Netflix to stream its first NFL games on Christmas

By Michael P. Hill • May 15, 2024

Sports Broadcasting & Production Streaming

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Netflix has a Christmas gift for football fans — it will stream its first NFL games on Dec. 25, 2024.

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The streamer signed a three-year contract with the league to carry those two games in 2024 plus at least one holiday game in both 2025 and 2026.

There is no immediate word about who will handle production of the games or who Netflix might use for on-air commentators and reporters. It was also not immediately clear what name Netflix might use to brand the streams.

Terms of the deal were not announced, though The Wall Street Journal reported Netflix is paying $75 million per game. A separate Bloomberg report, on the other hand, described the fee as less than $150 million.

A Netflix official compared the costs to one of its mid-size original films.

Netflix is a relative newcomer to streaming live sports — including its early venture of broadcasting The Netflix Cup racing event with competitors form Formula 1: Drive to Survive and Full Swing in late 2023.

It has also carried exhibition golf and tennis matchups and is set to stream a boxing event between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul July 20, 2024. In 2025, it will become the home of the WWE’s flagship “Raw” program.

The NFL already has an “NFL Sunday Ticket” deal with Google and YouTube. There is a separate deal for “Thursday Night Football” with Amazon Prime Video.