In a landmark shift that underscores the ongoing transformation of media consumption, Amazon Prime Video has locked in a six-year agreement to secure exclusive global streaming rights for the Emmy Awards, bringing the iconic television industry gala to a digital platform exclusively and ending its seven-decade run on traditional U.S. broadcast television.
Starting in 2027, this new deal will replace the long-standing rotating “Wheel Deal” system that split the ceremony among major legacy broadcast networks ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, a model that has structured the Emmys’ broadcast home since 1955. In a break from typical streaming paywall models, the annual September ceremony will be available to stream live for free to audiences across the globe, with no Prime Video subscription required to access the broadcast.
Official financial terms of the agreement have not been publicly disclosed, and the BBC has reached out to both Amazon and the Television Academy, which administers the Emmys, for additional comment on the deal.
Industry analysts frame the move as the clearest signal yet that major live entertainment events are following shifting viewer preferences to digital streaming platforms. The Academy Awards, another of Hollywood’s most prestigious awards ceremonies, recently announced a similar shift that will bring its global broadcast to YouTube Live starting in 2029.
Mike Proulx, research director at leading technology and media research firm Forrester, noted that the old rotating broadcast model had grown disconnected from the current state of the television industry. “The shows driving the industry forward largely originate on streaming platforms, yet the awards themselves were tethered to broadcast television,” Proulx explained. “That’s why a leading streaming service like Prime Video makes sense for the Emmy’s next act.”
Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy, emphasized that the new agreement will unlock unprecedented global access for the awards. In a statement released through Amazon, Abrego said, “The deal gives the ceremony unprecedented global reach, allowing audiences in more than 200 countries to watch live. Television has never been more global, and the Emmys should be a celebration that the world can share.”
Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, echoed that sentiment, saying the platform is honored to take on the role as the permanent global home for the Emmys. He added that the decision to stream the ceremony for free aligns with the company’s core goal of delivering high-quality entertainment to audiences across the world.
For Amazon, the Emmys deal marks a major milestone in the company’s expansion into live event programming. Until now, Prime Video has built its live streaming profile around marquee sports content, including the NFL’s Thursday Night Football, NBA regular season and playoff games, and UEFA Champions League soccer fixtures. The Emmy deal gives Prime Video its first major live entertainment broadcast, expanding its live footprint beyond sports.
The company’s most recent earnings report already showed strong growth in live viewership across its platform, including record-breaking ratings for its inaugural season as an NBA broadcast partner. The season hit a viewership peak of 6.5 million concurrent viewers for Game 7 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals, signaling strong consumer demand for Amazon’s live content offerings.
The agreement also places Amazon in direct competition with Google, whose YouTube platform recently secured global broadcast rights for the Oscars starting in 2029. While YouTube relies heavily on an ad-supported business model for its free content, Amazon is using the free live Emmys broadcast as a tool to draw new global audiences into its larger retail and streaming ecosystem. Similar to how the company monetizes its free live sports broadcasts, the ad-supported free Emmys stream will allow Amazon to build out its global advertising business, a fast-growing segment of the company’s overall operations.
First established in 1949, the Emmy Awards honor outstanding achievements in acting, writing, directing, and production across the television industry, serving as one of the most high-profile showcases for television content from around the world. The move to an exclusive streaming home marks the most significant shift in the ceremony’s distribution model in its 76-year history.