Riding Ratings High, Amazon To Bring Back ‘The Shop’ Alt-Cast

Amazon Prime Video is bringing back “TNF in The Shop” for a second season, Front Office Sports has learned.

The alternate stream will return on Oct. 12 during Prime’s coverage of the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos game, according to Paul Rivera, co-creator of the Emmy Award-winning show and chief brand officer at SpringHill Company.

Among the A-List guests expected this season are executive producers LeBron James and Maverick Carter as well as comedy legend Will Ferrell. (Look for James, Carter and Rivera to tease their return during halftime of tonight’s Washington Commanders vs. Chicago Bears game).

Last year’s “TNF in The Shop” guests included James, Carter, Jamie Foxx, Odell Beckham Jr., Jalen Ramsey, Rob Lowe and Dez Bryant.

“We have fun. We love talking football — and it comes across,” Rivera told Front Office Sports. “LeBron, Mav and I joke that if Amazon wasn’t our partner, and there was no Shop, we would still be doing it. Just from the comfort of our homes. The conversation would be pretty much the same.”

During season one of “TNF in The Shop,” Rivera & Co. learned just how fast and furious live TV can be. They will apply those lessons in Year 2.

“I’ve learned the game is a lot faster when it’s live TV — as silly as that may sound. But I’d say we’ve learned the benefit of just having a great partner, and preparing, and just staying authentic to our brand,” Rivera said.

“That’s one of the first things Amazon told us in our very first meeting. ‘Hey, we want to partner with you guys, because you are ‘The Shop.’ We don’t want you to try to be other journalists or broadcasters. Be authentically you. Be authentically ‘The Shop.’ I think once we heard that, we felt great, we felt at ease. I think if we learned anything, it’s that as long as we are authentically ourselves, we are going to be OK.”

Last season, the show’s national audience learned just how much King James, a four-time NBA Champion, loves the NFL. Rivera is always impressed at how his partner just rattles off facts and stats about players and teams.

“He knows football at a level I’ve never seen. So that’s always fun for me. To see him in that element, an element people haven’t been able to see him in. Just seeing the genius and the beautiful mind that is LeBron James — off the basketball court — around another passion of his with football is pretty cool to see up close.”

Prime Video’s other alternate streams this season will include a “Dude Perfect” version of the game, “TNF en Espanol,” and “Prime Vision with Next Gen Stats.” 

Amina Hussein, head of talent for Prime Video Sports, sees “The Shop” as the right show to bridge the gap between sports and entertainment.

“Partnering with UNINTERRUPTED for ‘TNF in The Shop’ is another example of how Prime Video is offering innovative and different options for our viewers,” she said. “We are looking forward to continuing the positive momentum from last year’s success.” 

The eCommerce giant has been on a roll ratings-wise with TNF: Last Thursday’s stream of the Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers from Lambeau Field averaged 13.48 million viewers.

That was up 15% from the comparable Miami Dolphins vs. Cincinnati Bengals game last year. It marked the third straight week of double-digit viewer growth. 

Through its first three games, TNF has averaged 14.14 million viewers, up 19% from the same point last season.

TNF is also attracting a younger audience than those watching the NFL on traditional linear networks. 

Season to date, the median age of viewers is 47 compared to 54 at traditional networks.