NFL fans have been patiently awaiting the release of the 2024 season schedule, which was delayed to May 15 earlier this week. But on Thursday night, we discovered that a potential media rights deal between the NFL and Netflix could be the reason for the delay.
Boomer Esiason first floated out the possibility of Netflix getting into the live-streaming business with the NFL on his WFAN radio show on Wednesday, predicting that Netflix could potentially be on the verge of purchasing the rights to the NFL’s set of games on Christmas Day.
Boomer Esiason says “Do not be surprised if the NFL and Netflix get in bed for a nice little Christmas Day football games.” pic.twitter.com/WFytWNOIun
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 8, 2024
“Netflix has about 270 million subscribers worldwide and this is why I think that Netflix – are you ready for this?” Esiason said. “This is what I think is going to happen, could be wrong, but I don’t think I am… Do not be surprised if the NFL and Netflix get in bed for a nice little Christmas Day football games. I would not be surprised.”
Esiason has been in the sports media world for over two decades, most notably in his studio analyst role on CBS’ studio show The NFL Today, which he will be stepping away from this coming season. So he very well could have some sources behind the scenes to produce this kind of scoop.
It turns out that Esiason’s prediction has legs.
According to John Ourand of Puck News, it indeed “looks like” Netflix will wind up carrying the two NFL games scheduled for Christmas Day.
Ourand added that there are “some clear hurdles” that Netflix and the NFL have ahead of them to complete this potential deal, but that they are reportedly the “likely winner” in the potential sweepstakes for the rights to the holiday games.
It’s hard to ignore how his potential deal comes on the heels of Netflix’s live comedy special, The Roast of Tom Brady, earlier this month, which drew two million viewers on its release date on Sunday.
Netflix has shown increasing interest in dabbling in live sports, most notably agreeing to become the new home of WWE’s Monday Night Raw in 2025.
As Ourand alluded to, we could have an official announcement on this potential deal sooner rather than later considering we are so close to the release date of the NFL schedule.
If Netflix does indeed get the rights to the Christmas Day games, it could undoubtedly be a huge move considering the NFL’s unquestionably supreme viewership in professional sports.
