Amazon’s (AMZN) move to broadcast live NFL football games is paying off.
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The latest information from ratings agency Nielsen shows that Amazon Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” package averaged 13.22 million viewers per game, a 13% increase from last season. Nielsen’s data also noted that 11 of the games on Amazon Prime averaged more than 12 million viewers, five more than last season. All of the games averaged at least 10 million viewers for the first time.
The median age of Prime Video’s audience was 49 years old, which is younger than the average median age of viewers watching the NFL on Sundays at 55 years old. Viewers on Amazon Prime are much younger than the average age of 63 among audiences who watch prime-time programs on traditional broadcast television networks. Younger viewers and demographics are prized by advertisers.
Playoff Game
Nielsen also noted that the NFL viewership on Amazon Prime Video grew as the season progressed and drew closer to the playoffs. A game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers on December 5 averaged 17.29 million viewers, making it the most-watched game on Amazon since the e-commerce company launched its NFL football offering in 2023.
Amazon Prime Video is scheduled to broadcast its first ever playoff game during the opening round the weekend of January 11. Amazon is paying a reported $1 billion per year to be the exclusive broadcaster of “Thursday Night Football” games through 2033. Like other streaming services, Amazon is turning to live sports to attract people and drive subscriptions.
AMZN stock has risen 54% in the last year.
Is AMZN Stock a Buy?
The stock of Amazon has a consensus Strong Buy rating among 46 Wall Street analysts. That rating is based on 45 Buy and one Hold recommendation issued in the last three months. The average price target on AMZN stock of $248.35 implies 11.62% upside from current levels.
