• Loading stock data...
Saturday, October 18, 2025

NFL Backs Netflix for Christmas Day Doubleheader Despite Recent Issues

Technical issues during the livestream of the Jake Paul–Mike Tyson fight were something of a black eye for Netflix, but could become a silver lining for two upcoming NFL games.

Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Netflix’s historic, but technically marred, livestream of the Jake Paul–Mike Tyson fight has caused some consternation within the NFL, but the league is still supporting the company as a major doubleheader on Christmas Day approaches. 

The streaming giant is showing Chiefs-Steelers and Ravens-Texans on the holiday, the beginning of a three-year deal that heightens Netflix’s already-growing ambitions in live events. But widespread buffering and outage issues during the boxing match have prompted the league to re-inquire about the company’s technical infrastructure, according to multiple Front Office Sports sources. 

“There were clearly a lot of emails and calls flying around over the weekend,” said an industry source. “What happened was definitely noted, and there were conversations.”

Still, the league has confidence in Netflix’s ability to deliver on Christmas, sources said, and there was also a sense of relief that something of a large-scale stress test has now happened—away from the NFL. 

Self-Reflection

The NFL’s sentiment builds on an internal acknowledgment from Netflix CTO Elizabeth Stone, who said in a company memo that the event failed to live up fully to its intentions and that the company intends to learn from the issues.

“This unprecedented scale created many technical challenges, which the launch team tackled brilliantly by prioritizing stability of the stream for the majority of viewers,” Stone wrote in a company memo. “I’m sure many of you have seen the chatter in the press and on social media about the quality issues. 

“We don’t want to dismiss the poor experience of some members, and know we have room for improvement, but still consider this event a huge success,” she wrote. 

Major Star Power

The streaming giant, meanwhile, also sought to deflect some attention away from those traffic and buffering issues, announcing Sunday that pop superstar Beyoncé will perform during halftime of the Ravens-Texans game that will be the Christmas nightcap. The appearance in her hometown of Houston, representing the first live performance of songs from Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, follows her two prior showcases during the NFL’s Super Bowl halftime show—first in 2013 as a headliner and again three years later in collaboration with Coldplay. 

Like that latter appearance, Beyoncé’s performance on Christmas will also include special guests, and given her iconic stature, marks one of the biggest musical acts at an NFL game outside of the Super Bowl. 

More Netflix Happenings

Investors also shrugged off Netflix’s issues over the weekend, sending shares up by nearly 3% Monday, closing at a new company high of $847.05 per share. Monday’s stock performance was the latest in a fervent run this calendar year in which Netflix shares have soared 81%. 

The streaming audience, while certainly big, does not have a direct comparison to other major programming, either elsewhere online or on linear TV. The figures of 60 million households and a peak of 65 million concurrent streams released by Netflix on Saturday are global reach numbers and not U.S.-specific, per-minute audience averages that are common elsewhere in the domestic media industry. Nor have they been verified by a third party. 

As a result, fully evaluating the true impact of the Paul-Tyson fight is rather difficult.

“If Nielsen required streamers to be in all-in or all-out with their live measurement—which is what’s always been required of [linear] networks—we’d have a more complete understanding of our market,” Fox Sports president of insight and analytics Mike Mulvihill posted on social media

Netflix is working with Nielsen on its Christmas Day NFL doubleheader but did not make a similar move for the boxing event. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

How Vanderbilt Went From SEC Doormat to Dark Horse CFP Candidate

After beating LSU, Clark Lea said: “Internally, we expect to win.”

Financial Behemoth Dodgers Win NL Pennant, Eye History

The biggest spenders would be MLB’s first repeat champion in 25 years.
May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots a three point basket over New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter of game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

NBA Stars Swap Wine With League Friends and Foes

A wine-exchange tradition emerged from the bubble season’s close quarters.
Hansi Flick

Barcelona Players, Coach ‘Not Happy’ About Miami Game

La Liga is on the verge of relocating a December match.

Featured Today

May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Derek Jeter walks the red carpet on Sunday, May 25, 2025, ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Players’ Tribune Is Still Kicking 11 Years Later

Founder Derek Jeter is still closely involved in the publication.
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with her teammates after her last second shot to take the lead 90-88 against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2025.
exclusive
October 10, 2025

Standoff Over WNBA’s Future Has Dominated Finals

CBA negotiations have stolen the spotlight from the Aces’ dominant performance.
Paul Cartier
October 5, 2025

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Apr 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of an NBA basketball and backyard and NBA logo before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center.

NBA Tries to Solve Fragmentation Issue It Helped Create

A new “Tap to Watch” feature will direct fans to live games.
Aug 30, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Brandon Inniss (1) attempts to make a catch over Texas Longhorns defensive back Graceson Littleton (29) in the first half at Ohio Stadium.
October 16, 2025

SEC Games Help ABC Dominate College Football Ratings at Midseason

Texas–Ohio State on Fox remains the most-watched game of the season.
Mar 12, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view of ESPN broadcast camera during a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
October 16, 2025

ESPN’s New NBA Segment Resists Hot Takes

LeBron James tweeted in favor of the new segment.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Oct 10, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with teammates after game four of the 2025 WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center.
October 14, 2025

WNBA Finals Draws 1.5M Viewers, Second-Highest Series on ESPN

The four-game series averaged 1.5 million viewers.
MLS
October 14, 2025

MLS Publishes Unchecked AI-Generated Game Recaps

Humans are not reviewing the articles for accuracy.
Micah Parsons
exclusive
October 14, 2025

NFL Scorigami Creator Blames Glitches on Twitter Platform Changes

The bot has been glitching all NFL season, and fans have noticed.
Sep 5, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia embraces after their match in the semifinal of the men’s singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
October 13, 2025

Six Kings Slam Returns With Record $6M Prize, Netflix Deal

The Six Kings Slam is held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.