RANT SPORTS – Prime Video sought to enhance their sports offerings and, as a result, Diamond Sports—owner and operator of 16 regional sports networks, which recently underwent rebranding through a partnership with FanDuel Sports Network—struck a deal with the streaming service. This agreement permits the broadcasting of their games as an additional subscription option for Prime customers.
Prime Video will begin streaming MLB games this season, featuring the Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins, and Milwaukee Brewers. Prime’s plan includes crafting a season package at an undetermined price and, for the first time, offering fans the option to purchase individual games at approximately $7 each.
This is excellent news for cord cutters who have historically been unable to access their local regional sports networks due to exclusive cable rights. With the new deal, streamers will now be able to have their local teams’ broadcasts streamed directly to their homes via Prime.
Although the deal is not exclusive, Diamond Sports reportedly retains the ability to negotiate streaming agreements with other services. The primary beneficiary is FanDuel Sports, which secured the rights to stream Diamond Sports’ content on its platforms in October. Despite a significant portion of the content moving to Amazon, streaming options through the FanDuel Sports Network, especially via its app, will remain accessible.
The out of market games will still be exclusive to the MLB season pass that can be purchased via cable or streamed via their MLB service. Nationally both ESPN+ Roku, Warner Brothers Discovery, and FOX sports will retain the national rights.
Prime’s regional broadcasts of NBA and NHL teams will become available in the 2025-2026 season package. By that time, there should be a template for the cost of the regional service and the price for a single-game purchase.
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