• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, November 17, 2023

Amazon had to pay a reported $75 million to $100 million beyond its $11 billion “Thursday Night Football” deal to stream the first “Black Friday Football” game — and the massive online retailer is making sure it extracts every penny of potential out of it.

Amazon, which announced in early November that it had sold out ads for the event, has been releasing more specifics as it approaches.

As with the “TNF” games, advertisers have flocked to the “BFF” event in part for the interactive ad opportunities, including use of QR codes and banners that take viewers directly to Amazon product pages.

Additionally, to pump up reach for the Black Friday game, Amazon announced months ago that consumers won’t have to be an Amazon Prime member to access it: It will be viewable free for anyone with an Amazon account.

That will no doubt result in significant numbers of new, no-cost account signups and an influx of even more consumer information for the company’s database/future acquisition efforts — not to mention opportunities to push Amazon Prime accounts, including touting the benefit of access to “TNF” games via Prime Video, to non-members watching the “BFF” game.  

Amazon has declined to comment on its ads pricing for the game, but reportedly doubled its "TNF" 30-second rate, to $880,000, while encouraging advertisers to create new campaigns and concepts for the event.

Amazon will promote products in an extended pregame show, hosted by Charissa Thompson, starting at 1:30 pm EST, and throughout the Miami Dolphins/New York Jets match, which kicks off at 3 pm EST.

“Be sure to keep an eye out for exciting deals appearing on the screen as you watch, with new deals available each quarter during the game, as well as before kickoff and after the game ends,” Amazon said in its blog.

Participating advertisers include presenting sponsors Google and Carnival Cruises, plus Bose, Hasbro and Columbia Sportswear, with “special deals and limited-quantity product drops” from brands including Dyson, Lego, Nintendo and TCL.

TCL — which has been running an “Ultimate Gameday Upgrade” promotion during NFL games in which prize giveaways are tied to a different potential game outcome scenario each week — says it will set up a special scenario “with strong potential payout” for up to $1 million in 98” smart TVs during the BFF game.

But the advertising opportunities aren’t limited to the main event.

For younger viewers, Amazon will run a special edition of its “TNF with Dude Perfect” comedy show as a separate stream during the “BFF” game.

And following the game, Garth Brooks will headline an Amazon Music Live  concert, livestreamed from his new bar in Nashville.