Netflix’s exclusive airing of two NFL games on December 25th, 2024, attracted notable interest, marking a significant milestone for the streaming service’s entry into live sports. The showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers, along with the Baltimore Ravens’ match against the Houston Texans, drew viewers from 218 nations and regions.
The streaming service which paid $150 million for the rights to the games broadcast the games in 218 countries. Based on Nielsen Big Data + Panel, the games got an average of 26. 5 million viewers in the U.S. The Chiefs’ 29-10 victory against the Steelers got a global average minute audience (AMA) of 30 million while the Ravens’ 31-2 victory against the Texans got a global AMA of 31. 3 million. Overall, the games got a total unduplicated audience of about 65 million viewers in the U.S.
Additionally, this year, Netflix had the distinction of being the NFL’s new media partner by signing a three-year deal to stream the league’s Christmas Day games. The deal is done with the intent of capitalizing on the international reach and innovative approach of Netflix in live sports streaming.