Streaming into the Endzone: Netflix’s NFL Christmas Day Games Mark a Significant Expansion of Its Sports Programming

Netflix has struck a three-year deal with the NFL to stream Christmas Day games. The streaming giant will broadcast two games this year, including defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City playing against Pittsburgh, followed by Baltimore facing Houston. This partnership between Netflix and the NFL marks a significant expansion of the streaming service’s sports programming. Last year, Netflix began airing NFL content with the series “Quarterback” and is set to premiere a series on wide receivers this year. Along with live sports events in golf and tennis, Netflix will also air the upcoming boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul on July 20 and will start streaming WWE’s flagship show, “Raw” next year.

The NFL has historically avoided scheduling midweek games, but it has played a total of 30 games on Christmas Day since 1971, including three games last year. The Christmas games streamed on Netflix will also be available on broadcast TV in the home cities of the competing teams and on mobile devices in the U.S. through NFL+. This move represents a new direction for the NFL in expanding access to its games through digital platforms while maintaining traditional broadcast avenues.