While the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys currently stand at 3-6 in the NFC East with slim playoff hopes, the team’s owner and GM, Jerry Jones, is focusing on business. Friday’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight, which was live-streamed by Netflix from AT&T Stadium (home turf of the Cowboys), has made the 81-year-old optimistic about revolutionizing the league’s international reach.
“We’re all being introduced to Netflix,” Jones said as reported by NBC Sports on Saturday. “This gives us a chance to reach forty, fifty million people from right here. The league is thrilled about Netflix becoming a huge part of our future.”
That said, the upcoming Christmas Day games between the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans will be streamed on the platform.
Hans Schroeder, the league’s Executive Vice President of Media Distribution, on Oct. 20, 2024, told Tudum:
“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 fans.”
Last season’s Christmas Day game between the Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs scored the highest viewership in the past 36 years. So, from a business point of view, Netflix is on the right path: pro-profit.
In May, Netflix and the NFL finalized a deal where the OTT platform will live-stream Christmas Day games for the next three years. According to CNBC, the platform will shell out approximately $75 million per game. But there are certain terms and conditions. Netflix will pick its own analysts to call the games.
Considering the NFL is the most-watched U.S. sports league, its partnership with the streaming platform will also attract advertisers to promote the products seamlessly.
Well, Netflix is the second prominent company that is looking to ride on this popularity. Three years ago, Amazon also signed a deal with the league. It is ready to pay $1 billion per year to have exclusive media rights over Thursday Night Football from 2023 through 2033.
