• Loading stock data...
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Nominations Are Open for Front Office Sports Honors! Submit Now

NFL Netflix Debut Shatters Streaming Records As NBA Sees 84% Increase

The Netflix NFL doubleheader featured the two biggest streaming audiences in league history. Meanwhile, the NBA had a huge day of its own.

Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Netflix took some time to commit to streaming live sports, but the long game has proven to be the right strategy as its partnership with the NFL got off to a stellar start on Christmas.

The two NFL games (Steelers-Chiefs and Ravens-Texans) averaged 24.1 million and 24.3 million viewers respectively on Netflix, the streamer announced on Thursday. They are the most-streamed NFL games in U.S. history, according to Nielsen. The previous record was 23 million, set by Peacock for a Dolphins-Chiefs playoff game in January. The regular-season high was 17.92 million, set by the Lions and Packers on Amazon Prime Video earlier this month. U.S. viewership peaked during Beyonce’s halftime show in the latter game, with over 27 million viewers streaming the performance. Nielsen also said 65 million total U.S. viewers watched the stream.

Global numbers are not yet available, but Nielsen plans to release them on December 31.

“We’re thrilled with our first Christmas Gameday on Netflix with NFL games being streamed to a global audience,” said Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president of media distribution.

The two sides have two more years on their deal, with the streamer holding the rights to ‘at least’ one game apiece for 2025 and 2026. The league currently plans to play two games next Christmas, with one being streamed by Netflix and one by Amazon, since Dec. 25 will fall on a Thursday. 

Two Can Win on Christmas

However, the NFL’s decision to play a two-game slate instead of what was a tripleheader for the last two years—and perhaps the decision to shift to a streaming service rather than traditional TV—helped the NBA secure its most-watched Christmas day slate in five years. 

The NBA, whose declining viewership has been a topic of conversation for most of the season, averaged 5.25 million viewers on Christmas this year, an 84% increase versus 2023. (All five games were simulcast on ABC this year, compared to just two last year.) The viewership is also the highest in five years, or since the NFL returned to scheduling games on Christmas. 

All five of the games were decided by ten points or less, including a last-second win for the Lakers over the Warriors in a game that drew 7.76 million viewers, the league’s most-watched Christmas game since 2019.

This single day had a transformative effect: the league’s total year-over-year viewership decline is now down to just 4% compared to what was an 18% deficit before Christmas.

Shifting to Pro Wrestling

While professional wrestling’s scripted nature classifies it as a sports entertainment product, WWE and Netflix’s 10-year, $5 billion partnership is still the streaming giant’s first foray into regularly live-streaming a weekly sports product. The mostly solved buffering issue on Christmas provides a positive sign for the WWE, which is Netflix’s next major live event on the calendar premiering on Jan. 6. 

WWE Raw will not draw anywhere near the U.S. viewership of the NFL—the show has averaged about 1.6 million viewers on the USA Network this year—but it has a substantial international audience. The wrestling promotion’s international rights deal with Netflix includes several premium live events, including WrestleMania and SummerSlam

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Mar 30, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close looks on against the LSU Lady Tigers during the first half of a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena.

UCLA’s Rise to the Final Four: Cori Close’s Blueprint for a New..

The UCLA women’s team is in the Final Four for the first time in the NCAA era.
Mar 31, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) makes a heart symbol to the crowd after a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the USC Trojans at Spokane Arena.

Women’s Hoops Keeps Climbing: Clark’s Boom to Bueckers’s Moment

This year’s tournament has averaged 967,000 viewers.
hard-knocks-2020

NFL Expands ‘Hard Knocks’ Pool of Teams: Who’s Eligible for 2025?

The NFL is relaxing rules surrounding its reality TV show.
Mar 30, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson reacts after cutting the net for the Midwest Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.

‘Overlooked’ Big 12 Has Quietly Succeeded During Men’s March Madness

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark says the conference has won big, too.

Featured Today

Dec 27, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) skates during warm ups before their game against the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center at San Jose

Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks Rookies Have Brought Good Vibes to a..

The rookie’s arrival has boosted spirits incongruously high inside the flagging franchise.
Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the first half Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
April 1, 2025

The Creator Behind the LeBron ‘Glazing’ Trend Sweeping TikTok

FOS spoke to TikTok user OkaySpade who made the original song.
Mar 22, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; McNeese State Cowboys manager Amir Khan before a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Amica Mutual Pavilion
April 1, 2025

Inside the 24-Hour NIL March Madness Deals

Some of the most viral partnerships come together overnight.
Seattle Kraken
April 1, 2025

Samantha Holloway Is Seattle’s NHL Present—and Hopeful NBA Future

Samantha Holloway is steering the Kraken and hoping to revive pro hoops.
NWSL

NWSL Could Make Tens of Millions Selling New TV Games

Almost 200 games are up for grabs over the next two years.
April 1, 2025

March Madness Ratings Dip After Record Start: Will Final Four Deliver?

Viewership had been at a record pace through the opening rounds.
Feb 2, 2025; Pebble Beach, California, USA; Rory McIlroy (right) is interviewed by CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz (left) on the 18th hole during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
April 2, 2025

Final Four Snags Jim Nantz’s Masters Plan Even After Retirement

Nantz’s final NCAA tournament on the call for CBS was in 2023.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
April 1, 2025

Yankees RSN, Comcast Reach Deal After FCC Pressure

The deal keeps the regional sports network on an expanded basic tier.
Oct 20, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; General view of a television camera operator during the game between the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
March 31, 2025

Sources: NFL ‘Virtual Lock’ to Opt Out of Media-Rights Deals

Data continues to support an early opt-out of the league’s rights.
March 31, 2025

Former ESPN Reporter Zach Lowe Rejoins Bill Simmons at The Ringer

Lowe worked with Ringer co-founder Bill Simmons at Grantland.
March 31, 2025

Yankees RSN and Comcast Clash Intensifies As Deadline for Deal Nears

The invective escalates as a contract deadline approaches Monday night.