If you do not have a Netflix account, you may need to put one in your Christmas checklist this 12 months, as a result of it is beginning to appear like the NFL goes at hand two of its largest video games of the season to the streaming firm.
In accordance to Puck Information, Netflix is at the moment in negotiations to completely stream the NFL’s two Christmas video games this 12 months. Though the vacation falls on a Wednesday in 2024 — a day of the week when the NFL nearly by no means schedules a sport — the league has already introduced that will probably be holding two video games on Dec. 25 this 12 months.
Netflix is at the moment the front-runner to land these video games, though nothing has been signed but. In keeping with the report, “the 2 sides nonetheless need to clear some hurdles earlier than any deal is introduced.”
The report from Puck Information comes lower than 36 hours after former NFL MVP Boomer Esiason had talked about the likelihood of a Netflix deal on his WFAN radio present.
“Don’t be shocked if the NFL and Netflix get in mattress for a pleasant little Christmas Day soccer video games,” Esiason mentioned.
Though CBS, Fox and ABC all bought to air a Christmas sport final season, the NFL determined to vary its plans for 2024. Again in March, it was reported that the NFL could be placing the Christmas video games up for bid this 12 months, and evidently Netflix is now on the verge of profitable that bid.
If Netflix does win the bid, it should not be a complete shock as a result of Roger Goodell made it clear that the NFL was thrilled with the huge attain that the league’s streaming companions deliver to the desk, particularly with youthful audiences. When he was requested in regards to the matter final month, the NFL commissioner particularly talked about Google’s dealing with of Sunday Ticket and Amazon’s spectacular scores for the corporate’s Thursday evening bundle in 2023.
“In every of these platforms, our common age of our viewers went down eight to 10 years,” the NFL commissioner mentioned on the draft. “In order that’s the place lots of people are that we have to attain, and that is why we’re investing in it.”
Netflix has been stepping up its NFL content material over the previous 12 months. Not solely did the streaming firm air the “Quarterback” sequence in 2023 — a present that adopted Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota — however the firm additionally simply bought executed streaming the stay roast of Tom Brady.
If Netflix does find yourself streaming the 2 Christmas video games, which means you may want fairly a number of subscriptions if you wish to watch each NFL sport in 2024. Netflix will likely be one in all 4 streamers that may completely carry no less than one sport subsequent season. Here is a take a look at the three others:
The negotiations with Netflix have gone right down to the wire, which is an enormous purpose why the discharge of the schedule was delayed. NFL groups have been anticipating the schedule to be revealed Might 9, however as an alternative, the league postponed the schedule launch till Might 15.