As people flock to online streaming services for their online entertainment, more and more sports events are making their way onto the digital scene. Now, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is making its way onto Amazon Prime Video in a deal that will last multiple years.
Amazon's New Partnership With the WNBA
As reported on the official WNBA website, Amazon and the WNBA have entered a "multi-year agreement." This deal will allow Amazon to stream 16 WNBA games per season and exclusive streaming rights to the Commissioner’s Cup Game via Prime Video.
You can catch the WNBA matches on Amazon Prime Video starting on May 29, 2021. It'll kick off with the Atlanta Dream versus the New York Liberty, and the day will mark several firsts for Amazon.
This opportunity with the WNBA will be the first time that Prime Video will stream a woman's professional sport with global rights. It'll also be the first time that Prime Video has the exclusive streaming rights for a basketball league.
The WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, is more than pleased that her sport is getting the spotlight it deserves:
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. 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.
Unfortunately, the "global rights" aren't as global as some people would like. China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Finland, and Germany are all excluded from the WNBA streams. Still, Amazon will hopefully find a way to bring woman's sports to more countries in the future.
That's not to say that Amazon will be the only company supporting the WNBA. Facebook and Twitter will stream WNBA games too, but it appears that Amazon has exclusive rights to broadcast the event outside of the USA.
A First for Amazon and a Win for the WNBA
The deal between Amazon and WNBA is a win for both sides. Amazon gets exclusive rights for its Prime Video service, and the WNBA will see even more exposure as it's introduced to the web giant's online customer base. Hopefully, this is just the start of smaller sports leagues making their debut on the big online networks.
Online streaming services are excellent, but it can be hard to coordinate watch parties with friends online. Fortunately, Amazon Prime Video has its own watch party feature, so everyone watching along is on the same page.
Image Credit: vinap/Shutterstock.com