Emmys leave broadcast TV for the first time as Amazon lands six-year streaming deal

Highlights

• The Emmys will leave traditional US broadcast television for the first time from 2027
• Amazon Prime Video has secured exclusive global streaming rights in a six-year deal
• The ceremony will stream live and free worldwide, with no Prime Video subscription required
• The move ends a rotation between ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC that has been in place since 1955
• The deal reflects the growing influence of streaming platforms over major live entertainment events

The Emmys are entering a new era, with the television industry's biggest awards ceremony set to leave traditional broadcast TV for the first time.

From 2027, Amazon Prime Video will become the exclusive global streaming home of the Emmys under a six-year agreement. The ceremony will be streamed live around the world each September and, notably, viewers will not need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch.

The deal marks a major change for an awards show that has traditionally rotated between America's major broadcast networks.

The Emmys end decades of broadcast television

The agreement brings an end to the so-called "Wheel Deal", under which the Emmys rotated between ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. That system has been in place since 1955, making the move to streaming a significant moment in the ceremony's history.

Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy, said the deal will give the Emmys a global reach, with audiences in more than 200 countries able to watch the ceremony live.

The move also reflects how dramatically television itself has changed. Many of the shows now competing for Emmys originate on streaming services, while audiences increasingly watch television online rather than through traditional broadcast channels.

Forrester research director Mike Proulx said the move makes sense as the awards ceremony catches up with the industry it celebrates.

Amazon expands its live entertainment ambitions

The Emmys deal gives Amazon a major new live entertainment property as Prime Video continues to expand beyond on-demand streaming.

The platform has already built a significant live audience through sports, including the NFL's Thursday Night Football, NBA games and UEFA Champions League fixtures. Its first NBA season also produced strong viewing figures, with Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals reaching a peak of 6.5 million viewers.

The Emmys will now give Amazon another major live event with a potentially enormous international audience.

Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, described the platform as the ceremony's new "global home" and said making the event freely available would help bring the show to audiences worldwide.

Another major awards show moves online

The Emmys' move comes as other major awards ceremonies also shift towards digital platforms.

The Oscars are set to move to YouTube for global live streaming from 2029, putting the Emmys and Academy Awards on major online platforms rather than relying solely on traditional television networks.

For Amazon, the Emmys could also provide a significant advertising opportunity. Because the ceremony will be free to watch, the company can use the event to attract a large global audience without requiring viewers to become Prime subscribers.

The move therefore represents more than a new home for the Emmys. It is another sign that the biggest live events in entertainment are increasingly being built around streaming platforms rather than traditional broadcast television.