Amazon Prime Video’s new 11-season, $1.8 billion-a-year media rights deal with the NBA was heavily influenced by the streaming giant’s massive international reach. The NBA prioritized a partner that could effectively grow the league’s global audience, making the Amazon Prime NBA European Reach a decisive factor in securing the landmark US streaming rights.
A crucial element cited by the league was Amazon’s commitment to localized content. Prime Video is localizing feeds into as many as seven languages for its European coverage alone, a tailoring service other bidders reportedly couldn’t match. This commitment to localization and Amazon’s huge Prime subscriber base provided the necessary scale to expand the NBA’s fan base in key international growth markets.
The deal strategically includes scheduling certain marquee fixtures for convenient primetime windows in Europe to maximize audiences. This focus has already proven successful, with Amazon’s opening night double-header for the 2025-26 season setting a new European viewership record for a regular season game, achieving a 75% increase over previous figures.
By securing the expanded international rights, Amazon also became the exclusive global distributor for the NBA League Pass. This focus on the Amazon Prime NBA European Reach provides the foundation for the league’s future growth, supporting its plans to launch an NBA Europe league and catering to the 15% of the NBA roster comprised of European players.
