Netflix ready to make the NFL a bigger part of its streaming services

Many might have doubted if Netflix was going to be able to major live streaming sports events after the streamer had lots of issues last November when showing the Mike Tyson versus Jake Paul fight. There were buffering issues, and the viewing experience was disappointing. But those issues seemed to have been corrected.

Netflix had no issues on Christmas Day when it streamed two NFL games, which also included a halftime show by Beyoncé during the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans game. That performance alone led the streamer to release the halftime show as a one-off. That is part of the trick that the streamer can produce that other platforms cannot.

For instance, the television networks that currently hold the rights to broadcast Sunday afternoon NFL games are CBS and FOX. CBS has had an NFL package since 1998. FOX has had one since 1994. Both networks have a deal with the NFL through 2033, but the league can choose to terminate the contracts four years earlier (2030).

Netflix plans on bidding on an NFL package that includes Sunday afternoon games

That last part is expected to happen, and Netflix plans on being a part of the bidding process once it opens. This is according to the streamer's chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, who said as much to Puck (subscription required). The move makes sense.

The streamer has become more involved in live-streaming sports and entertainment events. Netflix just spent $5 billion to show WWE Monday Night RAW, and that has gone a bit better overall than some prognosticators thought it might. The streamer also brought in an additional $150 million for the NFL on the Christmas Day games because of the streaming giant's global reach.

And that is key. The league desperately wants to become something more than just a beloved American sport. It knows to truly grow its audience, games need to be shown around the world. FOX and CBS cannot do this nearly as easily as Netflix, which is already a global brand. Netflix taking over the Sunday afternoon package from either FOX or CBS seems to be a no-brainer.

Of course, if that happens, subscribers can expect to see a fee hike from Netflix. Any package with the NFL is going to be costly, and the streamer is not in the business of losing money. Or Netflix could simply have an NFL package as an add-on to whatever the monthly fee happens to be in 2030. All options are on the table.

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