Amazon’s Prime Video service will be the local streaming home of Stars games this season as the team moves its in-market telecasts away from embattled ad-supported streamer Victory+, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the club’s plans. The Stars also will use the NHL’s newly introduced centralized production services for their in-market telecasts, becoming at least the fifth team to commit to the initiative, the sources said.
North Texas sports news outlet DLLS first reported the Stars’ plans to move to Prime Video for local streaming. The Stars declined a request for comment.
It remains unknown whether the Stars will have a linear broadcast partner in their home territory or whether Prime Video will be the exclusive place to watch the team’s local telecasts. The Stars are expected to have 71 local telecasts this season after the league’s U.S. broadcast partners, ESPN and TNT, selected 13 of the team’s games as national exclusives.
The four other teams that have announced plans to use the NHL’s centralized production function -- the Blue Jackets, Blues, Hurricanes and Wild -- have yet to announce their own in-market distribution plans for the upcoming season. Those four clubs could also turn to Prime Video as a local streaming partner. The Ducks, who fled Victory+ earlier this summer, also have yet to announce their local distribution or production plans for the upcoming season.
Prior to this season, the Kraken were the only NHL team using Prime Video as its local streaming platform.
The Stars’ departure is a particularly significant development for Victory+, a two-year-old streaming service. The Stars were the first major professional sports team to sign with Victory+, agreeing to a seven-year deal in 2024, and hold an equity stake in the business.
In addition to the Ducks and Stars, the Texas Rangers and NWSL have each ended their relationships with Victory+ this summer. SBJ reported last month that the firm had removed founder Neil Gruninger as CEO and replaced him with board member Jon Spencer of TriWest Capital Partners.
