Amazon Wins Global Rights To Broadcast Emmys in Six-Year Deal

In a historic shift for entertainment broadcasting, the Television Academy and Prime Video have reached a six-year deal establishing Amazon's streaming platform as the exclusive global home of the Emmy Awards.

Starting with the 2027 ceremony, the event will officially leave traditional broadcast television and stream live worldwide every September instead. To ensure the celebration remains accessible to all television fans, the telecast will not be placed behind a subscription paywall and will instead be free to view across more than 200 countries.

The End of the "Wheel Deal"

The pact brings an end to the Television Academy's long-standing "Wheel Deal" rotation among major legacy networks ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. While the rotating system had been in place for over three decades since 1995, broadcast television has carried the annual awards ceremony since 1955.

Industry sources indicate the new partnership is valued at roughly $20 million to $25 million annually, totaling between $120 million and $144 million over the course of the six-year contract, which is more than double the $8 million to $10 million yearly rights fees previously paid by US network broadcasters.

Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy, noted that establishing a singular home was essential for modernizing the ceremony.

"Television has never been more global, and the Emmys should be a celebration that the world can share," Abrego said in a statement. "Now with Prime Video, audiences in more than 200 countries will be able to experience the Emmys live, with no subscription required. Our broadcast partners have been tremendous stewards of the Emmys for many years, helping to build them into the cultural institution they are today.” 

“Having a dedicated home with Prime Video allows us to build on that legacy with unprecedented global reach and a broader commitment to the Television Academy and our mission throughout the year. Prime Video shares our deep respect for the history of the Emmys, and brings the investment, innovation, and scale to help us shape their next chapter."

Abrego added that making the live event free to stream was non-negotiable, stating, "I felt strongly from the outset that this was an opportunity to rethink the model. Starting every year with a new partner, trying to find a production partner, a brand partner, trying to bring even the simpleness of learnings from the past event into the next year didn’t matter because of the different institutions… that was very challenging. As television and the industry is evolving, the telecast and much like the Academy needed to evolve, and so having a singular home was my goal from the outset."

Reaching a Younger Global Audience

For Amazon, acquiring the Emmys adds a marquee entertainment showcase to a growing live portfolio previously anchored by sports, including NFL Thursday Night Football, NBA games, and UEFA Champions League matches. Amazon plans to leverage its ad business, Fire TV promotional capabilities, and subscription marketplace where users can add partner services like HBO Max or Apple TV to build a year-round presence surrounding the event.

Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, emphasized the platform's vision for expanding the event's footprint:

"For nearly eight decades, the Emmys have recognized the best storytelling and talent in television, and we're honored that Prime Video will be trusted as the global home for this celebration over the next six years," Hopkins said. 

"Streaming the Emmys free on Prime Video is another way we're delivering the best in entertainment to our customers worldwide, and we look forward to collaborating with the Television Academy on this iconic event."

Addressing the strategy, Hopkins said, "We thought we could increase the viewership, bring in a younger audience, work with the Academy to put a lot more energy, and maybe look at the production itself to try to innovate. I feel that we can put the Emmys on a path to global growth and relevance that was probably harder to do when it was spinning from network to network and then distributed in various ways around the world."

The move highlights how major live events continue migrating toward digital platforms to align with changing viewer habits. Mike Proulx, research director at Forrester, pointed out the structural mismatch of the previous model.

"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."

With the deal finalized, both organizations plan to re-evaluate the telecast's structure, potential host selection, category breakdowns, and total runtime ahead of the 2027 launch to better engage digital-first audiences.