On Thursday, Dec. 26, Netflix said its two Christmas Day NFL games– Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans– set a ratings record for NFL games on a streaming service. Citing the Nielsen rating service, Netflix said the pair of games averaged 24.2 million viewers, the biggest ever for an NFL event on a streaming platform.
The ratings also got a massive boost from pop superstar, Beyoncé, who performed during the second game’s halftime show. While that second game was a blowout on the scoreboard, the day’s audience peaked at 27 million viewers at halftime.
Ho-ho-whoa! 🎅 @netflix's first live NFL game on Christmas shook up the streaming world—and Nielsen data shows just how big the impact was. 🏈🚀
— Nielsen (@nielsen) December 27, 2024
Read more: https://t.co/NjPbFKmJth
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Despite the monster afternoon, Netflix’s three-year partnership with the NFL still has a way to go to compete with a traditional broadcast. Christmas Day’s numbers did not eclipse the NFL’s 2023 showcase on CBS and Fox, which averaged over 29 million viewers.
In a statement, Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, said, “Bringing our members this record-breaking day of two NFL games was the best Christmas gift we could have delivered. We’re thankful for our partnership with the NFL.”
The NFL’s move to air Christmas games was a clear challenge to the NBA, which usually showcases its best teams on the holiday. After the Los Angeles Lakers’ Christmas Day win over the Golden State Warriors, LeBron James took a good-natured shot at the NFL, saying, “Merry Christmas to my family, I’m coming home. I love the NFL, I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day!’
And he could have a point, for now. The NBA’s five consecutive games on ABC and ESPN averaged 5.25 million viewers. Though it may not seem like a big number compared to the NFL’s afternoon, that 5 million and change is an 84% increase over last season. What’s more, James’ Lakers against Stephen Curry’s Warriors was the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
The NBA delivered its most-watched Christmas Day in five years, with viewership up 84% vs. last year across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, Disney+ and ESPN+. The NBA on Christmas Day averaged 5.25 million viewers per game in the U.S.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 26, 2024
The matchup between the @Lakers and @Warriors – the… pic.twitter.com/VjfjL8XQSU
While the NFL made it known it is here to stay on Christmas, as long as the NBA’s biggest stars keep shining, they’ll have to fight for every viewer. Whether that’s a losing battle remains to be seen.
“Merry Christmas to my family, I’m coming home.. I love the NFL, I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day!’
After the lakers win over Golden State, LeBron James took a good-natured shot at the NFL’
HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE STREAMING NUMBERS WOULD BE FOR THE NFL’S FIRST GAMES ON NETFLIX.
THURSDAY THE STREAMING GIANT CITED THOSE NUMBERS FROM THE NIELSEN RATINGS SERVICE
-THE PAIR OF NFL GAMES AVERAGED 24.2 MILLION VIEWERS, THE BIGGEST EVER FOR AN NFL EVENT ON A STREAMING SERVICE.
-THE BEYONCE EFFECT WAS REAL. THE GAME BETWEEN THE RAVENS AND TEXANS WAS A BLOWOUT BUT THE NETFLIX AUDIENCE PEAKED AT 27 MILLION DURING QUEEN B’S HALFTIME PERFORMANCE.
-NIELSEN SAYS 65 MILLION PEOPLE WATCHED AT LEAST 1 MINUTE OF THE DAYS NFL PRESENTATION.
-THOSE NUMBERS HOWEVER, DID NOT ECLIPSE THE NFL’S 2023 SHOWCASE. TWO ‘OVER THE AIR’ GAMES ON CBS AND FOX AVERAGED OVER 29 MILLION.
In a statement, Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer said, “Bringing our members this record-breaking day of two NFL games was the best Christmas gift we could have delivered. We’re thankful for our partnership with the NFL”
THAT $150 MILLION CHRISTMAS DAY PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NFL HAS TWO YEARS REMAINING. NOW, BACK TO LEBRON AND HIS STATEMENT THAT THE NBA OWNS CHRISTMAS… THEIR RATINGS WERE UP TOO.
THE FIVE CONSECUTIVE GAMES ON ABC AND ESPN AVERAGED 5.25 MILLION VIEWERS AND THOUGH THAT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG NUMBER COMPARED TO THE NFL’S AFTERNOON – THAT 5 MILLION AND CHANGE IS AN 84% INCREASE FROM LAST SEASON.
LEBRON’S LAKERS AGAINST STEPH CURRY’S WARRIORS WAS THE MOST WATCHED NBA GAME SINCE 2019.
THAT SAID, THE NFL IS HERE TO STAY ON CHRISTMAS DAY BUT THE NBA – AS LONG AS THEIR BIGGEST STARS KEEP SHINING – WILL FIGHT FOR EVERY VIEWER THEY CAN GET, WHETHER IT’S A LOSING BATTLE IS YET TO BE DETERMINED. FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CHRIS FRANCIS
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