Duke’s Amazon deal could mark a new wave for NIL opportunities

Duke is poised to be a national title contender again next season and Jon Scheyer’s program is finding ways to win off the court as well. Jon Scheyer’s program has reached a deal with Amazon Prime for the exclusive rights to stream three non-conference games next season, ESPN.com’s Jeff Borzello and Pete Thamel report.

Those games are heavy hitters: a rematch with UConn in Las Vegas on Nov. 25, another rematch with Michigan at Madison Square Garden in December, and a date in Detroit with Gonzaga in February. In exchange for giving those games to Amazon, Duke and ESPN worked out an agreement for the Blue Devils to participate in ESPN-run non-conference events in each of the following two seasons.

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The partnership with Amazon, which is a multi-year deal, will also see tremendous NIL investment from the streamer into Duke’s athletics program. Each of Duke’s opponents will receive $500,000 for participating in the contests while the Blue Devils are going to receive even more as a result of this new deal.

Amazon’s NIL investment in Duke could offer opportunities for top programs

Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This acquisition fits into Amazon’s business model, where they have been looking to get into live sports with premiere properties. Amazon already has broadcast deals with the NFL, NBA and WNBA while also carrying a small package of New York Yankees’ games during the MLB season.

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The contract with Duke is a marquee acquisition for the streamer, which will mark Amazon’s first foray into the world of college sports. Media rights deals are always tricky, but Duke’s model could be something that other blue bloods could look to invest in to access more NIL money for their respective programs.

Kentucky, Kansas, UConn, North Carolina and Michigan rate among the top basketball programs who could benefit from an arrangement like the one the Blue Devils just created. A similar concept could eventually be explored in football, but…

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Publish date : 2026-05-01 16:10:00

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