In a needle-moving move, Duke Basketball has signed a multi-year video deal with Amazon. In partnership with the conglomerate, Prime Video will exclusively present three Duke neutral-site non-conference games per season over the course of the contract.
That begins with the 2026-27 season, which involves games against UConn (Elite Eight rematch), reigning National Champion Michigan, and Gonzaga. The deal will also present exclusive NIL opportunities to Duke athletes, and there is a plan for a broader retail partnership between the two parties in the future.
Advertisement
SUBSCRIBE to the On3 NIL and Sports Business Newsletter
By making the move, Amazon Sports gets its foot in the door on broadcasting live college sports. Amazon has held the rights to broadcast the NBA since the beginning of the 2025-26 season, and has held the rights to the NFL since the 2017 season.
In exchange for the flexibility to have ESPN games flexed to Amazon Sports, Duke will participate in select additional ESPN owned and operated men’s basketball neutral-site events across the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons. Still, a small price to pay for a massive opportunity for the program.
Duke’s move to Amazon Prime Video could open doors for other programs to do the same
“It’s exciting to bring this relationship with Duke University to life, and we’re looking forward to presenting this premium college basketball showcase to fans around the world next season and beyond,” Prime Video’s Head of Sports Partnerships Charlie Neiman said, via a release. “Duke basketball games transcend the schedule, and the creation of this all-new offering gives fans more of what we all want, marquee matchups featuring the most successful programs in the nation.”
Advertisement
The landmark move for Duke to have exclusive games broadcast on Prime Video could open the door for other big brands, such as Kentucky, Kansas, UConn, or North Carolina, to do the same. In a world where NIL is valuable and collecting as much revenue as possible is key, programs will continue to find ways to maximize their potential earnings.
“In addition to our outstanding partnership with ESPN, we are excited to work with Prime Video on this groundbreaking initiative,” Duke VP/Director of Athletics Nina King said, via the release. “As Prime Video’s first college sports partner, this collaboration not only expands the global reach of Duke Men’s Basketball, but also creates meaningful opportunities for our student-athletes in a way that reflects innovation and excellence.”
The first Duke game to be aired on Amazon Prime Video will be on Nov. 25, 2026, against UConn.
