Amazon Lands Emmys in Six-Year Global Streaming Deal

Amazon Prime Video has secured exclusive global rights to stream the Emmy Awards under a six-year deal, ending the ceremony's decades-long run on American broadcast television, the BBC reported.

Starting in 2027, the agreement replaces the rotation that has sent the gala to ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC in turn since 1955. The ceremony will instead stream live and free worldwide each September, with no Prime Video subscription required to watch. Official financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, and the BBC said it has contacted Amazon and the Emmys for comment.

Why is the Emmys leaving broadcast TV now?

Mike Proulx, research director at Forrester, told the BBC the old "Wheel Deal" arrangement had fallen out of step with how television is actually made and watched. "The shows driving the industry forward largely originate on streaming platforms, yet the awards themselves were tethered to broadcast television," Proulx said. "That's why a leading streaming service like Prime Video makes sense for the Emmy's next act."

What does the Television Academy say about the move?

Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy, said the deal gives the ceremony "unprecedented global reach," opening live access to audiences in more than 200 countries, according to a statement issued by Amazon and cited by the BBC. "Television has never been more global, and the Emmys should be a celebration that the world can share," Abrego said.

How does this fit Amazon's broader live-event strategy?

Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said the company is honored to become the "global home" for the ceremony and that a free broadcast delivers "the best entertainment to our customers worldwide," per the BBC. The Emmys give Prime Video its first marquee entertainment broadcast after the platform built a live-sports footprint around the NFL's Thursday Night Football, the NBA and UEFA Champions League matches.

What numbers back up Amazon's live-viewership push?

• Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals peaked at 6.5 million viewers in Amazon's inaugural NBA season, the BBC reported, citing Amazon's latest earnings.
• The Emmy rotation being replaced dates to 1955; the awards themselves began in 1949.
• The new Prime Video deal runs six years and extends live access to viewers in more than 200 countries.

How does the deal compare with the Oscars' move to YouTube?

The Emmys agreement puts Amazon directly alongside Google, whose YouTube platform holds the rights to stream the Oscars live worldwide starting in 2029, the BBC noted. YouTube's model leans on advertising around a free stream, while Amazon is using free live access to the Emmys to pull global audiences deeper into its Prime ecosystem, building the kind of advertising footprint it has already cultivated around its sports rights.

What happens next for the ceremony?

The shift marks the first time the Emmys will leave traditional broadcast television entirely, after honoring achievements in acting, writing and production as a showcase for the global TV industry since 1949. The first Prime Video-exclusive ceremony is set for September 2027, with viewers in more than 200 countries able to watch at no cost and without a subscription.