Amazon Prime Gears Up to Revolutionize Champions League Viewing Experience in 2024

As the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season approaches, Amazon Prime has announced its coverage strategy, aiming to capture the attention of football fans across the UK and Ireland. Having secured the rights to broadcast one match each Tuesday night through a three-year deal with UEFA, which was finalized in July 2022, Amazon is preparing for a new phase in sports broadcasting that emphasizes its growing role in the competitive landscape. The streaming service is already familiar to sports fans, holding rights to Premier League matches over the past six years, although this season marks the end of its current Premier League deal. In a significant shift, the Champions League format is also changing. The traditional eight-groups-of-four group stage has been replaced with a league-phase schedule, where each of the 36 participating teams will play eight matches against different opponents. The top eight teams from this combined table will automatically qualify for the round of 16, while those finishing in ninth through 24th will enter a knockout round to compete for the remaining spots. Prime Video's coverage will feature a "top-pick" match on Tuesday nights, with the expectation that if an English club is involved, that match will be prioritized for broadcast. However, due to its exclusive rights to a single match, Amazon will not air the final matches of the league phase, which will all take place simultaneously on Wednesday nights in late January. Presenting the Champions League coverage will be Gabby Logan, a well-known figure in sports broadcasting, alongside an impressive roster of pundits. The team includes former Netherlands international Clarence Seedorf, who boasts an illustrious Champions League history, along with ex-Premier League players like Daniel Sturridge, Frank Lampard, and Gael Clichy. Additionally, Josie Henning and Laura Georges will provide insights from the women’s game. Commentators will feature Alan Shearer, a prominent former striker, and Jon Champion, with Mark Clattenburg joining as a referee analyst. Enhancing the viewing experience, Amazon aims to minimize latency, ensuring that matches are streamed with a delay of no more than 10 seconds, provided users have compatible technology. The use of Artificial Intelligence for real-time highlights and a substitute indicator will further enrich the viewing experience. For existing Prime subscribers, access to Champions League matches comes at no additional cost, while other fixtures will require a separate subscription to Discovery+ Premium. In addition to football, Amazon has exciting projects in the pipeline. A documentary focused on Sir Kenny Dalglish, a legendary figure in Liverpool's history, is under development, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Asif Kapadia. This film is expected to delve into Dalglish's remarkable career and life, with an anticipated release in 2025. Moreover, Amazon teased a new four-part documentary titled "Four Kings," which chronicles the lives of iconic British boxers from the 1990s, set to premiere later this year. These offerings highlight Amazon's ambition to diversify its content portfolio, maintaining a strong connection to sports while exploring rich narratives in other domains. With the Champions League play-offs kicking off and the draw for the league phase imminent, Prime Video is poised to make a significant impact on sports broadcasting in the coming seasons, promising both excitement and innovation for football fans.