By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –@tvanswerman
TV Answer Man, do you know if Amazon will do Thursday Night Football in 4K this year? Or will it be HD? And will it include HDR (High Dynamic Range)? — Tony, Las Vegas.
Tony, Amazon’s second year of hosting the NFL’s Thursday Night Football will begin this season on September 14 with an 8 p.m. ET matchup (coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET) between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings. (There is a 2023 TNF preseason game on August 24 between the Eagles and the Indianapolis Colts.) The tech giant last year won plaudits from critics (and most) fans for its weekly TNF presentations which were delivered with relatively few technical glitches that you often find during live sports broadcasts on other streaming services.
As for the picture, Amazon last year did not stream the TNF games in 4K, choosing instead to produce them in 1080p SDR (Standard Dynamic Range). While 1080p SDR is an upgrade over what you see during NFL games on CBS (1080i) and Fox (720p), it cannot display the color range and vividness of a 1080p HDR image. But the TV Answer Man has learned today that Amazon this season will stream its 2023 Thursday Night Football games in…1080p HDR. It’s not 4K, but it should provide an even sharper and more colorful picture than last season. (As reference, Apple uses 1080p HDR for its MLB broadcasts.)
“We’re excited about a meaningful visual upgrade to our presentation of TNF in 2023. For the first time, we will be producing and delivering TNF in native High Dynamic Range. Native HDR will provide fans with a greater contrast between light and dark, additional shades and more vivid colors,” an Amazon spokesperson tells The TV Answer Man. “We believe TNF will be the most widely distributed native HDR delivery of NFL games and that the enhancement provides the most positive impact to the most fans. Our ability to capture and deliver native HDR is made possible by our arsenal of next-generation production equipment, our proven live streaming technology and a DTC delivery that is not constrained by local broadcast affiliates and/or MVPD tech. The majority of devices manufactured in 2020 and beyond are HDR compatible, and fans do not have to implement changes within their settings in order to enjoy the upgraded streams.”
Below is the Amazon regular season schedule for Thursday Night Football in 2023, which includes a game on Black Friday (November 24).
Week 2 – Sept. 14: Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 3 – Sept. 21: New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers
Week 4 – Sept. 28: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
Week 5 – Oct. 5: Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders
Week 6 – Oct. 12: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 7 – Oct. 19: Jacksonville Jaguars at New Orleans Saints
Week 8 – Oct. 26: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Buffalo Bills
Week 9 – Nov. 2: Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 10 – Nov. 9: Carolina Panthers at Chicago Bears
Week 11 – Nov. 16: Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
Week 12 (Black Friday) – Friday, Nov. 24: Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
Week 13 – Nov. 30: Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys
Week 14 – Dec. 7: New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 15 – Dec. 14: Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders
Week 16 – Dec. 21: New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams
Week 17 – Dec. 28: New York Jets at Cleveland Browns
Tony, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
