NFL on Netflix: Christmas Day games are a No. 1 for the streaming giant

Netflix will have one of its biggest days on Wednesday since it launched in 1998, when it broadcasts two NFL games for the first time.

“NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix” begins with a two-hour pregame show at 11 before Pittsburgh hosts Kansas City. Baltimore faces Houston in the other game.

The streaming giant agreed to a three-year contract in May to carry Christmas Day games.

Where will the games be available?

Netflix’s 282.3 million subscribers in over 190 countries will be able to stream the games, marking the first time that one outlet has distributed an NFL game globally. Netflix will have the games available in five languages ​​- English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and German.

The games will also be shown on CBS affiliates in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston. NFL policy dictates that games on cable or exclusively streamed must be on an over-the-air station in the competing teams’ markets. It will also be available on mobile devices in the US for those who have NFL+.

Why is the NFL putting Christmas Day games on a streaming platform?

The biggest reason is money. The league will get $150 million from Netflix for the two games this season. It also continues the NFL’s moves to streaming — Thursday night games are in their third season on Amazon Prime Video, and the “Sunday Ticket” package moved to YouTube TV last year.

But Christmas is on a Wednesday, when there are usually no games.

True, but the league wasn’t about to abandon Christmas after seeing ratings. Last year’s three games averaged 28.68 million viewers. The early afternoon contest between the Las Vegas Raiders and Chiefs led the way with an average of 29.48 million.

The Chiefs, Steelers, Ravens and Texans played Saturday, giving them the same turnaround they would have if they played Sunday and then Thursday.

What is at stake for the teams playing?

All four have clinched playoff spots in the AFC, but seeding is still up for grabs.

Kansas City (14-1) can clinch the top seed — which would mean a first-round bye and home court through the playoffs — with a win over the Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tied atop the AFC North at 10-5, with the Steelers holding the tiebreaker due to a better conference record.

Houston (9-6) has wrapped up the AFC South and has the fourth seed.

Has Netflix fixed its streaming issues from the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight?

Netflix hopes so. Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of nonfiction and sports, said the system was being stress-tested, and so were some during the Nov. 14 game, along with ISPs reporting they were also overwhelmed by the surge that occurred before and during the match. .

The match peaked at 65 million concurrent streams, including 38 million concurrent streams in the United States. According to website Down Detector, nearly 85,000 viewers logged problems with interruptions or streaming leading up to and during the match.

Can there be the same number streaming the games as there were during the game?

Possible? Yes. Probably? No.

The largest audience for a streamed exclusive NFL game was 23 million on Peacock for last season’s AFC wild-card game between the Miami Dolphins and Chiefs.

Nielsen will measure viewership for the Christmas Day games, with early numbers expected late in the afternoon on Thursday.

When can there be an increase in demand on Wednesday?

It will likely beat kickoff for both games, but especially around 5:45pm EST. It would be near halftime of the Ravens-Texans game and when Beyoncé performs.

What other celebrities will appear?

Mariah Carey starts the day with a tape recording of “All I Want for Christmas is You”.

No word on whether or not Taylor Swift will be heading to Pittsburgh to see her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Swift has been spending time in Kansas City since wrapping up her Eras Tour two weeks ago.

How many Christmas games does Netflix have in the next two seasons?

The NFL will have at least two games on Dec. 25 in 2025 and ’26, with Netflix slated to have at least one each year. Amazon Prime Video will have a Christmas night play on a Thursday next year.

Does Netflix have an interest in other sports?

Netflix’s worldwide partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment begins Jan. 6 when “Monday Night Raw” moves to the streaming service.

On Friday, Netflix secured the US rights to the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cups.

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AP NFL: