Amazon Seeking to Create NBA Version of ‘Thursday Night Football,’ per Report

Given the success that Amazon has had with Thursday Night Football, the streaming giant wants to create an exclusive night of streaming NBA action, according to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports. 

TNF is averaging 13.6 million viewers per week after Amazon agreed to pay $1 billion annually for the weekly game through 2033. The company is aiming for an NBA game package on Tuesday or Thursday nights. 

The NBA is reportedly intrigued in Amazon’s ability to attract a demographic that’s seven years younger than the NFL’s legacy partners and is looking for $50-75 billion for its next cycle of long-term media rights deals starting in the 2025–26 season. 

However, the NBA is currently still negotiating with both ESPN and TNT—their longtime broadcast partners. Their exclusive negotiating windows expire in 2025, though. Once that window passes, the NBA will be free to seek the best deal from other competitors—like Amazon. 

The Association could negotiate deals with three to five media rights partners, per the report, with its goal is to maximize rights fees for its next media deal that will likely stretch into the 2030s.