Amazon to televise 3 marquee Duke basketball video games as a part of landmark deal

Duke is getting into right into a first-of-its-kind enterprise partnership with Amazon that additionally consists of the retail big and streaming service televising three marquee males’s faculty basketball video games subsequent season.

The Blue Devils will face UConn in Las Vegas on Nov. 25, reigning champion Michigan at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 21, and Gonzaga on Feb. 20 in Detroit.

The deal will embody in depth NIL alternatives for Duke athletics and is a part of a broader retail partnership anticipated to be introduced at a later date.

While a big transfer for Duke, the settlement additionally represents Amazon’s first foray into broadcasting stay faculty sports activities. Prime Video has televised choose NFL video games for the reason that 2017 season, together with the unique rights to “Thursday Night Football” by 2033. The streaming service additionally started an 11-year media rights settlement with the NBA this season.

Beginning with the three video games within the 2026-27 season, Prime Video will completely current three Duke neutral-site nonconference video games per season.

The transfer will elevate eyebrows round faculty sports activities. The deal may find yourself marking a harbinger for the longer term, as streamers are anticipated to be extra aggressive in buying rights in upcoming collegiate sports activities rights discussions.

Duke labored with the ACC and ESPN on future scheduling commitments in change for the power to play these three neutral-site video games, together with collaborating in choose ESPN-owned and operated neutral-site occasions within the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons.

“In addition to our outstanding partnership with ESPN, we are excited to work with Prime Video on this groundbreaking initiative,” Duke athletic director Nina King stated. “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.”

In a university sports activities period by which colleges are underneath stress to search out cash to pay gamers outdoors of the income share cap — roughly $20.5 million for the 2025-26 season and rising by 4% every of the subsequent two years — whereas additionally remaining compliant with the College Sports Commission, Duke’s settlement with Amazon permits this system to generate actual NIL alternatives for its gamers.

Players will be capable to promote the video games, whereas the longer term retail partnership may doubtlessly current different avenues.

Under coach Jon Scheyer, Duke has yearly performed probably the most difficult nonconference schedules within the nation. These three video games are anticipated to develop into hallmark occasions within the non-conference faculty basketball calendar.

Last season, the Blue Devils confronted Michigan, Florida, Michigan State, Arkansas, and Kansas outdoors of the ACC schedule, with solely a kind of video games going down at residence.

Duke’s recreation towards Michigan was at Capital One Arena in Washington — the place the Blue Devils later performed because the No. 1 seed within the NCAA match East area. The 2027 East regional semifinals and closing will probably be performed at Madison Square Garden, the location of Duke’s December recreation towards Michigan subsequent season.

Duke, Michigan and UConn had been all ranked within the high 5 of ESPN’s most up-to-date Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings, whereas Gonzaga was within the high 25.