Amazon Prime streaming Premier League football: what matches are being shown and how can I watch?

Amazon's game interface
Amazon's game interface Credit: Amazon

The Premier League has another new broadcaster next month, as Amazon Prime begins streaming Premier League football matches on Tuesday 3rd December with Crystal Palace versus AFC Bournemouth.

All 20 Premier League clubs will be in action on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th December, including the headline-grabbing Jose Mourinho return to Old Trafford for Manchester United versus Spurs, a fixture that has worked out nicely for the entrant to the market.

And there is also the Liverpool versus Everton Merseyside Derby on the same day, a game which is sure to draw huge interest, not least because Everton manager Marco Silva's job is under so much threat.

On Boxing Day, Amazon attempts the major logistical feat of broadcasting nine top-flight games, including fully six starting at 3pm.

To watch it, you will need an Amazon Prime Membership. 

Amazon Prime Video's Crystal Palace and Bournemouth customised shirts
2020 vision: Amazon Prime Video's Crystal Palace and Bournemouth customised shirts; these two clubs kick things off on Tuesday December 3rd Credit: Amazon

How do I watch and what do I need?

You will need Amazon Prime membership, which allows you to watch Amazon Prime Video. This can be had for £79 annually or £7.99 a month.

However, you can take advantage of a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime (and then cancel it, if you can live with the thought of poor Jeff Bezos going hungry.)

And is it on the telly?

Not in the traditional sense. You can watch it online, on a mobile, on loads of devices, and beam it at the TV set via the Prime Video app, Fire TV, games consoles, Virgin’s V6 TV Box, BT TV, TalkTalk TV, Apple TV, Chromecast and possbily even a really good toaster if you can get your hands on one.

What format will the coverage take?

Well, perhaps because the Amazon brand is not immediately associated with football, the shopping giant has played it as safe as possible with the onscreen talent.

Any football fan who fears change, i.e. most of us, will feel on secure ground.

Punditry will come from a familiar, if deep, roster that includes Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer, Peter Crouch, Roberto Martinez, Lee Dixon, Harry Redknapp, Jermaine Jenas, Alex Scott, Peter Schmeichel and Michael Owen.

Hosts include Gabby Logan and Eilidh Barbour, and the lesser-spotted Jim Rosenthal, a big beast of eighties football TV who is perhaps the most eye-catching signing for the new broadcaster.

Steve Bower, the Match of the Day commentator, will host a goals/scores show during the action with Dion Dublin, Robbie Savage, Tim Sherwood, Joe Cole and Dermot Gallagher.

Commentators will be Clive Tyldesley, Jon Champion, Connor McNamara, Guy Mowbray and Ian Darke; with Amazon clearly not looking to reinvent the wheel in terms of the voices and faces on offer.

Anyone not on?

Barely. The full list of pundit talent is, with the exception of Gary Lineker and the Sky big boys, a who's who of British football broadcasting, although some viewers might wonder if Amazon has missed a chance to try something, or somebody, new.

That list in full (deep breath): Adam Hunt, Adam Summerton, Alan Shearer, Alan Pardew, Alex Scott, Ally McCoist, Andy Townsend, Caroline Barker, Catherine Whitaker, Charlotte Bates, Chris Ford, Chris Waddle, Clinton Morrison, Clive Tyldesley, Conor McNamara, Craig Burley, Danny Higginbotham, Danny Jamieson, Darrell Currie, Dennis Wise, Derek Rae, Dermot Gallagher, Dimitar Berbatov, Dion Dublin, Eilidh Barbour, Eni Aluko, Gabby Logan, Gabriel Clarke, Gary Cahill, Glenn Hoddle, Graeme Le Saux, Grant Holt, Guy Mowbray, Harry Redknapp, Ian Darke, Jermaine Jenas, Jim Rosenthal, Jim Beglin, John Barnes, Joe Cole, John Hartson, Jon Champion, Karen Carney, Karthi Gnanasegaram, Kelly Somers, Kevin Kilbane, Lee Dixon, Les Ferdinand, Lynsey Hooper, Marcus Buckland, Mark Saggers, Matt Holland, Matt Smith, Matt Upson, Michael Brown, Michael Owen, Natalie Quirke, Nigel De Jong, Owen Hargreaves, Peter Crouch, Peter Drury, Peter Schmeichel, Rachel Stringer, Richard Dunne, Robbie Savage, Roberto Martinez, Seema Jaswal, Steve Bower, Steve McManaman, Steve Wilson, Sue Smith, Thierry Henry and last but no means least, Tactics Tim Sherwood.

Can I watch this in the boozer?

Yes vicar, you certainly can.

If you don't want to spring for the Amazon service yourself, there is always the option of watching in the pub. Amazon Prime Video has struck a deal with BT Sport to use their set-top boxes and infrastructure to give licence holders the opportunity to screen the Amazon Premier League matches.

It is understood that pubs will have to pay from £100 to £600 for this, depending on the size of the premises. For pub owners and license holders this will represent a cost on top of the thousands some of them already pay BT and Sky Sports.

What's this all mean in the short term?

Well, for poor old Joe Soap football fan, it means yet another thing to fork out for if you want to watch all the Premier League football. Sorry Bezos, but there it is.

And in the longer term?

Given Amazon's aggressive and expansionist record in other areas, it seems unlikely that they will just want to do 20 games a season, right?

In the Premier League UK broadcast rights deal for 2019-2002 (they negotiate a three-year package), Sky Sports paid £3.58 billion and BT Sport £885 million. Amazon has not said how much they paid for their 20 matches but, for comparison, BT Sport purchased one package of 20 for £90 million. Total spend between the rivals: about £4.465 billion. 

Overall the UK rights look to have topped out: the 2016-2019 deal was £5.13 billion, but the overseas rights are thought to be the growth area. Although Amazon's expenditure is clearly not peanuts, it is relatively affordable way of testing the water if they do want to go big when the next rights offer comes around.

Any other business?

Just this rumour that they might not have enough bandwidth sorted in Merseyside for the derby! Ooof.

License this content