Netflix Not Interested In Live Sports Despite Upcoming Live Golf Tournament
By Movieguide® Contributor
Netflix remains clear that it currently has no plans to bring live sports onto the platform and will stick to its current model of sports docuseries.
“We are in the sports business, but we’re in the part of the sports business that we bring the most value to, which is the drama of sport,” said Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos during a third-quarter earnings call.
This clarification comes after the platform announced THE NETFLIX CUP, its first live sporting event.
THE NETFLIX CUP is a golf tournament being held in November that will feature stars from the two Netflix originals FORMULA 1: DRIVE TO SURVIVE and FULL SWING. Four pairs, made up of a Formula 1 driver and a golfer, will compete against each other to claim the Netflix Cup.
Despite the upcoming event, Netflix has never “seen a profit path” from “renting big-league sports,” Sarandos explained, adding, “’We’re not saying there will never be’ but dramatically expensive rights have made sports effectively a ‘loss leader.’”
Due to recent successful sports docuseries like QUARTERBACK and BECKHAM, he added, “We’re having a big impact on sports through the thing we’re most great at, which is the drama.”
“We’re not anti-sports,” he continued. “We’re just pro-profit. We have yet to figure out how to do it.”
This stance is starkly different from nearly every other streaming service, which have all shelled out hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years to lock down live sports offerings. Prime Video and YouTube TV, for example, have both made extremely expensive deals with the NFL to bring football to their subscribers.
While Netflix is not interested in broadcasting rights for live sports, it does seem interested in bringing live content to the site. Over the past year, the company has been refining its live-streaming capabilities through sporadic live events.
While these past events have garnered large audiences, they have also been marred by technical difficulties, leaving some customers uncertain about the platform’s ability to deliver a pleasant live experience.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Netflix is expanding its offerings to include live sports, starting with THE NETFLIX CUP, a golf tournament featuring celebrities from the platform’s sports docuseries.
THE NETFLIX CUP will feature Formula 1 racecar drivers from the series DRIVE TO SURVIVE and golfers from the show FULL SWING. These docuseries look behind the scenes into the reality of professional sports, revealing the not-so-glamorous parts of these athletes’ lives. By showing these athletes’ humanity, the stars of these shows have gained an increasingly strong fanbase.
“We love to see how our sports series have brought increased fandom to sports leagues and competitors all over the world,” said Gabe Spitzer, vice president of nonfiction sports at Netflix. “THE NETFLIX CUP will take that energy to the next level with global stars from two popular hits competing in our first-ever live sports event.”
The athletes currently slated to compete are F1 racers Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz and golfers Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Collin Marikawa and Justin Thomas.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
