Amazon Prime Video may be making all the right moves on the films and web series front in India. Whatever it has touched in recent times seems to be working. But it sure knows that the OTT market in India, as it is evolving today, is not just about film-based entertainment. Sports needs to be part of package. Live sports, to be precise.
In this direction, it has already bagged the rights to stream live international cricket content from New Zealand in these parts. And it has also lined up plans to bid for IPL rights as and when it is up for renewal again.
Amazon Prime Video is, of course, no one-trick pony. It is looking at other sports, too. Basketball is in its radar now.
Amazon Prime Video today announced that it would live-stream select matches from the popular 12-team Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) games during the league’s historic 25th season. As it happens, the next match of the season is on Saturday, August 21 between New York Liberty and the Seattle Storm.
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Six games to be streamed this season
Amazon Prime Video has gotten into a multi-year agreement with the WNBA in May 2021. The deal gives Amazon Prime Video exclusive streaming rights in India to select league games each season of the agreement.
The deal marked Amazon Prime Video’s first acquisition of exclusive streaming rights in India to a women’s professional sports league. Amazon Prime Video members in India will have exclusive access to six games from the second half of the 2021 WNBA season.
Further, the WNBA games will mark the first live sports streaming experience for Prime Video viewers in India.
For the viewers who have missed out on the previous games, an entire replay will be available on the app in English.
Sunny Malik, Head of Global Content and Media Distribution, NBA India, said "the collaboration will provide easy access to the games, expand our visibility and reach in the region and educate fans further about one of the most popular sports leagues in the world.”
