Amazon is developing its own app for watching sports, according to a new report from The Information. The move signals Amazon’s continued push to invest in Prime Video and live sports content. If released, the standalone app would better highlight Amazon’s sports content, which is currently included in the company’s main Prime Video platform.
The report comes after Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently called live sports a “unique asset” that Amazon will continue to invest in. Amazon’s current live sports offerings include exclusive rights to NFL Thursday Night Football, as well as some Premier League soccer matches and Yankees baseball. games. Amazon has also invested in other sports content to complement live games, as the company launched original sports talk shows on both Prime Video and its ad-supported streaming service Freevee.
It’s not known when Amazon plans to launch a standalone sports app. It is also possible that the company may decide to drop the plans altogether.
Amazon did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
Amazon’s plans for a standalone sports app suggest the company is looking for new ways to leverage its live sports investments into additional revenue streams. Given the steep costs of streaming rights, it wouldn’t be surprising if the company plans to charge a separate subscription fee for sports content with this standalone app. It’s also possible that Amazon could decide to offer a separate subscription tier that includes its sports content.
The new report comes as Amazon overhauls parts of its unprofitable divisions, which has resulted in many roles being eliminated. Even amid these cost-cutting efforts, Amazon seems committed to building Prime Video and its live sports streaming content.
Amazon isn’t the only major company looking to continue investing in live sports content, as the company faces increasing competition from other tech giants that have also struck sports streaming deals. Last week, Google’s YouTube secured NFL Sunday Ticket with a landmark streaming deal. On the other hand, Apple has received the rights to Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer games.
