In 2023, Amazon plans to beef up its sports content even more.

The company has plans to launch a sports-specific app, according to The Information.

• The app would host all of the live sports that are currently streamed through Amazon Prime Video. 
• It could provide a mechanism for the tech giant to charge extra for sports viewing rights.
• Currently, Prime’s $14.99 monthly membership includes access to live sports.

Amazon Prime Video has purchased rights to multiple live sporting events, from the $11 billion deal for “Thursday Night Football” to the MLB.TV regular-season package, select WNBA matchups, and Overtime Elite. 

It’s also investing in daily talk shows, like the morning roundtable-style show called “Bonjour Sports Talk.” 

Stream On

CEO Andy Jassy reportedly confirmed that the streamer is interested in acquiring more sports rights. 

The next acquisition could be rights to the Pac-12 Conference, which has made a major push to do a deal with Amazon, Front Office Sports previously reported.

The fifth most-valuable company in the world could also make a move for the NBA, which is seeking $50 billion to $75 billion for its next media rights deal.

The second-most populated country in the world is considering a bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics. 

“If India is making news in every sector, from manufacturing to services, then why not in the field of sports?” the country’s sports minister Anurag Thakur told the Times of India. 

• India will prepare a hosting plan for an ICO session in Mumbai next year. 
• The country is working with the Indian Olympic Association to submit a bid. 
• It has previously hosted the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games.
• India has a population of roughly 1.4 billion people behind China’s 1.45 billion. 

Other potential bidders for the 2036 Olympics include Indonesia, South Korea, and Qatar, which just hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup amid controversy shrouding the treatment of migrant workers and the acceptance of LGBT fans at the tournament’s matches.

Germany is also considering a bid to host the 2036 Olympics, but the opportunity has been met with public outcry within the country.

Battle of Attrition

The 2030 Winter Olympics could be hosted by Salt Lake City by default following a bribery scandal in Japan and British Columbia pulling its support for Vancouver to submit a bid.  

In August, a former member of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics board, Haruyuki Takahashi, was arrested following allegations of receiving bribes from Olympic sponsors. His arrest caused Japan to pause its promotion of a bid for Sapporo — the country’s fifth-most populated city.

On Monday, Takahashi was granted bail for $603,000, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Tencent is steadily adding to its gaming portfolio following a crackdown in the world’s largest gaming market. 

The Chinese video game and internet conglomerate has been granted approval to secure licenses for blockbuster gaming titles, helping the company rebound amid a declining market. 

In April, Chinese regulators resumed approvals for new video game licenses after a nine-month hold due to a government crackdown. Chinese state media branded online games as “mental opium” and a health detriment to minors, leading to regulations restricting children to three hours of gaming per week.

• Riot Games’ popular shooter title “Valorant” was among the group of approved titles.
• Tencent had more than 40 licenses for foreign titles approved in December.
• The group included “Pokémon Unite” — a title Tencent co-developed with Nintendo. 

Tencent’s gaming portfolio isn’t its only sector getting a boost. 

In January, the company sold off a $3 billion stake in gaming and e-commerce company Sea to allocate funds to other businesses and social initiatives.

Slow Market 

Tencent is one of several gaming companies struggling to drive profits following a surge in sales during the pandemic. 

The company generated $19.7 billion in revenue in Q3 2022, a 2% drop compared to the same period last year. Profit reached $4.7 billion during the quarter, down 3% compared to Q3 2021.

The global gaming industry is expected to be worth $321 billion by 2026, but the market could see its annual sales decline in at least a decade this year depending on holiday season sales.