Netflix will partner with CBS Sports to produce two NFL games that the streaming giant will broadcast on Christmas Day.
The company announced that the Paramount Global-owned network had agreed to a one-year production deal. However, the agreement does not include the game’s broadcasters. Hosts for the game will be determined at a later date, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Jim Nantz and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will continue to serve as CBS Sports’ chief commentators for NFL games in 2024.
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The deal also marks the first time Netflix has agreed to live stream football on its platform. The 2024 Christmas Day doubleheader will be available exclusively to Netflix subscribers at no additional cost. The Pittsburgh Steelers will host the reigning Kansas City Chiefs in the first of the two Christmas games.
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The Baltimore Ravens visit the Houston Texans for a late afternoon game. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EST.
Under the terms of the multi-year deal with the league, Netflix has also acquired the rights to stream at least one holiday game in 2025 and 2026.
“Last year, we decided to go all-in on live, reaching huge fan bases across comedy, reality TV, sports and more,” said Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, in a press release in May, shortly after the Christmas games package was announced.
“There are no annual live events, sporting or otherwise, that can compare to the audience size of NFL football. We are thrilled that the NFL games on Christmas Day will be only on Netflix.”
Last year, Christmas Day fell on a Monday and the NFL scheduled a tripleheader. This year, four NFL teams will compete in the rare Wednesday games for the doubleheader.
“The NFL at Christmas has become a tradition and partnering with Netflix, a service whose biggest day of the year is usually this holiday, is the perfect combination to make this event more visible to NFL fans around the world,” Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president of media distribution, said in a statement.
According to Bloomberg, Netflix will pay around $150 million for the rights to each NFL game. Netflix and the NFL have had a business relationship for several years.
The docuseries “Quarterback” was released on Netflix in 2023, and “Receiver” premiered on the streaming platform last month. While “Quarterback” focused on three different signal-callers at different points in their careers, the pass-catching series follows a total of four wideouts and one tight end.
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As previously agreed, the games can now also be broadcast on the participating teams’ domestic television channels. Fans in the USA can watch the games on their mobile devices via the league’s own streaming service NFL+.
The NFL continues to be the most watched sports league in the U.S. The Super Bowl in February between the Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers drew a record 123.7 million viewers domestically.