Netflix is preparing to stream two NFL games this Christmas Day: the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the Baltimore Ravens vs. the Houston Texans at 4:30 p.m. ET.
These games will mark Netflix’s latest attempt at live programming for events expected to draw millions of viewers.
Last year, an average of 28.7 million viewers watched one of three NFL games on Christmas Day, including the Las Vegas Raiders vs. the Chiefs, the New York Giants vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Ravens vs. the San Francisco 49ers. These matchups ranked among the top 25 most-viewed TV programs of 2023.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be the first professional sports league to partner with Netflix to bring live games to fans around the world,” said Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president of media distribution, in a statement.
However, the excitement isn’t only about the football action. Prior to the Ravens vs. Texans game, Grammy-winning group Pentatonix will perform the national anthem. During halftime, Beyoncé will take the stage to perform tracks from her 2024 album Cowboy Carter live for the first time, with special guest appearances.
Netflix’s move to stream NFL games comes after the platform’s attempt to broadcast live boxing between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, which faced numerous technical glitches. Many viewers reported long buffering times or being disconnected from the stream.
According to Down Detector, at least 85,000 users experienced streaming issues, leading one frustrated fan to file a class-action lawsuit against Netflix over the “unwatchable” livestream.
At its peak, the Tyson-Paul fight reached 65 million concurrent streams globally, marking an unprecedented scale for Netflix.
In response, a Netflix spokesperson said the company learned valuable lessons from the Tyson-Paul broadcast, adjusting its “content delivery, encoding, and streaming protocols” to avoid similar issues for the NFL games.
“We now know from experience what are the main pressure points in our infrastructure and are promptly addressing them ahead of the NFL games,” the spokesperson explained.
It’s critical for Netflix to ensure smooth, glitch-free livestreams. The platform is set to air NFL games on Christmas Day in 2025 and 2026, and will begin broadcasting WWE Raw, SmackDown, and other WWE programming weekly starting January 6.
Additionally, Netflix secured exclusive streaming rights for the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031 through a deal with FIFA. Both Netflix and FIFA see the agreement as a major opportunity to expand their audiences, especially in the U.S.
“This agreement sends a strong message about the real value of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the global women’s game,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a statement.
Whether it’s a comedy special, a late-night talk show, or a dating show reunion, Netflix’s live programming has seen mixed results in the past.
However, it’s clear that live programming is here to stay. The streaming giant has been increasing its focus on live content, moving away from its traditional binge-watching model that contributed to its rise in popularity.
With the largest subscriber base of any streaming service globally, Netflix’s success in mastering live streaming will be crucial for its continued growth, especially as concerns over subscriber stagnation persist.
