According to a new report, Amazon is considering launching a new standalone app for its live sports coverage and other sports content.
It could imply that the e-commerce giant will separate its current sports offerings from Prime Video and offer them as part of a separate product, The Information reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the situation.
Amazon offers a growing selection of sports content, including livestreams of NFL and Premier League soccer games, and it has a special agreement with the New York Yankees to show some of its baseball games.
The company has provided no official comment on the possibility of launching a standalone sports app, but it’s worth noting that The Information’s report follows recent comments by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who confirmed that live sports were a continuing area of interest for the company.
It’s also unclear when Amazon will release such an app or whether it will require a subscription fee to use it. It’s also possible that, in addition to the app, it will keep its sports content on Prime Video but will place it behind a paywall.
Rights to stream live sports can be expensive, but such agreements can help to attract more subscribers to streaming platforms.
Apple, for example, is also looking into this area.
Service for streaming Peacock also has a growing selection of live sports events, which is not surprising given that it is owned by NBC. NFL, Premier League, MLB, WWE, golf, and NASCAR content is available, some of which is exclusive.
And, just recently, YouTube announced a $2 billion-per-year deal with NFL Sunday Ticket. YouTube’s deal saw it nab the package from satellite-TV provider DirecTV, which had carried it since 1994, indicating how streaming services are beginning to make their presence felt in the live sports space.
