Amazon has won rights to show 20 English Premier League soccer matches a season from 2019, giving its Prime Video online streaming service a foothold in the most-watched sports league in the world.
The US company secured one of two previously unsold three-year packages for UK rights, the Premier League said on Thursday, with BT picking up the other to increase its access to live action.
Amazon said it would make two rounds of games — the early December midweek games and the Christmas bank holiday games — and weekly highlights available to its Prime members in Britain for free.
Premier League Executive Chairman Richard Scudamore said Amazon was an “exciting new partner,” and its Prime Video would provide “an excellent service on which fans can consume the Premier League.”
The deal underlines Amazon’s ambition to take on traditional pay-TV broadcasters in the multibillion-dollar battle for sports rights.
Amazon Prime, which includes free delivery on purchases as well as music and video content, costs 79 pounds ($106) a year in Britain.