Amazon is reportedly still considering an investment in the 21 former Fox regional sports networks that Disney is auctioning off.
A CNBC report last November indicated that Amazon had placed a first-round bid for the RSNs, but the tech giant was not a final bidder for the whole package. Amazon is, however, a minority investor in a consortium working to buy a majority stake in the YES Network, which carries games for MLB’s Yankees and the NBA’s Nets.
Sinclair Broadcast Group is widely thought to be top bidder for the other 21 RSNs, but a recent New York Post report said that Sinclair is seeking help from Amazon to complete the $10 billion purchase.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred explained the league’s interest in acquiring the RSNs because they control broadcast rights for 14 MLB franchises: Angels, Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Indians, Marlins, Padres, Rangers, Rays, Reds, Royals, Tigers, and Twins. Those RSNs also have the rights for 16 NBA and 12 NHL teams. The Post added that MLB is no longer seeking majority ownership, but could also join Sinclair’s bid.
Spokespersons for Amazon and Sinclair did not respond to requests for comment.
SportTechie Takeaway
Amazon has already snagged some high-profile sports rights with NFL Thursday Night Football and two rounds of English Premier League matches. The NFL package is only 11 football games per season and the EPL accounts for 20 soccer matches, however. Investment in the YES Network—and the other 21 Fox RSNs—would seem to give Prime Video a more robust inventory of content, given each MLB team’s 162-game schedule. That would make a Prime subscription a more desirable proposition.