The NFL’s Christmas Gift: Netflix in Talks to Stream Christmas Day Games
The NFL is reportedly in contract talks with Netflix to stream the league’s two Christmas Day games in 2024. According to John Ourand of Puck, it “looks like” Netflix will be the home of the NFL’s Christmas games, but “nothing has been signed yet” and the two sides still have to “clear some hurdles.”
The NFL’s Christmas Day games are a highly anticipated event.
The NFL initially stated that it would not have any Christmas Day games in 2024 since Christmas falls on a Wednesday, but the league reversed course due to the huge ratings Christmas games typically draw. Netflix would conceivably see a significant uptick in subscriptions around Christmas time if a deal comes together, and the NFL figures to receive a handsome payment from Netflix in return.
The NFL is the undisputed king of sports in the United States, and getting the rights to any of the league’s games will be another major coup for Netflix in its live sports ascension.
The NFL and Netflix are still in the process of hammering out a deal, which has resulted in a delay in the league releasing its schedule for the 2024 season. The original plan was for the schedule to be released this week on May 9, but it will instead be revealed next week on May 15.
The NFL’s schedule release is highly anticipated by fans.
While the NFL previously stuck solely to broadcast and cable television to air its games, streaming services have made significant headway in that regard in recent years. Last season, Amazon Prime Video was the home of Thursday Night Football, and Peacock also streamed multiple games, including the AFC Wild Card Round playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins.
Thursday Night Football has been a staple of the NFL season.
Netflix is still in its infancy in terms of live streaming events, but it is clearly making major moves in an effort to become a destination for live sports. On July 20, the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will stream live on Netflix from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Also, Netflix reached a 10-year, $5 billion deal with WWE for the rights to stream Monday Night Raw weekly beginning next year.
The boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will stream live on Netflix.
The NFL’s potential deal with Netflix is a significant development in the world of sports streaming. As the NFL continues to explore new ways to reach its fans, it will be interesting to see how this deal shapes the future of sports broadcasting.
The NFL’s deal with Netflix could be a game-changer for sports streaming.
