Hike For The Holidays: Netflix Is Already Promoting Its Christmas NFL Games

Netflix is excited to start airing NFL games, as evidenced by a video highlighting its Christmas Day schedule

Terms of the deal

As part of its bid to thoroughly disrupt traditional television broadcasting, Netflix spent a fortune on securing a certain number of live NFL games on its platform over the next few seasons.

As part of the arrangement, the streamer will air at least one holiday game each season until 2026. This year, however, the NFL was apparently feeling generous.

Netflix received two games to be played on December 25 between teams with a legitimate shot of making it into the playoffs.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers will kick off the action at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by a 4:30 p.m. matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans.

Spreading the message

A recently released video offers a sneak peek of the Christmas gridiron action is appropriately accompanied by “Feliz Navidad” as famously performed by Jose Feliciano. An action reel featuring star players from all four teams provides a glimpse of the players likely to be starting the doubleheader games.

Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year, which makes the schedule especially notable. Only three previous games since 1948 have been played on a Wednesday — most recently in December 2020 to make up for a pandemic postponement.

Of the four teams scheduled to play, the Chiefs appear to be the favorites. After winning back-to-back Super Bowls, Kansas City is now one of just two NFL franchises still undefeated at this point in the season.

As Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria explained: “There are no live annual events, sports or otherwise, that compare with the audiences NFL football attracts. We’re so excited that the NFL’s Christmas Day games will be only on Netflix.”

Chris Agee October 21st, 2024

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