Get Ready for a Merry NFL Showdown: Netflix Brings Live Action to Christmas Day!

(AP) – Netflix is set for one of its most significant days on Wednesday since its inception in 1998 when it broadcasts two NFL games for the very first time.

“NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix” starts off with a two-hour pregame program at 11 a.m., prior to Pittsburgh hosting Kansas City. Baltimore will take on Houston in the subsequent game.

The streaming behemoth committed to a three-year deal in May to showcase Christmas Day games.

Where can the games be accessed?

Netflix’s 282.3 million subscribers across more than 190 nations will have the ability to stream the games, marking the initial instance where a single platform has globally distributed an NFL game. Netflix will offer the games in five languages — English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German.

The games will also be broadcast on CBS affiliates in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Houston. NFL regulations state that games broadcast on cable or streaming platforms must also be available on an over-the-air network in the markets of the competing teams. Additionally, it will be accessible on mobile devices in the U.S. for users with NFL+.

Why is the NFL choosing to air Christmas Day games on a streaming service?

The primary motive is financial. The league stands to earn $150 million from Netflix for this season’s two games. This also continues the NFL’s expansion into streaming — Thursday night games are now in their third season on Amazon Prime Video, and the “Sunday Ticket” package shifted to YouTube TV last year.

However, Christmas falls on a Wednesday when games are typically not played.

That may be the case, but the league was not prepared to miss out on Christmas after witnessing the viewership numbers. Last year’s three games garnered an average of 28.68 million viewers. The early afternoon match between the Las Vegas Raiders and Chiefs led the pack, averaging 29.48 million.

The Chiefs, Steelers, Ravens, and Texans played on Saturday, allowing them the same turnaround as if they had played on Sunday and then Thursday.

What is at stake for the teams competing?

All four teams have secured playoff berths in the AFC, but seeding positions are still in contention.

Kansas City (14-1) can secure the top seed — which would guarantee a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs — with a victory over the Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tied for the lead in the AFC North at 10-5, with the Steelers having the tiebreaker due to a superior conference record.

Houston (9-6) has clinched the AFC South and claims the fourth seed.

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

Netflix is hopeful. Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of nonfiction series and sports, mentioned that the system was thoroughly stress tested during the Nov. 14 fight, complemented by internet service providers reporting they were also inundated by the surge that occurred before and during the bout.

The event peaked at 65 million concurrent streams, including 38 million simultaneous streams in the United States. According to the site Down Detector, nearly 85,000 users reported issues with outages or streaming during the lead-up and duration of the fight.

Could viewership for the games reach the same levels as those during the fight?

Is it possible? Yes. Is it likely? No.

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

Nielsen will evaluate the ratings for the Christmas Day games, with preliminary figures anticipated late Thursday afternoon.

When might there be an increase in demand on Wednesday?

It will likely surpass kickoff for both games, particularly around 5:45 p.m. EST. This would coincide with halftime of the Ravens-Texans game, and when Beyoncé will be performing.

Which other celebrities will participate?

Mariah Carey will open the day with a pre-recorded performance of “All I Want for Christmas is You.”

There is no indication whether Taylor Swift will travel to Pittsburgh to support her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Swift has been spending time in Kansas City since she finished her Eras Tour two weeks ago.

How many Christmas games will Netflix host over the next two seasons?

The NFL will feature at least two games on Dec. 25 in 2025 and ’26, with Netflix expected to cover at least one each year. Amazon Prime Video will showcase a night game on Christmas when it falls on a Thursday next year.

Is Netflix interested in other sports?

Netflix’s global collaboration with World Wrestling Entertainment is set to begin on Jan. 6 when “Monday Night Raw” moves to the streaming platform.

On Friday, Netflix secured the U.S. rights for the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.