Netflix Considers Streaming Even More Live Sports

Netflix’s words and actions aren’t quite matching up.

The streaming giant continues to say it isn’t interested in being a major player in live sports rights, yet it keeps dipping its toes in the proverbial waters.

Live boxing could be coming to Netflix, which is exploring exclusively streaming a match involving Jake Paul, according to the Wall Street Journal. Also being considered for broadcast are matches from Premier Boxing Champions, a promotion currently airing on Showtime — a network that will be shut down by owner Paramount at the end of this year. 

Any potential boxing streams would follow the Netflix Cup on Nov. 14 — a golf event that will mark the tech company’s first effort presenting live sports. It will involve athletes from Netflix’s PGA Tour series “Full Swing” and Formula 1 series “Drive to Survive.” Coincidentally, Paul is the subject of a Netflix documentary in its “Untold” series that was released this summer.

During Netflix’s most recent earnings report, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said there was no core change to the company’s live sport strategy or licensing of live sports. 

“We are investing heavily in increasing our live capabilities so that as the demand grows for that and we find different ways, the liveness can be part of the creative storytelling, we want to be able to do that at a big scale,” he said.

Netflix’s confirmed and reported moves appear to show a strategy focused on live sporting events with athletes and properties it already works with — whether or not that leads to broadcasts beyond one-off, specialty events.