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When the Premier League created a brand new TV rights package in 2018, it was always going to change everything. For the first time, all ten matches in a round of fixtures would be shown live in the UK and broadcast simultaneously. It was a deal gift-wrapped for a streaming giant to purchase – and Amazon swooped in.
Its debut came in early December and, besides minor grumbles about a 60-second delay to the live action, it was widely considered a success. Staggered across three weeknights on the Prime Video platform, many applauded the live stadium audio feed; the in-game highlights reel; and the newfound ability to switch back-and-forth between games. From midnight onwards each game remained available to watch on-demand like an episode of Mr. Robot – all at no extra cost to Prime subscribers.
The package also included another ten games: Boxing Day. A prized date in the British football calendar, December 26 has become Amazon’s footballing D-Day. This time, nine matches will be shown live – across a mind-boggling, bum-numbing 12-hour stretch – alongside a separate, NFL RedZone-style simulcast goals show. “I think it’s the future of live football,” says Jim Beglin, one of the familiar faces (and voices) on Amazon’s commentary team.
Beginning with coverage of Spurs v Brighton from 11.30am – and ending close to midnight with post-match analysis of title clash Leicester v Liverpool – Amazon wants you to sink into the sofa, turkey sandwiches to hand, gorging on its festive feast all day. In other words, it wants to change how we consume football. “It’s made for fans to sit in front of the telly all day,” Beglin says. “And I’m sure that might lead to some family arguments.”
Despite a peak of six simultaneous live games – and the huge strain that would have placed on its servers and viewers’ broadband – few reported issues during Amazon’s debut run. It was possible to dual-screen HD streams on laptop and phone without any real lag or pixelation. For those with enough devices to hand, it meant triple-screening, scrolling through Twitter with Manchester United v Spurs and the Merseyside Derby on in the background.
But that was split across three weeknights. How will the technology cope with 12 hours of non-stop football, on the same day that millions will be searching for Boxing Day sales and Netflix films? “Amazon is actually a veteran when it comes to streaming,” says Tony Gunnarsson, principal analyst of OTT video at Ovum. “I’d assume through all their tools, from their web services and beyond, it shouldn’t pose a major problem.”
Amazon made its live sports bow with the 2018 US Open. However, it came under fire for a host of technical issues. But, judging from its recent glitch-free tennis coverage from the ATP Tour Finals, those may have been mere teething problems. Alex Green, managing director of Prime Video Sport Europe, has also confirmed that Amazon has been working with the UK’s biggest broadband providers in order to eliminate streaming gremlins.
There’s more riding on it than simply one-star customer reviews from irked football fans – Amazon is also the official worldwide host broadcaster. That means its coverage is handed to the Premier League and it’s distributed around the globe. There’s simply no room for a post-Christmas slump: more than 2,000 camera operators, editors, sound engineers, directors, mixers and producers will be busy across ten stadiums.
Amazon paid the Premier League a reported £90 million for its three-year deal: 20 games split over two rounds of mid-winter fixtures. That would price each game at £1.5m – mere pocket money for a company that boasts an annual turnover in the hundreds of billions and the richest man in the world as its CEO. But when you consider that Netflix shelled out $80m (around £60m) for Friends reruns in 2019 alone, it looks like a bargain.
The Premier League anticipated a bidding war from Silicon Valley when it packaged the live-streaming rights. It didn’t arrive. “Netflix has ruled itself out of ever broadcasting live sports, Facebook doesn’t have a premium OTT service, and Google seems to only be focusing on YouTube Premium,” Gunnarsson says.
Amazon had a clear run. And, whereas two rounds of fixtures per year would have limited a newcomer’s impact on the streaming market, it’s ideal for a retail behemoth with an expanding sports portfolio. It offers Amazon a trial period ahead of potentially bidding for more games in 2022, when Sky’s and BT’s £4.55bn TV deal expires. “This was always going to be Amazon dipping its toe in Premier League waters,” Beglin says. “I can see it increasing its TV rights – and I’m sure the Premier League would be quite happy about that.”
Given the numbers, and that Amazon has been delivering for 25 years, surely a biannual foray into football can’t fail? Not so, according to Gunnarsson. However, it’d require a perfect storm of drab fixtures, mounting technical issues and extra-diligent fans cancelling their Prime membership before the free 30-day trial lapses. “Amazon could pay more and more for rights, but not see a huge uptake in subscriber numbers,” he adds.
Pirates also lurk on Amazon’s horizon – around five million Brits access illegal football streams on a regular basis. It’s a black market serving the demands of fans for non-televised games (there’s a 3pm blackout on English football, in order to protect live attendances). However, given Amazon will broadcast every game, it should neatly circumnavigate piracy waters. “Some steal only because a service isn’t available,” says Gunnarsson. “People would rather pay for a good service – Russian pirates aren’t particularly reliable.”
What is certain, however, is that Amazon’s football debut couldn’t be timed better. “The fourth quarter of the year is the best time for an online subscription service,” explains Gunnarsson. “The highest proportion of Netflix subscribers join in December. With Amazon, add in retail and Christmas – it’s a genius move.”
It should mean a healthy boost to Prime’s estimated 15-million-strong UK subscriber base. Meanwhile, the football will keep eyeballs glued, the trigger finger only ever a few clicks away from purchasing, all within the Amazon ecosystem: the Christmas shopping jungle leading to live streams, trickling down into a deep pool of original Prime content.
So, football looks like a winner for Amazon. But how about the fans? Many have pointed out that, following the free trial, supporters will have to pay more in the long-term. For the hardcore already paying for Sky and BT following their club, they now have to add a third monthly subscription, creeping up to the £700-a-year mark. “Competition doesn’t mean a better deal for fans – it means they have to pay more,” says Liam Thompson of the Football Supporters’ Association.
Furthermore, Amazon’s 12-hour Boxing Day binge means kick-offs around the clock. While Brighton fans are at the mercy of early morning trains to north London, Liverpool fans will need to plot a route back from Leicester at 10pm. Thompson is worried about a future where every game is streamed. “As a Newcastle fan, whenever our game is on the telly, the attendance of local teams takes a hit. The Premier League doesn’t exist on its own – smaller clubs need protection.”
Amazon has proclaimed that its first two nights of live football saw Prime’s biggest ever UK sign-up days. How many stay and pay the £7.99 monthly fee after the final whistle at Wolves v Man City, on December 27, remains to be seen. But many fans seem impressed. “My son watched the Merseyside Derby on his laptop – he thought it was excellent,” says Beglin.
Beginning with Boxing Day, Amazon’s quiet football revolution may mean more games on the small screen, split between devices and households – with up to three games from one Prime account. “Everything is moving towards streaming,” explains Gunnarsson. “Those used to watching live football may now see this as a compelling way of watching a game, multiple ones simultaneously, on their phones.” Right now though, in the season of giving, fans are enjoying the future of live football for free – for now.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
