Total Pro Sports
Netflix has strongarmed its way into football broadcasting and is reportedly keen on remaining in the game.
The streaming giants took charge of the NFL’s Christmas Day games last year, marking their only involvement. But they’re now looking to take over Sunday football viewing.
Chief content officer Bela Bajaria spoke to Puck’s Matt Belloni, per Puck’s John Ourand, and revealed the company’s plans to bid on the league’s Sunday afternoon games.
As fans are well aware, Sunday’s slate airs on CBS and FOX.
CBS grabbed the AFC package from NBC in 1998, four years after FOX snatched the NFC package from them. Their deals run through 2033, but the NFL has the right to pull the agreement four years early, which it reportedly plans to do in 2029.
Should they have their way, the streamers will push one of the current partners out or see them relegated to Sunday mornings, with the NFL mulling over an international a.m. package.
There were fears that Netflix wouldn’t be up to the task after the problematic broadcast of the Mike Tyson/Jake Paul fight. However, their Christmas Day broadcast went smoothly.
Over 65 million viewers tuned in to watch the Ravens play the Texans and the Chiefs play the Steelers on said platform, as Netflix brought the games to over 218 countries.
There will be many fans, especially from overseas, who would love for Netflix to get all of Sunday afternoon’s games, given that they already own subscriptions, but streaming does come with its cons.
Should this option present additional profit, Roger Goodell will certainly consider it. The NFL commissioner is obsessed with increasing the league’s pull overseas while he’s always been all about the Benjamins.
But there are still at least four years to go.
