Manchester City confirm Amazon deal for lucrative documentary series

PA
Simon Peach9 November 2017

Manchester City have confirmed their widely-anticipated deal with Amazon for a behind-the-scenes documentary series.

Pep Guardiola's Premier League table-toppers have dominated much of the debate in the early stages of a season that is being followed for a multi-episode Amazon Prime Original Series.

The documentary series will launch on the on-demand video service next year in more than 200 countries and territories after City agreed what is understood to be a lucrative deal with Amazon.

City chief executive Ferran Soriano said: "We are delighted to begin this strategic relationship with Amazon, one of the world's leading companies.

"Amazon Prime Video is the perfect home for a ground-breaking project that will offer a unique and authentic inside view into Manchester City's season like never before.

"This is an extremely exciting time for Manchester City and through Amazon's world-class service, we will be able to share it with football fans all over the world."

Serie A giants Juventus have a similar agreement with Netflix to produce a four-part documentary series, while Amazon have produced two series of 'All Or Nothing' following the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams.

There is a widespread expectation that the likes of Amazon and Facebook will enter the bidding war when the next round of Premier League television rights comes up for tender.

In Pictures | Manchester City vs Arsenal | 05/11/2017

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The current TV deal runs until 2019 and Manchester United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward spoke in September about his expectation that the internet giants will compete for rights with traditional broadcasters.

"Absolutely, I think they will enter the mix," he said of the likes of Amazon and Facebook. "I think anecdotally there was strong interest in the last cycle.

"We are hearing that around the Premier League table but we're also hearing that from a European perspective as well, in terms of interest in the Champions League and in Europa rights.

"But I think the wider picture you have to look at what is happening elsewhere at the moment because obviously there aren't any clear European sales to these kind of partners at the moment.

"We are going to see an increasing engagement from those organisations and it is going to be increasingly important to digitally engage with fans."