Chargers at Chiefs Thursday game won't be on TV: Why Amazon Prime is the only way you'll be able to watch
Thu, Sep 15, 2022
NFL News (AP)
For the past four years, Thursday Night Football has been airing on Fox, but that will no longer be the case starting tonight when the Chiefs host the Chargers.
If you turn to Fox at 8:20 p.m. ET, there will be something on, but it won't be football. And don't bother checking any other channels for the game, because it won't be airing on television. The NFL will be stepping into the world of internet only games tonight with "Thursday Night Football" airing exclusively on Amazon Prime.'
Although the game will be available on television in the home markets of any team that plays on Thursdays, everyone else will have to watch the game on Prime (This means that tonight's game will be on over-the-air television in both Los Angeles and Kansas City).'
Since this is the first time ever that Amazon will be exclusively streaming a game, now seems like a good time to give you a primer on how we got here and what they'll be offering.'
Here's everything you need to know:'
- Amazon will be airing 'Thursday Night Football' for the next 11 years.'When the NFL finalized its new media rights deals in March 2021, one of the biggest surprises was Amazon. For the first time ever, an internet company won the exclusive rights to a package of games. Amazon is reportedly'paying $1 billion per year'for the rights to stream TNF thru the 2033 season. Amazon wasn't supposed to start streaming TNF until 2023, but Fox, who held the rights through the 2022 season,'cut a deal with the company'that allowed Amazon to start streaming the games this year. Amazon had been streaming Thursday games since 2017, but this is the first year they're getting the games exclusively.'
- Who are the announcers?'Amazon wanted to hit a home run with its announcer pairing, so the company went out and got two big names: Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit. On Michaels' end, his contract ran out at NBC, so Amazon pounced on him. As for Herbstreit, he's still with ESPN, but he'has a clause in his contract'that allows him to do NFL games for Amazon. The sideline reporter on Thursday nights will be Kaylee Hartung.'
- Amazon will be giving you plenty of options:'If you don't feel like listening to Herbstreit and Michaels, Amazon will have several other options. There will'be a feed that includes'"Prime Vision With Next Gen Stats," a feed'with Dude Perfect'and a Spanish-language feed.
- Amazon pregame show will feature some familiar faces.'Amazon went on a hiring spree over the past few months to bring in the people who will be anchoring the pregame, postgame and halftime coverage. Richard Sherman, Andrew Whitworth and Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the former NFL players you see. Those three will join lead anchor Charissa Thompson while Taylor Rooks will serve as the feature reporter.'
One thing you'll notice about "Thursday Night Football" this year is that the NFL loaded up the schedule. Not only will things be starting off with Chargers at Chiefs, but we'll be getting a Steelers-Browns game in Week 3 and Dolphins at Bengals in Week 4. For a look at the entire Thursday night schedule, be sure to click here.'
