Netflix is making its foray into big-league sports streaming by securing the rights to two NFL games on Christmas Day 2024. Under the three-year deal, Netflix will be the global home for the NFL's Christmas Day games for 2024, 2025, and 2026, with the games also airing on broadcast TV in the competing teams’ cities and available on U.S. mobile devices with NFL+.
The streaming giant will pay approximately $150 million in total for this year's Christmas Day games, with each game costing $75 million. While it's yet to be determined who will produce the games, Netflix's Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria, expressed excitement about the partnership, highlighting the massive audiences NFL football attracts.
Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s EVP of media distribution, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the significance of partnering with Netflix to expand the event globally for NFL fans.
The NFL will unveil its full 2024 schedule, including the Netflix Christmas Day match-ups, on Wednesday. This move comes after Netflix has already delved into NFL-related content with docuseries like "Quarterback" and the upcoming "Receiver," set to premiere this summer.
The Christmas Day games have been a tradition since 1971 and have seen a resurgence in recent years. Last year's three Christmas games were among the top 25 most-viewed TV programs of 2023, with the Raiders vs. Chiefs match drawing the highest Christmas Day viewership since 1988.
While Netflix has previously been cautious about major sports rights deals, it has been steadily increasing its lineup of live sports content and sports-adjacent programming. In addition to the NFL deal, Netflix has secured the exclusive rights to WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” beginning in 2025 and has ventured into livestreaming boxing matches and other sports events. CEO Ted Sarandos has emphasized the company's focus on profitable growth in all programming areas, including sports.
