Why NBCUniversal, Amazon are Doubling Down on Live Sports, Original Content

Upfront events for NBCUniversal and Amazon signaled bold plays for audience attention — and ad dollars — in an increasingly crowded streaming landscape.

The stars came out in full force at the 2025 upfronts for NBCUniversal and Amazon.

NBCUniversal took over Radio City Music Hall with a stacked lineup that included Victor Wembanyama, Keke Palmer, Daniel Radcliffe, Dakota Fanning, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, and even a virtual appearance from Michael Jordan. Snoop Dogg closed things out with a high-energy live performance. Meanwhile, Amazon brought the energy to the Beacon Theatre, kicking things off with an evening pump-up DJ set from Steve Aoki. The star power didn’t stop there — Lizzo, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael B. Jordan, the Kelce brothers, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Octavia Spencer, Jason Momoa, Candace Parker, and more took the stage to hype up Prime Video’s next wave of originals and returning hits.

In this breakdown, Boardroom dives into the biggest takeaways from both events — from billion-dollar NBA broadcasting deals to buzzy scripted slates. Sports and entertainment stole the spotlight, setting the tone for what’s next in the ever-evolving streaming wars.

NBCUniversal Amazon — *Craig Barritt / Getty Images for Amazon*

The Numbers

NBCUniversal is going all in on live content, and the numbers speak for themselves. The company says 70% of its programming is live and is on track to own nearly 40% of all major live events over the next two years. Peacock alone will stream 7,500 hours of live sports in the following year. Why does this matter? According to NBCU ad boss Mark Marshall, live content drives 21% more engagement for brands. That’s huge, especially with NBCU reaching 286 million people monthly, and over 95% of that content is backed by ads. Impressively, 99% of ads on NBCU platforms are watched to completion, and brands that maintain visibility during economic uncertainty are 98% more likely to retain their customers.

“There is plenty of discussion today and plenty of brass around, ‘time spent viewing,’ but reach without advertising is irrelevant to everyone in this room,” Marshall said during his presentation. “Our opinion has been — and always will be — ads are God’s gift to the world.”

Amazon also sees serious momentum across its ad-supported platforms, with monthly viewing hours up nearly 40% year-over-year. Onstage at its 2025 upfront, Amazon VP of U.S. Ad Sales Tanner Elton revealed that the company now reaches over 300 million people monthly through Prime Video, Twitch, Amazon Music, and more. Prime Video alone pulls in over 130 million monthly viewers, and 88% of them also shop on Amazon.com, showing just how powerful the company’s flywheel of content, commerce, and advertising has become.

“We’re connecting with these customers sun-up to sundown, through the content they obsess over, and the services that make their lives easier, and the products they need and want,” Elton said in a press release. “With Amazon, you get it all — you buy into one powerful, interconnected community fueled with trillions of insights.”

Sports Lead the Way

Both NBCUniversal and Amazon unveiled significant expansions into sports broadcasting, with the NBA at the center of it all.

As we know, NBCUniversal is officially bringing NBA coverage back to its platforms starting with the 2025–26 season, thanks to a massive 11-year deal. That includes 100 regular-season games across NBC and Peacock annually, including exclusive Monday night games on Peacock and Tuesday night doubleheaders. NBC will also air Sunday night games after football season and major playoff matchups, including six Conference Finals, and marquee events like the All-Star Game.

Most notably, NBCUniversal announced that basketball legend Michael Jordan will join NBC Sports as a special contributor, bringing his iconic presence back to the network that covered his championship runs in the 1990s. Roundball Rock, the iconic theme song by John Tesh for the NBA on NBC, will be revived. Tesh joined an orchestra on the Upfront stage for a nostalgic performance of the jingle.

NBCUniversal also announced plans for a 17-day stretch in February 2026 dubbed “Legendary February,” featuring the Super Bowl, Winter Olympics, and NBA All-Star Weekend, marking a significant period of live sports coverage.

Amazon also recently locked in its first-ever U.S. national NBA media rights deal — an 11-year agreement set to kick off with the 2025–26 season. The platform will stream 66 regular-season games annually beginning Oct. 24, plus it’s getting exclusive rights to the NBA Play-In Tournament, select playoff games, and six Conference Finals. Amazon is also taking over global distribution for NBA League Pass. The faces behind Amazon’s new NBA studio show — Taylor Rooks, Blake Griffin, Candace Parker, and Udonis Haslem — also hit the stage.

Read an extensive overview of what Amazon has planned for its NBA deal from Boardroom’s Shlomo Sprung.

