Amazon Prime Video is embarking on its second NFL season as the exclusive broadcaster of Thursday Night Football, introducing a suite of AI-powered features to immerse viewers in the strategic intricacies of the game.
By training machine learning models on thousands of plays, Amazon was able to generate graphics that highlight open receivers, predict potential blitzes, and calculate field goal probabilities using predictive analytics.
Amazon is clearly leveraging its position to amplify TNF promotions across its ecommerce platform. The company says that the Black Friday game (in particular) will include heavy holiday integrations, reflecting Amazon’s ambition to intertwine its core business with entertainment properties like TNF.
On the technical front, viewers with compatible devices can enjoy the enhancements of HDR streaming. However, the absence of 4K video seems cruel and unusual as it’s impossible to purchase a set with HDR that is not also 4K.
While TNF is currently the focal point, the advancements tested here could easily find their way to Premier League and other Amazon sports broadcasts. Speaking as a football fan, it’s super fun to see how Amazon and the NFL are using data to create richer fan experiences.
Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.