The Amazon Prime Video and NHL partnership led to six new markets being broadcasted including in Dallas and Minnesota, but it's not going to be cheap as fans still need to purchase a separate package in some regions.
On Wednesday, the NHL and Amazon announced that together they would bring in six new regional broadcasts as part of a widening expansion of the U.S television market. Dallas, Minnesota, St. Louis, Columbus, Carolina, and Anaheim are all going to have specific programs and packages that show their games through Amazon Prime Video.
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The press release delves a bit deeper into the new agreement:
The defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues will all be available on Prime Video for fans within each team's regional territory.
The offerings provide in-market fans with an exclusive option to enjoy streams of regular-season games, inclusive of pre- and post-game shows, and additional team programming. Each Club will announce specific details of the streaming packages and subscription options in their respective territory.
Four markets get a new $19.99 monthly bill while Dallas and Anaheim get a very different deal
So while you don't necessarily need a Prime membership in order to access these games, fans are going to need to purchase a regional package in order to view the games. In doing so however, it creates one big catch - yet another subscription fee.
Per Aaron Portzline via Jonah Sigel - a Blue Jackets insider - the Columbus package is going to be coming in at $19.99 per month, with a $99.99 yearly fee:
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The St. Louis Blues are also offering the same priced package for their regional broadcasts, meanwhile Minnesota, and Carolina are also offering the same $20 monthly/$100 yearly package.
Fans of the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks however will get those games at no additional cost in addition to other regional broadcasts, so long as fans have a standard Amazon Prime membership.
But for those who aren't so lucky, that adds just another cost to an ever growing list of fees. Hulu, Netflix, ESPN, Prime, HBO Max, Peacock and others combine to cost hundreds of dollars per month, and if you're paying for the years subscription - that's a massive up front hit.
Amazon is quietly becoming a much bigger part of how Americans watch the NHL
This however is a huge win for Gary Bettman. With the news that the NHL wants to expand in Houston, adding more revenue and expanding the fanbase even more will only grow interest.
Dallas and Anaheim give Amazon access to two large NHL markets without adding another standalone streaming fee for Prime members, which lowers one of the biggest barriers to casual fans actually sampling local games.
With more eyes on the product and interest at an all-time high, adding more coverage throughout the continental U.S. is only going to strengthen the case that the league should expand - higher profits mean a higher likelihood that they add more than one team in the future.
It doesn't help fans any who need to pay the extra cost in order to see regional broadcasts, and there is a genuine loss in terms of broadcasting now that things are becoming more streamlined - but the hope is those commentators and reporters can transition into new positions within the changing environment.
For now though, if you're a fan in Minnesota, St. Louis, Columbus, and Carolina - be ready to dish out some extra dough if you want to make sure you catch every game this season.
Do you think Amazon will eventually fully take over NHL Broadcasts?
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