NFL’s Christmas Showdown on Netflix: Redemption After the Live Fight Blunder

A camera operator is clad as Santa Claus during the Baltimore Ravens and San Diego Chargers matchup on Dec. 18, 2011, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.

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Netflix is preparing to broadcast two NFL matches this Christmas Day: the Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the Baltimore Ravens facing the Houston Texans at 4:30 p.m. ET.

These football matchups will represent the streaming service’s recent exploration of live programming for events expected to attract millions of spectators.

Last year, an average of 28.7 million viewers tuned in to one of the three NFL matches on Christmas Day — the Las Vegas Raiders versus the Chiefs; the New York Giants against the Philadelphia Eagles; and the Ravens versus the San Francisco 49ers. These encounters ranked among the top 25 most-watched television programs of 2023.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be the first professional sports league to collaborate with Netflix to deliver live games to enthusiasts worldwide,” commented Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president of media distribution, in a statement.

However, it’s not solely the touchdowns and tackles anticipated to boost viewership.

Before the Ravens compete against the Texans, Grammy-winning ensemble Pentatonix will perform the national anthem. During halftime, Beyoncé will take the stage, performing tracks from her 2024 album Cowboy Carter live for the first time, along with special guest appearances.

Netflix states it learned from Tyson-Paul boxing match issues

Netflix’s initiative to stream NFL games comes just weeks after the platform’s endeavor to broadcast live boxing between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson was fraught with technical difficulties.

Numerous fans expressed on social media that they faced extended buffering times or were removed from the stream. According to the site Down Detector, at least 85,000 viewers encountered streaming troubles. The setbacks were so aggravating to one Florida individual that he lodged a class action lawsuit against Netflix over the “unwatchable” livestream.

At its peak, the fight attracted 65 million concurrent streams worldwide, setting an unprecedented record for Netflix.

A Netflix representative stated the platform has gained significant insights about streaming from the Tyson vs. Paul bout, adding that Netflix has modified its “content delivery, encoding, and streaming protocols accordingly” to avert technical problems during the football games.

“We now understand from experience what the primary pressure points are within our infrastructure and are promptly addressing them ahead of the NFL matches,” the representative conveyed in an email.

A lot hinges on Netflix to ensure that livestreams are executed smoothly and without errors. The platform is already scheduled to showcase NFL games on Christmas Day in 2025 and 2026. Netflix will also begin airing WWE Raw, SmackDown, and other WWE content weekly starting Jan. 6.

On Friday, Netflix finalized a deal with FIFA to acquire exclusive streaming rights to the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031. The two organizations indicated that this is not only a victory for the streamer but also a triumph for FIFA, which seeks to engage a broader audience, particularly in the U.S.

“This agreement conveys a powerful message regarding the significant value of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the global women’s game,” stated FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a announcement.

Whether it’s a humorous special, a late-night talk show, or a reunion of a dating show, it has been inconsistent as to whether Netflix’s broadcasts would operate seamlessly.

Nonetheless, it is evident that live programming is firmly established on Netflix. In recent times, the streamer has been experimenting more with live content — a domain predominantly dominated by traditional television platforms. It’s a significant shift from the binge-watching phenomenon that propelled Netflix to prominence.

Netflix possesses the largest subscriber base of any streaming service worldwide. However, excelling in live streaming will be essential for its future as concerns surrounding stagnation and subscriber growth persist.