By JOE REEDY, Related Press Sports activities Author
Netflix could have one in all its greatest days Wednesday because the website launched in 1998 when it airs two NFL video games for the primary time.
“NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix” begins with a two-hour pregame present at 11 a.m., earlier than Pittsburgh hosts Kansas Metropolis. Baltimore faces Houston within the second sport.
The streaming large agreed to a three-year contract in Might to hold Christmas Day video games.
The place will the video games be accessible?
Netflix’s 282.3 million subscribers in over 190 international locations will be capable of stream the video games, marking the primary time one outlet has distributed an NFL sport globally. Netflix could have the video games accessible in 5 languages — English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German.
The video games may also air on CBS associates in Kansas Metropolis, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston. NFL coverage dictates that video games on cable or being solely streamed should even be on an over-the-air station within the competing groups’ markets. It’ll even be accessible on cell units within the U.S. for individuals who have NFL+.
Why is the NFL placing Christmas Day video games on a streaming platform?
The most important motive is cash. The league is getting $150 million from Netflix for the 2 video games this season. It additionally continues the NFL’s strikes into streaming — Thursday night time video games are of their third season on Amazon Prime Video and the “Sunday Ticket” package deal moved to YouTube TV final yr.
However Christmas is on a Wednesday when video games normally aren’t performed.
That’s true, however the league wasn’t about to surrender Christmas after seeing the scores. Final yr’s three video games averaged 28.68 million viewers. The early afternoon contest between the Las Vegas Raiders and Chiefs led the way in which, averaging 29.48 million.
The Chiefs, Steelers, Ravens and Texans performed on Saturday, giving them the identical turnaround they might have in the event that they performed on Sunday after which Thursday.
What’s at stake for the groups taking part in?
All 4 have clinched playoff spots within the AFC, however seeding stays up for grabs.
Kansas Metropolis (14-1) can clinch the highest seed — which might imply a first-round bye and residential subject all through the playoffs — with a win over the Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tied atop the AFC North at 10-5, with the Steelers holding the tiebreaker on account of a greater convention file.
Houston (9-6) has wrapped up the AFC South and holds the fourth seed.
Has Netflix fastened its streaming issues from the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson struggle?
Netflix hopes so. Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vp of nonfiction collection and sports activities, mentioned the system was stress examined, after which some, through the Nov. 14 bout, together with web service suppliers reporting they have been additionally overwhelmed by the surge that occurred earlier than and through the struggle.
The bout peaked at 65 million concurrent streams, together with 38 million concurrent streams in america. In keeping with the web site Down Detector, almost 85,000 viewers logged issues with outages or streaming main as much as and through the struggle.
May there be the identical quantity streaming the video games that there have been through the struggle?
Potential? Sure. Doubtless? No.
The biggest viewers for a streamed-exclusive NFL sport was 23 million on Peacock for final season’s AFC wild-card sport between the Miami Dolphins and Chiefs.
Nielsen will measure the scores for the Christmas Day video games, with early numbers anticipated late afternoon on Thursday.
When may there be surge in demand on Wednesday?
It’ll in all probability beat kickoff for each video games, however particularly round 5:45 p.m. EST. That will be close to halftime of the Ravens-Texans sport, and when Beyoncé shall be performing.
FILE — Beyonce seems at a marketing campaign occasion for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in Houston, on Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photograph/Susan Walsh, File)What different celebrities will seem?
Mariah Carey will kick off the day with a taped efficiency of “All I Want for Christmas is You.”
There is no such thing as a phrase if Taylor Swift will make the journey to Pittsburgh to observe her boyfriend, Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce. Swift has been spending time in Kansas Metropolis since she wrapped up her Eras Tour two weeks in the past.
Taylor Swift arrives along with her mom, Andrea Swift, earlier than an NFL soccer sport between the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and the Houston Texans Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Kansas Metropolis, Mo. (AP Photograph/Ed Zurga)What number of Christmas video games will Netflix carry within the subsequent two seasons?
The NFL could have at the least two video games on Dec. 25 in 2025 and ’26, with Netflix slated to have at the least one annually. Amazon Prime Video could have an evening sport with Christmas on a Thursday subsequent yr.
Does Netflix have an curiosity in different sports activities?
Netflix’s worldwide partnership with World Wrestling Leisure will start on Jan. 6 when “Monday Night Raw” strikes to the streaming service.
On Friday, Netflix secured the U.S. rights for the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Ladies’s World Cup.
Initially Printed: December 24, 2024 at 11:15 AM EST