Additionally, Amazon’s Thursday Night Football commentator crew of Charissa Thompson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Andrew Whitworth announced that the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles will be the Black Friday matchup on the platform, while the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos will play on Christmas Day.

Outside of the NBA and NFL, Amazon Prime Video will continue WNBA, NWSL, and NASCAR coverage.

Entertainment in the Pipeline

As expected, NBCUniversal and Amazon unveiled a slate of new shows, movies, and exclusive programming coming to their respective platforms. It was a star-studded affair on both sides, with major talent hitting the stage to tease upcoming projects, expand fan-favorite franchises, and spotlight new originals.

Sadly, NBCUniversal did not give us a sneak peek of the upcoming Love Island: Beyond The Villa series, which is personally important to me. But the Love Island Season 6 spin-off show will premiere this summer alongside season seven of the reality dating show. Luckily, the announcement of the Wicked live concert in LA this fall, ahead of the Wicked: For Good theatrical release on Nov. 21, made up for the disappointment. The exclusive musical event will air live on NBC before it premieres on Peacock the next day.

Here’s a curated list of upcoming shows NBCUniversal announced, with synopses and expected release dates:

The Paper (September 2025, Peacock): Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Nuñez, and Sabrina Impacciatore star in this spin-off of The Office, set at a struggling Toledo newspaper.
On Brand with Jimmy Fallon (Fall 2025, NBC): Fallon and Bozoma Saint John lead this reality TV show where participants will pitch their brand ideas to big-time marketers for cash prizes.
Tiffany Haddish Goes Off (Fall 2025, Peacock): A docuseries following Tiffany Haddish’s journey across Africa with childhood friends.
Dig (release date TBA, Peacock): Amy Poehler will star in this scripted series about four women who uncover a major secret at an archaeological site in Greece.
All Her Fault (Expected 2025, Peacock): A mom’s pickup turns nightmarish when her son is missing, triggering dark revelations. Notable cast members: Sarah Snook, Dakota Fanning, Jake Lacy.
The ‘Burbs (release date TBA, Peacock): A sinister neighbor shakes a couple’s quiet suburban life. Notable cast members: Keke Palmer, Jack Whitehall, Paula Pell
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins (release date TBA, NBC): Tracy Morgan plays a disgraced former football player who is on a mission to rehabilitate his image alongside Daniel Radcliffe.

Amazon left a strong impression after showcasing its slate of cinematic trailers. But while the announcements were impressive, it’s hard to ignore the platform’s ongoing challenge: discoverability. Prime Video has long struggled to give its originals the sustained promotion they deserve. Shows often arrive with little context or cultural buildup, and even the good ones fade fast from conversation. If Amazon wants to compete at the level of Netflix, Disney, or even Peacock regarding audience engagement, it needs to back its creative bets with smarter, more consistent marketing.

Nonetheless, here’s a curated list of upcoming Prime Video shows Amazon announced, with synopses and expected release dates:

The Better Sister (May 29, 2025): Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks star in this psychological thriller where estranged sisters reunite after a murder, unraveling dark family secrets.
Delphi (release date TBA): Executively produced by Michael B. Jordan, this live-action series expands the Creed universe and focuses on young boxers at the Delphi Boxing Academy.
Spider-Noir (release date TBA, MGM+): Nicolas Cage joins the Marvel Spider-verse as an older, grittier Spider-Man in this animated series set in 1930s New York.
Elle (summer 2026): Lexie Minetree stars as a teenage Elle Woods in this prequel to Legally Blonde set in the ’90s.
Beast Games (release date TBA): Prime Video renewed MrBeast‘s reality competition series for two more seasons, where contestants participate in challenges for a $10 million prize.
Fallout, Season 3 (release date TBA): The hit video game series was renewed for a third season before its sophomore season premiere in December, which will be set in New Vegas.
Motorheads (May 20, 2025): A coming-of-age drama set in street racing, focusing on young enthusiasts navigating life’s challenges. Notable cast members: Ryan Phillippe, Nathalie Kelley, Michael Cimino
Scarpetta (release date TBA): Jamie Lee Curtis stars alongside Nicole Kidman in this crime thriller based on Patricia Cornwell’s novels. The series follows forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta as she navigates complex investigations and personal relationships.
Ride or Die (release date TBA): Octavia Spencer stars as Debbie in this action-comedy, where Debbie finds out her best friend, Judith, is a highly trained assassin. The duo embarks on a chaotic journey to escape a mysterious enemy.

It’s safe to say NBCUniversal and Amazon have their hands full — not just with content but with ambitious slates designed to dominate screens, spark conversation, and reshape the streaming game.