In a surprising move, Netflix is shifting gears to pursue exclusive broadcasting rights for a Sunday NFL package following their successful debut on Christmas Day last season. Bela Bajaria, the chief content officer at Netflix, confirmed this new strategy during a recent episode of the “The Town” podcast. When asked which package she would like to pursue when NFL media rights become available, Bajaria expressed a clear interest in the Sunday afternoon games.
The NFL’s current agreements for Sunday afternoon rights with CBS and Fox are set to run until the 2033 season. Nevertheless, according to Front Office Sports, the NFL has included opt-out clauses in most of these agreements after the 2029 season. Bajaria’s statements in the public domain sharply contrast with remarks made by Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos just last month during an earnings call with industry analysts.
Sarandos had previously described the economics of pursuing a full-season, major league sports schedule as “extremely challenging.” He mentioned that if there were a viable way to make the economics work for both Netflix and the leagues involved, they would certainly consider exploring such options. However, at present, Sarandos emphasized that Netflix’s primary focus remains on the live events business.
Netflix’s streaming of the Christmas doubleheader featuring the Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens against the Houston Texans set new records for NFL streaming, drawing average audiences exceeding 24 million viewers.
