Duke-Michigan Axed Over TV Rights; Texas Tech Steps In
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- Duke-Michigan game scheduled for Dec. 21 at Madison Square Garden was cancelled after a broadcast rights misinterpretation couldn't be resolved, even after organizers attempted to relocate the matchup to LoanDepot Park in Miami.
- Duke will now face Texas Tech on Dec. 21 at Madison Square Garden, a rematch of the Red Raiders' 82-81 win at the Garden on Dec. 20 of last year under coach Grant McCasland.
- Amazon's first-of-its-kind enterprise partnership with Duke — announced in late April and including games against UConn (Nov. 25 in Las Vegas) and Gonzaga (Feb. 20 in Detroit), all streaming exclusively on Prime Video — loses its marquee matchup, though the UConn and Gonzaga games remain scheduled.
- Duke is ranked No. 2 in ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25 despite losing consensus Player of the Year Cameron Boozer and second-leading scorer Isaiah Evans, with coach Jon Scheyer adding the nation's No. 2 recruiting class and Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell.
- The cancelled game marks Amazon's first foray into broadcasting live college sports; beginning next season, Prime Video will exclusively present three Duke neutral-site nonconference games annually.
- Duke worked with the ACC and ESPN on future scheduling commitments — including participation in select ESPN-owned neutral-site events in 2027-28 and 2028-29 — in exchange for the ability to play the three Amazon-partnered neutral-site games.
Why it matters: Amazon's debut in live college sports broadcasting loses its headliner matchup before tip-off, with a broadcast rights misread forcing the cancellation of the game that would have showcased Prime Video's streaming of a top-five Duke squad — a stumble that puts immediate pressure on the company's fledgling college sports portfolio, even as the UConn and Gonzaga games remain intact.
