Interesting Speculation from someone in the business, AZ Prime likely to offer their matches and other (ATP for example) acquired sports rights without additional fees to early renewing AZP customers later this year, as a retention offer. Whereas from 01 Jan 2019 AZP prices will rise to new, returning or late renewing customers to cover some of these costs.
Will there be a special Amazon Prime deal for pubs and venues?
Next day delivery on beer?
Will be annoying if Prime membership goes up to pay for this regardless of if people want it - I already think the core Prime delivery service has somewhat been scaled back over the last year with "Prime" not always meaning next day delivery anymore, and funds clearly directed to the video element. Possible that they could charge extra for it as a "channel", but the rights they have make that unlikely IMO.
£30m a season for BT then makes it £1.5m a match, though in reality with only 4 or 5 broadcast slots per round, so double the price really - but significantly cheaper than the rights they already had. I suspect it's inevitable the midweek games will get 6pm and 8pm kick-offs to maximise revenues.
Also a lack of joined up thinking from the PL with their announcement this week of one round of fixtures over two weeks to give those poorly paid overworked players a week off. That week would have been ideal to be thrown into this package as it would give 10 games over 10 broadcast slots.
Can't see 6pm midweek kick-offs getting the go-ahead, not a great time for home fans and season ticket holders to get to a match after work, let alone away fans. I know it's a new Champions League kick-off time but I wouldn't be surprised to see all the UK matches get an 8pm kick-off in that competition. There has been some talk of 7:30 and 8:15 kick-offs, staggering the matches slightly so you can watch a match and a half live on TV. Guess it'll be a while before any of that is confirmed.
The thing about the winter break split weekend is that because it is a weekend, picks 1-5 were already included in the packs Sky and BT already had. BT's new pack includes picks 6-10 though so all 10 of the games will be televised.
Every UEFACL group will see 1800 KOs so every team will host one ko at that time. There’ll be no choice as well, the draw for the group stage will determine when the 1800 kos occur. Normal cold evening arrangements in Eastern Europe being the only overriding exception.
Prime Video matches will be 'Included at no extra cost' to Prime Members
London – 7 June, 2018 – Amazon and the Premier League today announces that from 2019, live and exclusive Premier League matches, and weekly highlights packages, will be available on Prime Video in the UK at no extra cost to a Prime membership.
The Premier League is the most-watched sports league in the world, and from the 2019/20 season UK Prime members will have exclusive access to watch 20 matches per season, comprising two full fixture rounds – the first December midweek round and the festive Bank Holiday round - featuring live coverage of every Premier League team. This will be the first time a full round of Premier League fixtures will be broadcast live in the UK. In addition, Prime members will be able to watch weekly highlights of all Premier League matches throughout the season.
The Premier League joins Prime Video’s growing stable of live sports, including US Open Tennis, ATP World Tour Tennis events and NFL games, all currently available to watch on Prime Video in the UK at no extra cost to a Prime membership. Premier League matches will also be available alongside Prime Video’s critically acclaimed and award winning Prime Original drama, comedy and sports docu-series.
Are their weekly highlights a package of highlights of all matches or short form on demand highlights of all matches. From the wording I'm assuming the former - think The Sun (through News UK) had short form highlights (or goals at least) of matches.
It's one thing I find it frustrating the BBC pays so much for MOTD for when they have limitation in how they can use their highlights rights. For the FA Cup and usually the World Cup they can just put highlights up of each match and it would be great if as well as having MOTD on the iPlayer they could break up the show to offer highlights of individual games too. If Amazon do have such rights I think that actually does add a bit of value to their package.
