole in the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
- An NBA Cup doubleheader. The first of the two basketball games will involve the Bucks and Knicks, while the nightcap will be another showcase with the Mavericks and Lakers. That latter game will be the first between the two since Dallas fired GM Nico Harrison earlier this month, with his much-criticized February trade of star Luka Dončić to Los Angeles helping setting the stage for that move.
“What started as just an idea with the NFL has blown up into something much bigger, and it’s been really cool to see that build year after year,” Amazon VP of global live sports production Jared Stacy tells Front Office Sports.
Like the past two years, Amazon will heavily integrate the online retail part of its business into the sports broadcasts, particularly through a “Shop the Game” feature that will allow viewers to access Black Friday sales through their TV remote.
“In a lot of ways, what we’re doing on Black Friday is a full distillation of the entire company,” Stacy says.
Counting Eyeballs
The initial viewership results from Amazon’s Black Friday efforts have been somewhat hit-and-miss, with a 2023 NFL game between the Dolphins and Jets averaging just 9.61 million viewers, and last year’s Raiders-Chiefs contest then rising by 41% to average of 13.51 million.
Amazon, however, has much greater hopes this time around for several reasons. First, the company is certainly hoping for a greater pull throughout the day from sports fans. Second, the NFL is in the midst of a leaguewide boost in viewership, with the 6% lift to 17.7 million viewers per game representing its best mark at this point of the season since 2015. Amazon is squarely part of that with Thursday Night Football, posting a 12% rise so far this season to 14.78 million viewers per game. Third, the NBA is also off to a strong ratings start to its season, with Amazon a core part of that, too.
Lastly, Nielsen’s new Big Data + Panel measurement process has provided a meaningful lift to most live sports, and Amazon was an early adopter of the enhanced methodology. The Black Friday lineup will be shown without a Prime Video subscription needed.
“The opportunity to extend the day like this is a huge thing, and we’re looking forward to creating a new set of traditions,” Stacy says.
