Amazon Secures Exclusive Six-Year Emmy Awards Streaming Rights
Amazon has secured a six-year global deal to stream the Emmy Awards exclusively on Prime Video starting in 2027.
Amazon has secured a six-year agreement to stream the Emmy Awards exclusively on Prime Video starting in 2027. The deal, closed with the Television Academy on Tuesday, ends the long-standing broadcast wheel system that rotated rights among major U.S. networks. Amazon Prime Video secures global rights to air the annual TV awards ceremony for the next six years.
Terms reflect major increase over historical network payments
The deal is valued at over $120 million total, or roughly $20 million to $25 million per year. This significantly exceeds the annual fees paid by broadcast networks under the prior system. The financial terms represent a major increase.
| Payment Period | Estimated Annual Value |
|---|---|
| New Amazon Deal | $20M-$25M |
| Prior Broadcast Network Deals | $8M-$10M |
One source specifically pegged the annual value at $24 million.
Academy leadership cites strategic goals beyond tradition
Television Academy chairman Cris Abrego emphasized that a long-term, single-partner arrangement was central to the organization's goals. He stated they did not want to simply renew the wheel deal. Abrego said starting every year with a new partner under the old system was challenging and that having a singular home for the Emmys was his goal from the outset.
He confirmed that making the show free to view was a non-negotiable condition of the agreement. The Academy now plans to discuss potential changes to the show’s format, categories, length, and innovation much sooner than usual. "I felt strongly from the outset that this was an opportunity to rethink the model," Abrego said.
Amazon aims to grow and diversify Emmy viewership
Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said the deal offers an opportunity to grow and attract a younger audience over time. He stated Amazon wanted to create a global event on Prime Video, increase overall viewership, and work with the Academy to add more energy and innovate the production.
Hopkins noted that younger audiences are more inclined to stream than watch broadcast television. He added that Amazon aims to become a one-stop shop for streaming subscribers, and this high-profile live event is a key part of that strategy.
Emmys will be free to watch globally on Prime Video
The Emmy Awards ceremony will be made free to view on Prime Video each September. Viewers will not need a Prime Video subscription to watch, a requirement set by the Television Academy. This marks a shift from paywall experiments to broad accessibility for this major awards event.
The 79th Primetime Emmy Awards, scheduled for September 2027, will be the first to air exclusively on Prime Video under the new agreement.
