For the first time in its history, the Masters will tee off on Amazon Prime Video. Starting in 2026, Prime will air two hours of live coverage during the first and second rounds, expanding Augusta’s media ecosystem beyond its long-standing partners CBS, ESPN and Paramount+. For a tournament famous for tradition and exclusivity, letting Amazon onto the course signals more than just a broadcast deal - it’s a cultural and commercial pivot into streaming dominance.

📊 Supporting Stats

The 2026 Masters will feature 27 total hours of live coverage - up 50% from 2024 (ESPN, 2025).
Amazon Prime Video already boasts over 230M global subscribers (Statista, 2025), giving golf a distribution reach far beyond linear TV.
Sports streaming is now mainstream: 39% of U.S. sports fans regularly watch via streaming platforms, a figure expected to surpass 50% by 2027 (PwC Sports Survey, 2024).

For Augusta, Amazon brings scale and digital reach without undermining CBS and ESPN’s prestige broadcasts. For Amazon, attaching itself to one of the most iconic tournaments in sport adds cultural cachet and strengthens its live sports portfolio (already spanning NFL’s Thursday Night Football and Premier League rights in Europe).

But there’s risk: the Masters has always thrived on scarcity and tradition. Over-exposure or digital gimmicks could dilute the aura. The balance between exclusivity and accessibility will define whether this partnership deepens the Masters’ mystique or makes it just another streaming option.

📌 Key Takeouts

What happened: Amazon Prime Video joins as a Masters broadcast partner, carrying first and second-round coverage from 2026.
Why it matters: Expands total broadcast hours by 50% and brings golf into Amazon’s global streaming ecosystem.
What works: Strategic fit - Amazon gains prestige content, Augusta gains expanded reach.
What it signals: Streaming is no longer a challenger - it’s the new default broadcast layer for premium sport.

🔮 What We Can Expect Next

Expect Amazon to test subtle innovations - multi-cam options, interactive data layers, or personalised feeds - but carefully, given Augusta’s famously conservative approach to change. If the experiment lands, more “sacred” sports properties may follow suit, using Amazon and other streamers as controlled expansion partners. For brand marketers, the Masters’ embrace of streaming is a signal: prestige sports are no longer just about who owns the TV window but who curates the digital experience.