The first NFL game to be broadcast exclusively nationwide on a streaming service drew an impressive crowd on Saturday.
A Monday article from The Hollywood Reporter says that the game between the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals brought in 4.8 million through Amazon Prime, Twitch and mobile platforms operated by the NFL. These viewers, along with local stations in San Francisco and Phoenix, increased the total number of viewers to 5.9 million, according to the NFL.
The reporter said that the four games in the normal 2020 season aired on the NFL network, and averaged 5.6 million viewers.
According to the NFL, 11.2 million people watched at least some of the games through online platforms. The Reporter notes that the average 4.8 million who signed up to watch the game are the highest digital viewers the NFL has ever had for a regular season game.
Amazon and the NFL have been streaming partners for years, but Amazon was not the primary outlet for a regular season game before the game on Saturday.
Amazon’s presence in the NFL games could grow as negotiations with other media organizations begin. Entertainment magazine reports that Amazon may be able to take the Thursday prime-time package from current stores and Fox and the NFL Network.
NFL’s contracts with ESPN, CBS, Fox and NBC will expire within the next few years, although the reporter notes that the league is likely to want to renegotiate these contracts before they end.