Amazon Prime Video Draws Fire Over NBA Playoff Debut Under $77 Billion Media Deal
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 20
Amazon Prime Video Draws Fire Over NBA Playoff Debut Under $77 Billion Media Deal
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 20
Prime Video’s first NBA playoff run drew criticism after Game 7 between Detroit and Cleveland highlighted a flat studio show and a viewing experience many found awkward and uninvolving.
Technical problems deepened the backlash: the stream had previously dropped out for several minutes during a play-in overtime, while buffering, audio-video mismatches and low volume affected multiple games.
The complaints land in Amazon’s first season carrying NBA postseason games under the league’s new 11-year, $77 billion rights agreement, which splits coverage across Prime Video, ESPN/ABC, NBC and Peacock.
That patchwork has intensified concerns that playoff basketball is becoming harder and costlier to watch, with Prime alone priced at $14.99 a month and some bars facing higher commercial streaming fees.
The criticism also feeds a broader debate over whether moving premium live sports onto multiple streaming platforms hurts accessibility and weakens the NBA’s effort to grow its audience.
Why did Amazon’s proven success with NFL streaming fail so spectacularly during its NBA playoff debut?
Is the NBA's record $77 billion media deal sacrificing its fans for short-term financial gain?