• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

Reported NFL-Netflix Deal Is Notable, but Isn’t a Big Multiyear Commitment

  • The pact would represent another major step forward in the company’s ongoing moves into live sports.
  • The holiday games will be a prominent part of the 2024 schedule, now likely just days away from being released.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Boomer Esiason’s status as a prognosticator of the sports media business is now going through the roof.

On Wednesday, the former NFL star and recently departed CBS Sports analyst predicted the NFL would sell its pair of 2024 Christmas Day games to Netflix, by far the biggest player in streaming but heretofore a more limited player in live sports. 

The comment took many by surprise but now is potentially coming true. Puck reported late Thursday that “it looks like Netflix will wind up carrying the two NFL games.” The deal, should it happen, will mark a further escalation of the league’s strategy around the holiday, which began in earnest in 2022 and grew much more serious last year with a high-profile tripleheader that crushed the NBA’s rival slate of games in viewership. Fueled by that success, the NFL earlier this spring put these games up for auction, with bidding said to have started in the $50 million range. 

More Holidays, More Streamers

That the NFL is even playing on Christmas this year, however, is still noteworthy, as the holiday falls on a Wednesday, normally not a day of the week when the league plays. But the NFL is pursuing a series of precise scheduling moves to keep its Christmas presence. 

The developing deal with Netflix also signals a rising interest by the NFL to experiment with various streamers for many of its tentpole events. Over the past two years, the league has placed Black Friday and wild-card games on outlets such as Amazon and Peacock, and now operates the residential portion of NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube. Given the unprecedented level of disruption across the media landscape, it’s smart business for the NFL to see where consumer patterns are heading while still keeping its core status on linear television. But for fans, it simply adds to the number of different streaming subscriptions one must have to see every game. 

With the 2024 NFL schedule projected to be released next week, a formal announcement of the Netflix pact could be days away.

From the Other Side of the Table

Netflix, meanwhile, is extending its pattern of more modest steps into live sports. The company—which has an industry-leading 269.6 million subscribers but is phasing out its practice of reporting such totals—has made a big multiyear play for the WWE and its weekly flagship show, Raw

But its other moves in live sports have largely been one-offs such as its acquisition of live rights to an upcoming Jake Paul–Mike Tyson fight. On the company’s last earnings call, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos reiterated the more reserved sports programming strategy, saying, “We’re not anti-sports, but pro-profitable growth. And I think that’s the core of everything we do in all kinds of programming, including sports.”

Financial terms and production details for a live NFL presence on Netflix remain unknown. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NBC Sports Parent Says No Rush to Make WBD Deal: ‘Very High..

The company says it doesn’t need to merge with another media entity.

SEC-Led College Football TV Ratings Are Still Up 4% Through Week 9

The average game audience this season is 1.95 million viewers.
Oct 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter looks on in the eighth inning between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.

NBA Approves Mark Walter As New Lakers Owner

Walter has turned the Dodgers into a powerhouse.

NBA Season Opens With Best Ratings in 8 Years Despite Off-Court Scandals

It’s the first year of the NBA’s 11-year, $77 billion media deal.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
YouTube/ Multiple streaming services appear on a Roku TV.

YouTube in Another Carriage Dispute, This Time With Disney

ESPN and ABC could be dropped from the No. 4 U.S. pay-TV distributor.
May 17, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) shakes hands with New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) after the top of the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium.
October 23, 2025

Mets, Yankees, and the Nielsen Debate That Won’t Go Away

Weeks after the end of the MLB regular season, viewership issues remain.
Oct 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) keeps the ball away from Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) during the second half at Paycom Center
October 23, 2025

NBA’s NBC Return Draws 5.9M Viewers, Best Opener Since 2010

Thunder vs. Rockets peaked at 7.1 million viewers.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

TNT Sports is going all-in on college athletics—bringing fans closer and giving brands a powerful new way to connect.
Brian Windhorst
October 23, 2025

Brian Windhorst Details Emergency Landing on Omaha–L.A. Flight

The pilots and flight attendants had a communication issue.
October 22, 2025

YouTube Stars Help Bring Back Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break’

The show will return in 2026 after an 11-year hiatus.
Candace Parker
October 22, 2025

Candace Parker Wants NFL-Style Coverage From NBA Media

Amazon will stream its first NBA doubleheader Friday.
Netflix
October 21, 2025

Netflix Staying on the Sidelines As TNT Sports Parent Seeks Buyer

The streaming giant shows little interest in acquisition possibilities.