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HOUSTON — By all appearances, Netflix delivered its NFL debut on Christmas Day without any big glitches, though Beyoncé's performance in Houston proved more exciting than either of the two games.
After thousands of viewers complained about outages during the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight last month, there was concern whether the streaming giant could pull off the NFL games featuring four of the AFC's top five teams. Despite the pregame show opening with about 10 seconds of silence because studio host Kay Adams' microphone apparently wasn't turned on, there were no signs of major streaming issues, per ABC News.
The broadcast itself went fine, quickly becoming the second-most popular live title on Netflix to date, according to NFL Media, which also reported that viewers in all 50 states tuned in within minutes of the pregame show going live.
The football doubleheader pitted the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers, followed by the Baltimore Ravens facing the Houston Texans. Neither game was close, with the Chiefs and Ravens winning easily.
Beyoncé's live Super Bowl-esque halftime show at NRG Stadium in Houston was supposed to be the biggest test for Netflix and it seemed to have run smoothly, according to ABC News. Her performance, including cameos by Post Malone and Shaboozey, overshadowed both games.
Will there be more NFL games on Netflix?
Netflix and the NFL have had a relationship for a couple years, starting in 2023 with the docuseries "Quarterback," which followed Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota during the 2022-23 NFL season. In July, Netflix released "Receiver," which follows five of the NFL's best pass catchers through the 2023 season.
"Last year, we decided to take a big bet on live — tapping into massive fandoms across comedy, reality TV, sports and more," according to Bela Bajaria, Netflix's chief content officer. "There are no live annual events, sports or otherwise, that compare with the audiences NFL football attracts."
Netflix signed a three-year contract with the NFL in May to broadcast Christmas Day games.
The streaming service has 282.3 million subscribers in more than 190 countries. The Christmas Day games mark the first time one outlet distributed an NFL game worldwide, according to ABC News. The games were available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and German.
What other sports does Netflix stream?
The NFL isn't the only sports league making its way into homes via Netflix. Professional and college football will have a new presence on the platform.
WWE Raw is coming to the streaming service Jan. 6. But Netflix has quietly announced five other professional wrestling shows making their debuts on New Year's Day. Here's how they're described on PWInsider.com:
- "WWE Top 10″ — Relive the biggest and best matches in WWE history with appearances from Superstars like John Cena, Triple H, and Becky Lynch.
- "WWE Raw Classics" — Hosted by Big E, this collection takes fans through must-see matches and moments featuring WWE Superstars and Legends, including CM Punk and Becky Lynch.
- "WWE Road to WrestleMania" — Follow the action-packed path to WrestleMania, where top Superstars raise the stakes with thrilling matches and unforgettable moments.
- "WWE Superstar Profiles" — Get up close and personal with WWE's brightest stars as they chase championships and glory in front of the WWE Universe.
- "WWE Legends Profiles" — Celebrate the legends who've made history inside the ring with unforgettable matches and jaw-dropping moments.
In 2025, Netflix will launch an eight-part college football series featuring 10 SEC teams — Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt, according to Yahoo Sports.
Notably, the conference's biggest brands — Alabama, Georgia and Texas — aren't participating. Missouri, Mississippi and Oklahoma also opted out.
The series will follow players and coaches on and off the field for the participating schools. The series is in production and will release next summer.
