Netflix will offer its first in-person upfront this year

Netflix is shifting back to an in-person upfront for its second upfront.

The streamer has scheduled an event for May 16, 2024, which is the second day of upfront week.

It will offer an in-person, immersive experience at Pier59 Studios in New York City.

Dubbed the “Netflix Experience,” plans call for immersive experiences based on franchises such as “Stranger Things” and “Squid Game.” Food tie-ins will also be available.

Netflix added an ad-supported tier in November 2022, partnering with Microsoft to provide key backend technology.

Before adding that option, it was a subscription-only offering, so it didn’t need to hold a traditional upfront.

In 2023, the streamer had planned an event at Paris Theater in New York, but shifted to a virtual format to avoid Writers Guild of America picket lines. 

Under the new, lower-priced ad-supported tier, Netflix subscribers can opt to pay a lower monthly fee in exchange for watching advertising during content. 

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Many streamers and content owners have turned their attention toward the streaming ad market as media buyers shift more funds to digital. Advertising in streaming is also appealing because it can often generate more revenue than the price of a subscription fee (or more than the difference in the cost of ad-free plans and ad-supported ones).

Although Netflix is technically not considered a FAST, it still is working on attracting advertisers and buyers to its platform.