Amazon took center stage in the sports universe Thursday as the tech giant streamed its first exclusive NFL game — and for the most part, it passed the test. The game streamed without any major hiccups or outages. Some fans reported glitches and poor sound quality, but Amazon’s streaming technology seemed to hold up overall, a baseline requirement for any live sports game being aired on the internet. Amazon’s high-profile NFL deal — which will cost a reported $11 billion over the next 11 years — is part of the company’s bid to grow its content library, bolster its advertising arm,… Read More
Jeff Bezos is among the investors taking part in an $80 million funding round in Overtime, a sports media brand with plans to launch a new basketball league for elite high school players. The Amazon CEO’s investment company Bezos Expeditions took part alongside notable co-investors such as hip-hop star Drake, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, and a host of current and former NBA stars. Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Overtime calls itself “a publisher and an influencer” and has become a social media juggernaut in five years, with programming across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and more attracting 14 billion views a year. The… Read More
Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. Amazon’s second headquarters may be closer to Seattle than you think. Amazon says it plans to grow its presence in Bellevue, in the Seattle suburbs, to 15,000 employees in the next few years. That could be comparable to the number of employees working in the official HQ2 site of Arlington, Va. Will the company find a friendlier climate in the ’burbs? Yes, Virginia, there is an Amazon HQ2, but it’s actually 10 miles outside of Seattle Amazon to bring 15,000 employees to Bellevue as rapid expansion in Seattle-area city… Read More
We know Jeff Bezos has whipped together pancakes for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Could the billionaire Amazon founder also be working on a recipe that will make him an NFL team owner? A new report from CBS Sports is revisiting the idea that the world’s richest person might also want to own a professional sports franchise. The web site says Bezos has become close with several current NFL team owners and has strong support within the league to “join their ranks.” Bezos’ name has surfaced previously in this arena, especially following the death of Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen… Read More
In this episode of TLDR, we’re taking a look back at some of our favorite and most fun GeekWire moments of 2018. It was a big year for our reporters and editors, from interviewing some of the top names in tech to setting up our own temporary HQ2 in Pittsburgh. Click on the video below to watch our 2018 highlights, and scroll down to continue reading about some of our favorite moments. ‘The Expanse’ is saved: Jeff Bezos says Amazon will pick up sci-fi TV saga, and the crowd goes wild Back in May, NBC Universal’s Syfy network announced the… Read More
