Netflix has announced that it will be the exclusive host for this year's Christmas Day NFL match-ups, according to The Verge.
For the entertainment giant which started as a DVD rental, this milestone was huge since it showcases its expanding influence in the world of live sports.
Netflix to Stream NFL Matches on Holidays
With Christmas falling on a Wednesday this year, only two NFL games will be played. This is a reduction from the previous year's schedule, which featured three games on Christmas Day.
According to the sports organization, it plans to unveil the two-holiday match-ups and the full 2024 schedule tonight at 8/7c.
"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. The NFL on Christmas has become a tradition and to partner with Netflix, a service whose biggest day of the year is typically this holiday, is the perfect combination to grow this event globally for NFL fans," Hans Schroeder, NFL EVP of Media Distribution, said in a statement.
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Future Exclusive NFL Games on Netflix
Netflix's partnership with the NFL doesn't stop at this year's games. The streaming service will also exclusively stream at least one Christmas Day game in both 2025 and 2026. This multi-year agreement has given Netflix a chance to broadcast live sports, drawing large audiences to its platform.
Impact of Streaming on NFL Viewership
This move follows a successful exclusive streaming event by Peacock, which broadcasted an AFC Wild Card playoff game between the Chiefs and Dolphins. That event set a record as the most-streamed event ever in the U.S., attracting 23 million viewers.
NBCUniversal reportedly paid around $110 million for the rights to this game, demonstrating the lucrative potential of exclusive streaming deals.
NFL's Strategy for Christmas Day Games
Schroeder explained the strategy behind the Christmas Day doubleheader. When they saw the viewership from 2023, that was the time when fans stepped up to voice out concerns.
He added that he noticed that the fans were certainly enjoying NFL games on Christmas Day. This response from fans has encouraged the NFL to continue scheduling games on Dec. 25.
Historic Viewership on Christmas Day
Traditionally, Christmas Day has been dominated by NBA games, with the NFL only starting to play regular season games on the holiday in 1989. However, last year's Christmas Day triple-header achieved historic ratings.
According to Yahoo! Sports, the second most-watched Christmas Day game in NFL history is when the Raiders clobbered the Chiefs. It garnered 29.6 million viewers.
Meanwhile, the Eagles' victory over the Giants drew 29 million viewers, and the Ravens' win over the 49ers in primetime garnered 27.6 million viewers.
Netflix's exclusive streaming for the Christmas Day NFL games is something that football fans should look forward to. It's indeed an interesting time to be alive for sports enthusiasts all over the world.
Back in February, Amazon locked in an exclusive deal with the NFL to broadcast a playoff game next season.
