Amazon to begin streaming Heat, Marlins games. And Craig Mish gets Marlins TV role
There will be another way to watch Heat games beginning this week and Marlins games beginning in March. But it’s going to cost you.
In a move expected for months, Amazon Prime Video and the FanDuel regional sports networks announced a partnership Wednesday in which Amazon immediately will begin streaming the games of 30 NBA, MLB and NHL teams whose rights are owned by the 15 FanDuel regional sports networks.
In Florida, that means Heat games on FanDuel Sports Network Sun will begin streaming on Amazon Prime beginning with Friday night’s game at Toronto, and Marlins games will begin streaming when FanDuel Sports Florida carries its first Marlins spring training game on March 11. Amazon will stream the FanDuel production of those games, including Heat telecasts with Eric Reid and John Crotty announcing.
But Amazon Prime subscribers must pay an extra fee to stream games of their local teams.
The cost: $19.99 per month for all content on either FanDuel Sports Network Sun (which carries Heat games) or FanDuel Sports Network Florida (which carries Marlins games). Subscribers can pay $29.99 per month for both networks.
The cost is exactly the same as what FanDuel charges to stream both of its Florida networks on the FanDuel app, which will remain available to consumers.
The Amazon option could be appealing to those whose cable or satellite systems don’t carry FanDuel Sports Florida or Sun (including YouTube TV, Dish Network and Hulu TV); those who don’t already subscribe to the FanDuel apps; or those who already have an Amazon Prime subscription and want to consolidate their streaming options primarily through Amazon.
Amazon is also offering a one-week free trial for its FanDuel sports content, but keep in mind that league blackout territory rules still apply. So a Heat fan living in Colorado would need to purchase “NBA League Pass” to watch Heat games and couldn’t order Heat games through the Amazon or FanDuel apps and watch every game unless they return to South Florida every 30 days to “reset the clock” on their subscription.
Amazon’s $19.99 monthly charge for FanDuel Florida or Sun programming is very similar to what subscribers of Comcast Xfininity, South Florida’s dominant cable provider, were required to pay beginning this season to receive Heat and Marlins games on the FanDuel networks, which were placed on a tier after the channels were removed from Xfinity homes for three months during a carriage dispute last summer.
That means most Heat fans in South Florida are paying $20 more per month to watch Heat games than they did a year ago. Some decided not to pay at all, which very likely has contributed to a significant drop in Heat television ratings this season.
Only a small percentage of South Florida homes can now watch Heat and Marlins games without paying an additional fee. Breezeline (formerly Atlantic Broadband) and Fubo carry the FanDuel networks as part of basic or value packages. DirecTV carries the FanDuel networks on a “Choice” package, one step above its basic package.
Mish hired
FanDuel Sports Florida is hiring veteran baseball broadcaster Craig Mish for a studio analyst role on select Marlins games, mostly pregame segments. Mish, who is well-sourced and considered the top MLB “information man” in Florida, will continue his weekday show for SportsGrid.
Mish has been a Miami Herald MLB senior contributing writer for the past three seasons.
He said: “I’m really excited to join the broadcast lineup and hope I can bring something new and insightful to the fans about this next chapter of Marlins baseball.”
Craig Minervini and Kelly Saco will be the Marlins’ primary TV studio hosts this season, with Jeremy Tache possibly handling some studio in addition to a reporting role. Rod Allen, Jeff Nelson and Gaby Sanchez will be the primary studio analysts and also will remain part of a four-man TV game analyst rotation with Tommy Hutton, alongside new TV play-by-play voice Kyle Sielaff, who was the Marlins’ previous radio voice.
FanDuel Sports Florida is expected to carry nearly every regular season Marlins game and five spring training games, on March 11, 16,17, 18 and 20.
This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 12:06 PM.
