Seattle Kraken Ink-Deal To Broadcast Games Over The Air And Stream on Prime Video

It's the offseason for the Seattle Kraken, who frankly underwhelmed this season after a trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs the year before.

However, golfing and vacations weren't going to keep the team from announcing some pretty big news about how fans can catch their games next season. The team revealed their new broadcast and streaming plans, highlighting the increasing decline of regional sports networks. 

The team announced that starting next season their games will be broadcast over the air on two local TV stations and streamed on Amazon Prime Video.

They announced the news on Thursday with this photo on social media, which, I have to be honest, confused the hell out of me at first.

Someone (me) didn't read the caption right away and couldn't figure out why there were three Kraken jerseys that read "KING 5," "KONG," and "PRIME VIDEO."

"Wait… is that new King Kong/Godzilla movie headed to Prime Video already?" I wondered. But that didn't explain the 5 wedged in there.

Anyway, eventually I read the caption like I should've from the start and now it all makes crystal clear sense.

KING-TV and KONG-TV are the over-the-air stations — both owned by the company TEGNA — that will broadcast games. TEGNA-owned stations in Portland and Spokane will also air games. This means that you live in those broadcast areas, congratulations on your free hockey watchin'.

…of course that includes nationally televised games.

For fans in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, Kraken games will also be available on Prime Video, making them the first NHL team and third team overall behind the New York Yankees and the WNBA's Seattle Storm to cut a deal with Amazon.

The Kraken's new deal comes amid concerns about the future of their former network.  (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

Teams Are Having To Come Up With New Ways For Fans To Watch Games Thanks To The Decline Of Regional Sports Networks

This makes a ton of sense given Amazon is based in Seattle and already holds the naming rights to the team's Climate Pledge Arena. The company's logo also appeared on Kraken players' helmets this season.

It also speaks to the situation a lot of teams are finding themselves in as regional sports networks go the way of dial-up internet. The troubles for Diamond Sports Group which owns Bally Sports are well-documented, but the Kraken's former home, Roots Sports — owned in large part by the Seattle Mariners — is also having financial issues.

This has forced some teams to think outside the box. The over-the-air and streaming hybrid approach is one option, while the Vegas Golden Knights took another approach this year. While some games are still available on local TV, the reigning Stanley Cup champs launched their own streaming service called KnightTime+ this season.