Netflix to broadcast 'marquee' NFL Christmas Day games as part of multi-year deal

Can you think of a more comforting combination than a gingerbread cookie, a glass of eggnog, and NFL football streamed directly to your television?

Netflix is hoping that your answer to that question is a resounding no, as the streaming service has reached an agreement with the league to stream at least one “holiday” game in each of the next three NFL seasons. The deal will formally kick off shortly after Santa Claus makes his annual rounds this year, as the streamer will air two live “marquee” games on December 25, 2024.

It’s a bold step for Netflix, an immensely popular product that has long been looked at as a trailblazer and leader in a streaming boom that has mushroomed into a war. The streaming service, which has an estimated 270 million monthly paid subscribers, has been attempting to increase its presence in the live sports space in recent months; it’s set to broadcast a boxing match between legendary fighter Mike Tyson and social media influencer Jake Paul this July, and it will start broadcasting popular weekly professional wrestling program WWE RAW live next year.

Nov 25, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) and | Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The deal also serves as an evolution of Netflix’s relationship with the NFL; the service previously produced an acclaimed NFL-centric documentary series known as Quarterback, which followed the lives of Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota. The parties will attempt to capture lightning in a bottle twice this summer with the release of Receiver, a documentary series that will chronicle the lives of Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Netflix’s agreement with the NFL sees the league add yet another direct broadcasting partner; according to Joe Pompliano, if one wanted to watch a normal broadcast of every NFL game throughout the 2024 season, it would cost them roughly $1,000.

When you add in YouTube TV and Sunday Ticket, it will cost fans nearly $1,000 to watch every NFL game in 2024:

• YouTube TV: $72.99
• ESPN+: $10.99
• Peacock: $5.99
• Prime: $8.99
• Netflix: $6.99
x 6 months
—————
+ Sunday Ticket: $349
—————
$986

That's crazy.
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) May 15, 2024

The agreement could have both immediate and enduring ramifications on the Buffalo Bills; helmed by elite quarterback Josh Allen, the team figures to be competitive (and a ratings draw) throughout the deal’s duration. The Bills have participated in countless primetime games over the past several seasons, including three Thanksgiving Day games in the past five years. One could reasonably expect the team to earn a Christmas Day game at some point over the next three seasons.