Netflix to stream NFL video games on Christmas Day from this 12 months

LOS GATOS, Calif. — Netflix mentioned on Wednesday it will stream two Nationwide Soccer League video games on Christmas Day this 12 months, doubling down on efforts so as to add extra stay programming on its streaming service.

It’s going to additionally stream not less than one sport on Christmas Day in 2025 and 2026 as a part of the unique three-season settlement.

The deal marks the primary time Netflix has licensed the rights to one of many world’s greatest sports activities leagues and likewise the primary time it will present stay soccer.

Netflix content material chief Bela Bajaria mentioned on Wednesday, “There are not any stay annual occasions, sports activities or in any other case, that evaluate with the audiences NFL soccer attracts.”

The corporate didn’t disclose monetary phrases of the deal. Bloomberg Information, which first reported on the negotiations, mentioned Netflix pays lower than $150 million per sport.

The NFL is the most-watched sports activities league within the U.S. This 12 months’s Tremendous Bowl sport between Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers drew a document 123.7 million U.S. viewers.

“Netflix is now not simply experimenting with sports activities, they’re shopping for in,” mentioned Ross Benes, senior analyst at Emarketer.

The streaming pioneer has turned to stay occasions and sports activities in current months to retain customers and construct out its promoting enterprise as progress saturates in high market U.S.

Netflix signed a greater than $5 billion rights deal in January to be the unique dwelling of World Wrestling Leisure’s RAW and livestreamed a tennis face-off between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in March.

Nonetheless, the NFL deal marks a brand new space for the corporate that simply final 12 months advised it didn’t plan to compete for sports activities rights as a result of hefty investments they require.

Its rivals have additionally pounced on rights to large sports activities leagues lately. Amazon Prime holds rights to Thursday Night time Soccer, and Apple TV+ hosts Friday Night time Baseball and Main League Soccer.

“2024 shall be checked out because the 12 months the sports activities pendulum started to favor streaming,” Benes mentioned.