Netflix to shake things up with huge NFL bid

Netflix is no stranger to live sports. They broadcast live events like the Women’s World Cup, WWE, and major boxing events, and have already secured the NFL’s Christmas Day games. However, they’ve got their sights set on an even bigger goal, and they’ve got the checkbook to achieve it.

Netflix wants Sunday afternoon NFL games

The NFL is currently developing a Sunday morning international package that many assumed Netflix would be interested in. According to Netflix’s chief content officer Bela Bajaria, who told Matt Belloni of Puck (via John Ourand of Puck), Netflix is now looking to make a bid for the NFL’s Sunday afternoon games, a much bigger goal and a huge step up from the live sports they do now.

Not only that, but if Netflix wins the valuable slots, they’ll be taking them away from CBS and FOX, who have owned the spots for decades. FOX has held the rights to the NFC games since 1994 when they took over from CBS, and CBS has had the AFC package since 1998, when they took over from NBC.

The NFL’s current packages with FOX and CBS are set to expire in 2033, but the league has the option to end the deals four years early. With a $450 billion market capitalization, Netflix has the budget to outbid both networks. Not only do they have the cash, but Netflix also offers availability to a global audience - something CBS and FOX do not.

The move feels inevitable, but it will mean that either CBS or FOX will be out by 2029, or at least downgraded to Sunday mornings.

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