Amazon Prime Video, WNBA Set Exclusive, Multi-Year Streaming Deal; Coverage Starts May 29

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Amazon Prime Video, WNBA Set Exclusive, Multi-Year Streaming Deal; Coverage Starts May 29

 

Chris O'Meara/AP

 

Amazon and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced a multi-year agreement giving Prime Video exclusive global streaming rights to 16 WNBA games per season, as well as the Commissioner’s Cup Game on Sunday, August 12.

 

Prime Video’s WNBA coverage starts Saturday, May 29 in New York with Atlanta Dream vs New York Liberty. The deal, featuring a WNBA game each week during the regular season, marks the first time Prime Video has exclusive global streaming rights to a women’s professional sports league. The matchup Saturday is also the service’s first for exclusive international streaming rights to any professional basketball game.

 

Unlike Amazon’s NFL exclusive, this is a partial-season deal, as per its Yankee broadcasts, but a sign that it’s continuing to push into live sports streaming. The pact gives the WNBA a reliable source of cash.

“The WNBA is one of the premier professional sports leagues in the world and serves as an inspiration to millions of young and aspiring athletes everywhere,” said Marie Donoghue, vice president of Global Sports Video at Amazon. “I am delighted we are bringing these outstanding athletes and games to Prime Video.”

 

The first nine games airing on Prime Video this season are part of the WNBA’s inaugural Commissioner’s Cup, which is an in-season competition that designates a portion of regular-season games — 10 games per team — as Cup play. The team from each conference with the top record in designated Cup games will then compete for The Commissioner Cup Championship and a special prize pool.

 

The Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game will be presented exclusively on Prime Video on August 12, following the conclusion of the Summer Olympics. The remaining games on Prime Video are in the second half of the regular season after the conclusion of Commissioner’s Cup play.

“Innovative competitions require exceptional partners, and we’re thrilled that Amazon will be streaming a WNBA game of the week and our inaugural Commissioner’s Cup Championship this year,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “We’re grateful for Amazon’s support in increasing visibility and expanding access to our fans to more games on more devices, and we’re honored to be the first professional basketball league streamed on Prime Video as part of a Prime membership.”

 

The WNBA on Prime Video will be available across hundreds of compatible devices worldwide as part of a Prime membership (excluding China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Finland, and Germany). Prime Video games will be distributed in the participating teams’ markets through the teams’ local distribution partners.

 

Schedule of 2021 WNBA Games on Prime Video

• Saturday, May 29 – Atlanta @ New York, 2 p.m. ET
• Friday, June 4 – Dallas @ Seattle, 10 p.m. ET
• Saturday, June 12 – Chicago @ Indiana, 1 p.m. ET
• Wednesday, June 16 – Phoenix @ Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, June 22 – Chicago @ New York, 7 p.m. ET
• Wednesday, June 30 – Las Vegas @ Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. ET
• Thursday, July 1 – Connecticut @ Indiana, 7 p.m. ET
• Wednesday, July 7 – Phoenix @ Las Vegas, 10 p.m. ET
• Saturday, July 10 – Washington @ Chicago, 8 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, August 17 – Minnesota @ Connecticut, 7 p.m. ET
• Friday, August 20 – Seattle @ New York, 7 p.m. ET
• Thursday, August 26 – Dallas @ Washington, 7 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, August 31 – New York @ Minnesota, 8 p.m. ET
• Thursday, September 2 – New York @ Seattle, 10 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, September 7 – Connecticut @ Dallas, 8 p.m. ET
• Thursday, September 16 – Los Angeles @ Atlanta, 7 p.m. ET

 

 

Source: Amazon Prime Video, WNBA Set Exclusive, Multi-Year Streaming Deal; Coverage Starts May 29