Key features of Al Hayman’s PBC deal with Amazon Prime

With only a few weeks left for the year to end, the news hanging on the fence for some time finally makes it through. Veteran boxing promoter Al Haymon‘s Premier Boxing Championship and Amazon Prime have successfully inked a deal. The multi-year agreement will oversee the broadcast of the promotion’s fights across the United States. PBC and Amazon Prime inched towards the deal following Showtime withdrawing itself from boxing.

In a press release dated December 7, Amazon Prime stated, “Today, Prime Video and Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) announced a landmark multiyear rights agreement to deliver viewers the boxing industry’s most significant events, providing fans with year-round access to the best matchups featuring the biggest stars in boxing.” The news has been gathering significantly more momentum ever since. For many fans, the initial doubts might persist. However, a close perusal of some of the salient features of the partnership might come in handy.

Points of Interest in the PBC-Amazon Prime Agreement

Showtime has been in the boxing business since March 10, 1986. Fans saw Marvelous Marvin Hagler knockout John Mugabi at the Casers Palace. But the network decided to pull the curtains down on the 37-year-long relationship with the sport. The parent Paramount had already taken a major decision to wind up with the combat sports business.

PBC commenced its operations in 2015. According to Amazon Prime’s press statement, the promotion currently takes care of nearly 150 boxers across major weight divisions. The list includes some of the past and current world champions, such as Canelo Alvarez, Errol Spence Jr., Deontay Wilder, and the Charlo brothers, Jermell and Jermall. This year itself, Al Haymon and his team successfully hosted some of the most significant fights. David Benavidez versus Caleb Plant, Gervonta Davis versus Ryan Garcia, Terence Crawford versus Errol Spence Jr., and Canelo Alvarez versus Jermell Charlo, to name a few matches.

Some of the particulars of the deal include:

1. Though the financial details of their transaction are not available, the PBC and Amazon Prime deal will commence in 2024.
2. The latter will showcase most of the promotion’s pay-per-view fights in the United States.
3. For some of its major events, the PBC will continue to take advantage of cable and satellite-based pay-per-view distribution services for liner broadcast.
4. There will be a new PBC Championship Boxing Series for non-PPV fights, showcased exclusively through Prime Video.
5. Apart from fights, the service will also produce documentaries and programs centered around some of the biggest fights of the day under PBC stable.
6. Live non-fight events such as weigh-ins, previous bouts, and highlights are also included in the segment.
7. Viewing rights for non-pay-per-view fights will be made available to customers in some of the countries.

The inaugural bout is reportedly scheduled for March 2024. Amazon Prime is expected to stream 12 to 14 bouts per year, both pay-per-view and non-pay-per-view. Also, irrespective of whether a boxing fan has a Prime Video subscription, they would still be able to purchase a PPV fight appearing on the platform.

The Moneytalks

In terms of expanse, per several accounts, Amazon Prime boasts roughly 157 million customers across the United States. Hence, it stands third in the overall over-the-top (OTT) network ranking list, behind YouTube and Netflix. The regular monthly price of Amazon Prime is $14.99. So for an extra $2.99 per month, viewers can access the ad-free services. Comparatively, a DAZN subscription costs $19.99 (super saver) per month or $224 per year.

It would not be Amazon Prime’s first foray into the world of sports. The platform is already active, showcasing a multitude of games, championships, and events across the globe. The Premier League in the United Kingdom is one such example. Finally, as far as device compatibility is concerned, viewers would be able to view PBC fights on smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, and various gaming consoles.

Read More: Who Is Al Haymon, the Boss Behind Curtains and Why Is He So Important in Boxing After Showtime Exit?

Do you think the PBC-Amazon Prime would be a game-changer for boxing? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

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