What's Happening?
Amazon has announced its schedule for broadcasting the NBA Cup games on Prime Video, which will include 17 games, featuring the championship. The NBA Cup schedule was released, detailing that Prime Video will air 10 group games and the knockout rounds. The broadcasts will commence with five weeks of group play doubleheaders starting on October 31, with notable matchups such as Boston visiting Philadelphia and Memphis hosting the Los Angeles Lakers. Other significant games include Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs against the Houston Rockets and Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors facing Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets. The remaining 50 group games will be distributed among ESPN, NBC, and NBA League Pass.
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Why It's Important?
This development marks a significant expansion of Amazon's involvement in live sports broadcasting, potentially increasing its viewership and subscriber base. By securing the rights to broadcast NBA Cup games, Amazon is positioning itself as a major player in the sports streaming market, challenging traditional sports networks like ESPN and NBC. This move could influence the future of sports broadcasting, as more viewers may shift towards streaming platforms for live sports content. The inclusion of high-profile games featuring star players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant is likely to attract a large audience, benefiting Amazon's Prime Video service.
What's Next?
The full NBA schedule, including 80 of the 82 games for all teams, will be released soon, with the remaining games announced in December based on NBA Cup outcomes. This staggered release strategy may keep fans engaged and maintain interest in the NBA Cup. Stakeholders, including advertisers and sponsors, will likely monitor viewership numbers closely to assess the impact of streaming on traditional sports broadcasting. The success of this partnership could lead to more exclusive sports content deals for Amazon in the future.
