Netflix in Christmas Day stand off with ESPN and FOX 

Christmas Day used to be all about Santa coming down the chimney, waking up and ripping open presents and melting away on the couch while the NBA sextuple header played in the background. That is no more. As of last year, the NFL has taken over Christmas.

A broadcast battle

Netflix dipped their toes in the NFL broadcast pool last year, streaming the Kansas City Chiefs 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Baltimore Ravens 31-2 win over the Houston Texans. This year they have the rights to two more games, but they might have to find their own talent to cover those games.

It would seem inevitable that the media monster is aiming at not just hosting Christmas Day games, but eventually a whole package of games in the not so distant future, and that has scared some networks off from lending commentators, reporters and other talent to Netflix. Fox and ESPN have reportedly told the streaming service that they will have to look elsewhere for the Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings games on December 25th.

Last year, FOX did allow one of their broadcasters to commentate one of the Christmas Day games, but it wasn’t their A team of Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady. Instead, it was Greg Olsen who was paired up with NBC Sports play-by-play announced Noah Eagle. The other game was covered by CBS talents, Ian Eagle, Nate Burleson and JJ Watt.

Record breaking streaming numbers

CBS produced the games last year, and will produce the games this year as well, so it makes sense that we saw more on air talent from their own network. That will most likely be the way Netflix goes considering the harsh stance laid down by the other rights holders.

From a business stand point, it’s understandable. It won’t be too long until there is a bidding war between the current rights holders FOX, CBS and ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon. The deal was signed back in 2023, and will go until 2033, but once that deal runs out Netflix will surely be in the running to lay down billions of dollars to bring America’s most lucrative sport to their platform.

Last year, the two games brought in nearly 65 million US viewers according to Neilsen. Both the Ravens vs. Texans (24.3 million) and the Chiefs vs. Steelers (24.1 million) were the most streamed games in the history of the NFL. Outside of the US, viewers from 217 countries and territories tuned into to check out one, if now both of the games.