Netflix Celebrates NFL Christmas Broadcast Success — And Plans More Sports Streams
By Movieguide® Contributor
Netflix’s Christmas Day NFL game broadcasts went off without a hitch. So, what’s next from the streamer’s live sports division?
“Netflix entered the NFL streaming game on Wednesday with its pair of NFL broadcasts, with the Ravens vs. Texans posting a 24.3 million average minute audience and the Chiefs vs. Steelers notching a 24.1 million average minute audience,” the Bleacher Report wrote of the Christmas games.
With numbers like this, it’s no surprise that Netflix and the NFL plan to air more games together.
The streaming service and the NFL have been partners since 2023 when they teamed up for the docuseries QUARTERBACK, which followed players Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota during the 2022-23 NFL season.
Earlier this year, Netflix signed a three-year contract with the NFL to broadcast their Christmas Day games.
“We decided to take a big bet on live — tapping into massive fandoms across comedy, reality TV, sports and more,” Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, explained. “There are no live annual events, sports or otherwise, that compare with the audiences NFL football attracts.”
READ MORE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR NETFLIX NFL CHRISTMAS DAY MATCH-UPS
“WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) today announced a long-term partnership that will bring WWE’s flagship weekly program — RAW — to the world’s leading entertainment service,” a statement from the streamer reads. “This marks a major programming shift as RAW leaves linear television for the first time since its inception 31 years ago.”
Mark Shapiro, TKO President and COO, called the deal “transformative,” adding, “Our partnership fundamentally alters and strengthens the media landscape, dramatically expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment viewing to Netflix.”
“In its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered a phenomenal track record for storytelling,” WWE President Nick Khan said. “We believe Netflix, as one of the world’s leading entertainment brands, is the ideal long-term home for RAW’s live, loyal, and ever-growing fan base.”
READ MORE: NETFLIX IS READY TO PROVE ITSELF AFTER TYSON/PAUL LIVE STREAM ISSUES
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